Harris County Law Library's 102nd Anniversary

October 1 is a special day each year at the Harris County Law Library. On October 1, 1915, attorneys gathered in downtown Houston for our institution's official grand opening and each year that passes gives us a chance to reflect on the progress we've made in serving our patrons and fulfilling our mission. 

Two years ago, the Law Library marked the occasion by inviting the local legal community to join us for a Centennial Celebration featuring a keynote address from Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht. During his address, the chief justice noted that, throughout the centuries, great thinkers have reiterated the sentiment that "knowledge is power," including influential writers, from the drafters of the Texas Constitution to novelists George Orwell (Nineteen Eighty-Four) and Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451), who make the point that access to knowledge is essential in a free society. The chief justice connected these historical themes with the Centennial Celebration by noting that "[i]t is in opposition to a suppression of knowledge, and in support of its general diffusion, that we gather in celebration of this great public law library."

Inspired by Chief Justice Hecht's words and driven by a mission to promote access to justice through access to legal information, the Law Library continues to expand opportunities for our patrons to gain knowledge. We've launched our Legal Tech Institute, which provides free training opportunities to attorneys and members of the public who might otherwise be left behind by technological advancements in our justice system. In a short time, we will further expand available legal tech training opportunities to include experiential learning with our Hands-On Legal Tech Training program, thanks to a generous grant from the Texas Bar Foundation. A legal clinic from Houston Volunteer Lawyers is now available in the Law Library 5 days per week to connect individuals with limited means with legal information for a licensed volunteer attorney.

When disaster struck, the Law Library launched the Harvey Recovery Resources page to help connect Houstonians with information on available local, state, and federal aid. In each instance, the Law Library works to disseminate knowledge and empower our patrons to participate as informed citizens in our Harris County government.

For more on the Law Library's Centennial Celebration and to view Chief Justice Hecht's speech, visit our centennial page.

ABA Legal Checkups for Veterans and Others

According to a 2016 Civil Legal Aid Research Workshop Report from the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Science Foundation, two-thirds of adults face problems that can be resolved through legal intervention. However, many of those in need are unaware that legal remedies exist, and, consequently, they do not access the justice system to seek relief. Identifying that a problem is legal in nature can be the first step to getting legal assistance, and pointing people to the available resources is step two. For those of modest or moderate means, legal aid can sometimes be an option; sliding scale or alternative fee arrangements may be available as well. Depending on individual needs and circumstances, limited scope representation and pro- or low-bono services might also exist. In any case, resources are available, but recognizing the need for legal help and finding the best solutions can be a challenge.

Guiding people to achieve satisfactory legal outcomes using the resources available in their communities is the objective of the ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services. This committee is charged with providing improved access to lawyers and legal services for those of modest or moderate means. Among their many initiatives is a project currently in development to offer online legal checkups that help people recognize when their problems have legal solutions and point them to available resources that address their needs. One such tool, the Legal Checkup for Veterans, is already in place.

Those who access the Veterans Legal Checkup website can identify their legal issues and find clear paths to resolving them quickly, easily, and free of charge. Employment issues, family matters, and housing instability are just a few of the issues that the Veterans Legal Checkup can address. Users are guided through a series of questions regarding jobs, wages, housing, disability, marital status, and child custody arrangements to identify any potential legal needs. Links to resources including social services organizations, veterans affairs offices, and legal aid agencies are provided, along with additional information about what to say, how to prepare, and what to consider when contacting the suggested organizations. By providing this tool for veterans, the ABA is taking action to help a sometimes vulnerable and, unfortunately, under-served population that deserves better. Other "legal checkups" from the ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services are expected to follow in the near future.

Free PLI Webcast - Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey: Disaster Assistance

The Practicing Law Institute will offer a free, one-hour briefing called the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey: Disaster Assistance. Expert faculty from FEMA and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services will address: 

  • An overview of federal disaster assistance
  • Eligibility criteria for the Individual and Household’s Program
  • Broad overview of the National Flood Insurance Program
  • Sale of flood insurance
  • Mapping flood hazards
  • Floodplain management
  • Flood mitigation assistance
  • Understanding the Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP) and claim
  • Terms and conditions in the SFIP
  • Proof of Loss and timelines for filing claims –building and contents
  • When experts are needed
  • Appeal and judicial review regarding a denial of a flood insurance claim
  • How to appeal a claim
  • Filing suit 
  • Most common reasons for FEMA denials
  • Practice tips to help survivors overcome FEMA denials

The program will be webcast on Thursday, September 7 at 3:00 pm Central time. Registration is free and includes a downloadable course handbook, which will be available prior to the program for your review. This program is approved for one-hour of general CLE credit in Texas. For details and to register, please visit the PLI website.

Houston Bar Association & Houston Volunteer Lawyers Help the Community

June marked the end of the Houston Bar Association's calendar of activities. Looking back, it's clear to see that the HBA was quite active indeed, providing valuable service to HBA members, the profession, and the public. 

Houston Volunteer Lawyers provided in-person, one-on-one legal advice to more than 6,100 applicants at no expense to those served. Nearly 1,200 cases were referred to pro bono attorneys for long-term representation. Over 2,300 of those helped were U.S. veterans or spouses of deceased veterans.

HVL also assisted 6,561 pro se litigants with family law matters at the courthouse information both on the 17th floor of the Civil Courthouse, and expanded the pro se clinic to the Harris County Law Library where attorneys now meet with self-represented litigants five days a week from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon on a first come-first served basis. 

More than 700 LegalLine volunteers answered 5,386 calls from residents of Harris County, and the Houston Lawyer Referral service made over 26,000 referrals to attorneys and other agencies. 

These are just a few of HBA's achievements over the last twelve months. Additional successes of the previous year are detailed in the May/June 2017 issue of the Houston Lawyer magazine. See page six for President Neil Kelly's message where he reflects on the HBA's service to its members, its initiatives in educating the public about the law, and its efforts to help the residents of Harris County.