The Dallas Bar Association and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas have concluded their annual “Equal Access to Justice Campaign,” which funds the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program to provide free legal assistance to over 4,000 low-income families with civil legal needs each year. This year the lawyers of Dallas raised a record-breaking $1,100,415 for pro bono legal services to the poor.
The Co-Chairs of the 2014-2015 Campaign were Laura Benitez Geisler, of The Geisler Law Firm, and Robert Tobey, of Johnston Tobey, P.C.
“The growth of our EAJ Campaign totals has been phenomenal,” said Brad Weber, 2015 DBA President. “In 2009, we raised about $544,000. This year we topped $1.1 million—a 102 percent gain over six years.”
Campaign proceeds will be used to continue to expand DVAP’s work in the community. With over 600,000 people meeting legal aid’s financial guidelines for assistance, there is more work to be done in keeping access to the courts open in Dallas. DVAP will focus its efforts on recruiting more volunteer attorneys to represent clients in more complex cases and contested family law cases.
The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) is a joint program of the Dallas Bar Association and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. DVAP conducts neighborhood legal clinics each month at seven community locations, and provides specialty legal clinics for veterans and the elderly. DVAP recruits and trains volunteer attorneys, and provides staff support to the volunteers.
