June 4, 2020

VLS Statement on Protests and Racism

Hello VLS Community,

Access to justice is at the core of why Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas was founded by Austin attorneys nearly 40 years ago and who we are today. Yesterday, the three officers who watched another officer take the life of George Floyd were charged and arrested in conjunction with his murder. It took thousands of people protesting and risking their health in the middle of a pandemic to garner the attention needed to start the process of justice for George Floyd and his family. That is unacceptable.

It is also unacceptable to allow this to be the end of the discussion of equal access to justice for the Black community and all communities of color in the United States of America and right here in Central Texas. The pain, anger, grief, and fear that we have witnessed in the streets all across the world were merely an explosion of the built up trauma from centuries of lack of justice and freedom for communities of color in the United States.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” We must be those individuals willing to open our hearts, listen to the injustices and work towards healing them every day. When the protests end, we must pick up where they leave off in our everyday lives and our work in the many systems plagued by racism. It is the only way that we can ever achieve equal access to justice for all.
Best,

Alisa De Luna
Executive Director

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March 16, 2020

An Update Regarding COVID-19

Like many of you, we are paying close attention to the evolving COVID-19 situation locally and nationwide. The safety of the members of the community we serve, our volunteers and our staff is of the utmost importance. With several courts issuing emergency orders to suspend non-emergency family & civil hearings for a period of time and with social distancing measures being put in place, we are making the following adjustments to our practices:

• All in-person legal and intake clinics will be suspended indefinitely. This is an evolving situation, and we may need to suspend even longer if our clinic venues are closed. However, we are working with our volunteers to bring these services to the community via telephone and will post an update when we are able to do so. In the meantime, please go to Texas Law Help or our Legal Resources page if you need immediate help.

• We are postponing or canceling all events through the end of April.

• For our attorney volunteers, we continue to have videos of certain seminars and trainings available during this time.

el 16 de marzo del 2020

Un aviso sobre COVID-19

Como muchos de ustedes, nosotros le estamos prestando mucha atención al desarrolla de COVID-19 en nuestra comunidad y nuestro país. La seguridad de nuestra comunidad, nuestros voluntarios, y nuestros empleados es sumamente importante para nosotros. Varios tribunales cesaron audiencias que no sean de emergencia para casos civiles y derecho familiar por varias semanas. Adicionalmente, varios sitios y negocios están tomando medidas para poder mantener distancia física. Por esta razón, nosotros vamos a cambiar varias de nuestras prácticas durante este tiempo:

• Todas las asesorías legales que se llevan a cabo en persona han sido canceladas indefinidamente. Esta situación sigue cambiando y es posible que nos toque cancelar más asesorías legales si los locales donde tenemos las asesorías legales están cerrados. Nosotros estamos planeando sistemas nuevos para ofrecer asesoría legal por el teléfono. Estamos actualizando nuestra página web constantemente para mantenerlo al día. Mientras tanto, puede buscar ayuda en Texas Law Help y en nuestra lista de recursos legales si necesita ayuda inmediatamente.
• Todos nuestros eventos hasta el 30 de abril han sido aplazados.
• Seguimos ofreciendo videos de entrenamientos y seminarios para abogados voluntarios.

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January 16, 2020

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas Announces New Executive Director

The Volunteer Legal Services Board of Directors is excited to announce that Alisa De Luna has been appointed Executive Director of Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas. Alisa brings to VLS proven expertise in volunteer recruitment, nonprofit growth, and leadership development, as well as a steadfast commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

Alisa was most recently Senior Director of Community Initiatives at CASA of Travis County. In her role, she led the volunteer recruitment, screening and training team as well as the diversity and legislative efforts for the organization. Earlier, she led CASA of Williamson County as Executive Director as it established itself in its first 6 years. During that time, it was recognized as the fastest growing CASA program in the state. It is also during these years at CASA where Alisa earned her certification as a facilitator of Knowing Who You Are, a workshop on healthy racial and ethnic identity, and honed her diversity and inclusion knowledge and skills. For her work with volunteers on behalf of CASA with the Texas Legislature, she was honored with the J.C. Montgomery Child Safety Award by the Texas Office for Prevention of Development Disabilities.

Alisa graduated from Rice University and her background is in nonprofit management and fundraising, including work with the MDA and Austin Opera before committing herself to advocacy in the child welfare system through CASA.

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November 13, 2019

VolunteerHub is LIVE!

Today, VLS launched VolunteerHub and we couldn’t be more excited!

What it means for you: On VolunteerHub, volunteers can browse and select volunteer opportunities, sign up for CLEs, control their own calendars, and let us know what types of volunteering works best for you. Existing volunteers you already have a profile in VolunteerHub.  If you are an existing volunteer, you should have received email notification of your profile on November 13.Note: If you take cases with VLS, or choose to start taking cases now, VLS staff will continue to send you cases and correspond with you.  Please use your VolunteerHub profile to verify the types of cases you wish to take. If you are already signed up for upcoming volunteer shifts in 2019, VolunteerHub will send you reminders.

Check out Volunteer Hub now!

Why we made these changes: Our volunteers asked for more and easier ways to get involved and we listened.  We recognize you have choices where to volunteer and we want to make sure our pro bono volunteer opportunities and processes are accessible, user-friendly, and bring together issues and causes that are both professionally and personally fulfilling.  It is our hope that these changes will provide a better understanding of the diverse pro bono opportunities offered by VLS throughout Central Texas for every interest, schedule, and level of experience.

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October 9, 2019

Volunteering with VLS Just Got An Upgrade!

For 38 years, VLS has leveraged the time, talent, and expertise of pro bono volunteers to provide life-changing legal assistance to individuals and families struggling to meet their basic needs.  Our volunteers help fill a critical gap by providing pro bono advice, direct representation, and pro se assistance to clients who need help eliminating legal barriers to their safety, stability, and self-sufficiency.

We are very excited to announce VolunteerHub, a new cloud-based volunteer management software that will help us better serve YOU, our volunteers.  With VolunteerHub, anyone interested in pro bono opportunities can now easily apply and register to serve as a mentor, or as a volunteer and provide legal advice, direct representation, interpretation/translation services, and/or general assistance at our 175 clinics held every year.

VolunteerHub allows individuals, law firms, attorneys, paralegals, businesses, and organizations to customize their engagement with VLS.  Features Include:

• A simple online application for new volunteers to register;
• A simple online interface for existing volunteers;
• A comprehensive listing and calendar of pro bono volunteer opportunities, including free CLE;
• An online scheduling/calendaring tool; and
• Tools to track your volunteer hours, impact, and personal goals!

VolunteerHub will help accelerate some of the most important work being done in our community right now — from protecting victims of domestic violence; helping families fight wrongful evictions/foreclosures; supporting individuals denied access to public benefits; and more.

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October 3, 2019

A Message from VLS

From Paul Trahan, Board President, Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas 

It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that the Board of Directors announces the departure of Priscilla G. Cortez, Executive Director of Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (VLS). Since 2016, Priscilla has played a critical role in the development, growth, and success of the organization, and while we will miss her and her compassionate leadership, we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. We want to thank her for her dedicated service which involved many significant accomplishments, including:

• Growing the organizational budget and increasing staff from 9 to 12 employees;
• Developing a diversified base of financial support, securing the organization’s first federal grant, expanding foundation support by 50% and corporate support by 25%, and implementing a new donor tier;
• Launching the Care for Our Children initiative to assist immigrant families, facing detention and/or deportation, designate a caregiver for their children; and
• Partnering with government and social services agencies to address immediate community problems such as debtors’ prisons and homelessness.

Over the next few months, we will be conducting a search to find the new VLS Executive Director. During this transition period, it is our priority to find the best individual to lead, while still maintaining a stable and effective organization. We have just released the job announcement and ask for your help in identifying candidates who can help VLS continue along this successful trajectory. Priscilla has committed to working side by side with our Board to ensure a smooth and seamless succession process.

Again, we cannot thank Priscilla enough for the dedication, passion, enthusiasm and motivation she has given VLS over the past three years. She will be greatly missed by the staff, Board, members and partners alike. We look forward to following the success of her career and are hopeful and excited for the next chapter of VLS as we continue to improve access to justice through the delivery of pro bono civil legal services.  If you have any questions or concerns during this transition process, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at paul.trahan@nortonrosefulbright.com

Sincerely,

Paul Trahan, Board President

From Priscilla G. Cortez, Executive Director, Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas 

After three years with VLS, I recently shared my plans to step down as Executive Director.  While I have a mix of emotions as I plan for the next chapter of my career, I look forward to spending more time with family and identifying new ways to contribute to our community. The decision for my transition did not come easily as I am extremely proud of all that VLS staff, board, and partners have accomplished during the past three years and hold dear to my heart the relationships I have built during my time as Executive Director.  It will be a great privilege for me to work closely with the Board and Search Committee over the next few months to find a new ED and support that person in their transition.

I want to give my deepest gratitude to all who have been so supportive of the organization and of me personally over the years: staff, board members, and, of course, our partners. Without you, the organization would not be as strong and impactful as it is. I am so honored to have been the leader of this incredible organization and will watch with much excitement and anticipation as it makes strides in supporting and creating solutions to improve access to justice for all.

Best,

Priscilla G. Cortez, Executive Director

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June 27, 2018

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas Announces Covington Pro Bono Winners

Austin, TX – On June 21, 2018, the Central Texas legal community gathered to celebrate the power of pro bono at the Judge Suzanne Covington Pro Bono Service Awards Reception. The event, hosted by Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (VLS) and Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, recognized over seventy-five law firms and sixty attorneys for their investment of time, legal expertise, and philanthropic resources to increase access to justice.

Because of the steadfast support of attorneys and law firms, VLS is able to bring life-changing legal services to the community and ensure that those struggling to meet their basic needs of safety and security, housing, education, and health have somewhere to turn for legal help.

Also recognized at the Covington Pro Bono Service Awards Reception, were two individuals and a law firm that went above and beyond to help those in need through pro bono legal services.

Tecuan Flores, Law Clerk for the U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, received the Susan P. Burton Award for outstanding pro bono legal service by a lawyer licensed for five years or less. In his four years as a licensed attorney, Tecuan has already handled eight pro bono cases and has become a seasoned volunteer at VLS legal clinics.

Kevin Holcomb, a partner with Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, received the J. Chrys Dougherty Award for his longtime advocacy on behalf of VLS clients. Kevin has successfully handled 57 pro bono cases, served as a mentor to other VLS attorney volunteers, and provided regular assistance at VLS legal clinics for several decades. His commitment and passion have been invaluable to the success of VLS and its clients.

The law firm of Mauzy & Tucker PLLC received the Joseph H. Hart Award, for providing exemplary pro bono legal services to low-income Central Texans. Over the past three years, the law firm and its three attorneys have generously supported VLS, recruiting attorney volunteers and accepting 13 pro bono family law cases.

VLS is proud to recognize these outstanding lawyers and law firms and their many contributions to our greater community.

(L-R) Judge Suzanne Covington and Priscilla G. Cortez, Executive Director of VLS.

(L-R) Priscilla G. Cortez with Tecuan Flores, Susan P. Burton Award recipient; Margaret Tucker and Catherine Mauzy, Joseph H. Hart Award recipient; and Kevin Holcomb, J. Chrys Dougherty Award recipient.

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June 4, 2018

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas Receives Texas Bar Foundation Grant

 Austin, TX – Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (VLS) has been awarded an $8,500 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to update the VLS Legal Advice Clinic Handbook.  The Handbook, provided to all VLS attorney volunteers, is a comprehensive quick-reference guide on a full range of civil legal issues facing low-income and indigent Central Texans.  The Handbook is a vital resource and support tool for attorney volunteers providing legal advice at VLS’s 200+ legal advice and intake clinics in Travis, Hays, and Bastrop counties.

“We are grateful for the Texas Bar Foundation’s investment in our access-to-justice mission, which allows us to provide vital civil legal services to Central Texans struggling to meet their basic needs of employment, safety, housing, family/income stability, education, and healthcare,” said VLS’s Executive Director Priscilla G. Cortez. “With the Texas Bar Foundation’s generosity, we can ensure the success and integrity of our legal advice and intake clinics, where so many individuals and families in need come for help.”

About the Texas Bar Foundation

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $18 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation.

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For Immediate Release
June 14, 2017 | Austin, TX
Consulate press contact: Rafael Ruiz
mexicoenaustin@sre.gob.mx | Dir: 512.478.2866 ext. 113

Press Release

Launch of the Consular Assistance Special Campaign for Mexican Nationals in Central Texas

The Consulate General of Mexico in Austin is pleased to announce the launch of the Consular Assistance Special Campaign for Mexican Nationals in Central Texas, a new effort sponsored by the Mexican Government to promote “know your rights” seminars, US citizenship workshops, financial education clinics, and individual consultations with immigration attorneys, among other services.

This initiative is the result of extraordinary resources allocated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico to its consular network in the United States. In Austin, funds will be used in a capacity building effort to better protect the rights and interests of Mexican nationals within the Consulate’s jurisdiction.

The main activities and programs that are part of the campaign are:

• Know Your Rights Information sessions. Attendees of these sessions will receive information about their rights, what to do in case of detention by an authority, and information about SB4.
• Immigration screening consultations with immigration attorneys.Through an individualized screening consultation, a person will be able to talk to an immigration attorney to find out if he/she qualifies for any type of immigration relief. The person will receive legal counsel as to his or her potential options, and what next steps to follow.
• Naturalization clinics. At these clinics, Legal Permanent Residents who qualify will receive legal assistance to apply for U.S. citizenship.
• Emergency preparedness clinics. Attendees to these clinics will receive information on how to protect their children and properties in case of deportation proceedings. They will receive assistance executing powers of attorney forms, and other legal instruments, as needed. They will also receive useful information in case they decide to return to Mexico.
• The Financial Assistance Window. This service, located within the Consulate, will provide training and guidance on how to protect patrimony, as well as cultural and linguistically appropriate financial and educational advice with the purpose of increasing financial literacy among the immigrant community.

All services offered will be free of charge to participants.  This work would not be possible without the collaboration of several organizations and attorneys throughout Central Texas, including:

• American Gateways;
• Asociación de Restauranteros Mexicanos de Texas;
• Casa Marianella;
• Catholic Charities of Central Texas;
• De Mott, McChesney, Curtright and Armendáriz, LLP (DMCA);
• Economic Growth Business Incubato;
• Education Austin;
• Equal Justice Center;
• Foundation Communities;
• Hispanic Alliance;
• Lincoln – Goldfinch Law;
• Migrant Clinician Network;
• Mis Cuentas;
• RAICES Texas;
• The Law Office of Yohana Saucedo, P.C.;
• The Lyttle Law Firm; and
• Volunteer Legal Services

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Who will care for our children?

Today, we launched the Care for Our Children campaign with a goal of raising $20,000 to ensure that American-born children are cared for and protected.
When you make a gift today, you support:

• Essential training for volunteer lawyers to enhance their knowledge and skills in handling these unique cases;
• Legal advice clinics where families can access free and timely legal advice to plan for their children’s future; and
• Matching families in need with a volunteer lawyer who can provide tailored legal assistance so children are placed in the best of all possible situations.

Be a critical part of a community that cares for its children and is a lifeline for families trying to make it through the scariest moments of their lives.

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VLS Executive Director, Priscilla Cortez, was recently featured in an article by Giving City Austin! Priscilla spoke to GCA about Volunteer Legal Services’ mission, our programs, and how anyone can help VLS shrink the justice gap in Central Texas. Click here to read more.

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Our very own board president Susan Kidwell was quoted recently in an article on Texas Lawyer about the effects that legal services budget cuts will have on VLS and other legal aid organizations.

“With the Legal Services Corp. reportedly on the chopping block under the Trump administration, legal aid organizations in Texas either face dramatic funding cuts or pressure to step into the breach to handle legal work for low-income people in Texas.

“…’The reality is when the federal government cuts funding from what they provide, that means there’s less out there,’ she said. ‘We become one of the organizations that people are probably looking at to fill gaps.’”

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January 18, 2017

Priscilla Cortez named to lead

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas

VLS provided $4.9 million of pro-bono legal services to 7,000 low-income clients in 2016

AUSTIN—Business and community leader and advocate Priscilla Guajardo Cortez has been selected to lead Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, which helps low-income individuals access the civil justice system by providing volunteer attorneys who donate legal advice and representation. In 2016 alone, the 35-year-old organization provided legal services valued at nearly $5 million to more than 7,000 clients, thanks to its 600 volunteer attorneys.

Cortez comes to the executive director position from the University of Texas System, where she was executive director of philanthropy, and as a nonprofit development consultant for Lee and Associates. Her many accomplishments at UT System included pioneering regional fundraising strategies, leading efforts on collaborative fundraising among the System’s 14 institutions, and raising millions of dollars for higher education initiatives.

Her two decades of experience also include nonprofit governance and program management, including serving as legal counsel and director of special projects for Southwest Key Programs, an Austin-based national nonprofit organization committed to keeping at-risk youth out of institutions.

Cortez and her husband, John-Michael Cortez, helped to create FuturoFund Austin, the first-of-its kind Hispanic-focused giving circle, to raise philanthropic support for Austin nonprofit organizations in the areas of education, arts, and health. The all-volunteer group has given grants totaling more than $150,000 since it was founded in 2008.

She received her law degree from St. Mary’s University, a master of education in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin, and undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University.

In her new role as executive director of Volunteer Legal Services, Cortez—an attorney herself—will focus on expanding the organization to serve even more low-income clients in need of legal services through raising more money, improving outreach efforts, and expanding the staff to address the growing needs in Central Texas.

VLS is best known for its effectiveness in addressing the inequality in the justice system by being a matchmaker of attorney volunteers with clients who need their expertise and representation to overcome pressing civil legal problems such as home foreclosures, evictions and landlord/tenant disputes, divorce and child custody cases, and domestic violence.  VLS supports its attorney volunteers with resources, trainings, and mentorship from judges and other leaders in the legal community.

According to Volunteer Legal Services board chair Susan Kidwell, “Priscilla brings passion, excitement, and new ideas to VLS.  We look forward to her leadership in guiding the organization into the future and ensuring that people most in need have equal access to justice,” Kidwell says.

“I’m honored and couldn’t be more excited to join the dedicated Volunteer Legal Services staff and Board in advancing our important mission,” Cortez says. “More than ever, VLS programs and services are urgently needed.  The widening income inequality across Central Texas coupled with the high cost of legal services makes access to justice impossible for the most vulnerable in our communities. We have an incredible opportunity to have an even greater impact, and my goal is to bring the resources and recognition the organization needs to do so.”

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Volunteer Legal Services’ Outreach Program

As Austin’s population grows by leaps and bounds, so too does the number of people living in poverty who cannot afford the services of an attorney but live too far from the city of Austin to access free legal help offered within its boundaries.

In response to this massive growth and population change, Volunteer Legal Services launched its Outreach Program in order to address the legal needs of people living in suburban and rural areas outside of Austin. This program is designed to give the community local access to our organization by  having our Outreach Coordinator set up a table at local community centers where the general public can inquire about and apply for our services, as well as hosting monthly legal clinics in these outlying areas.

We are currently in search of volunteer attorneys to help staff the Bastrop & Hays legal clinics by briefly meeting with clients and providing free legal advice. We’re also looking for Austin-area attorneys who can take cases in Bastrop, Caldwell and Hays Counties. This can be a wonderful opportunity for attorneys to give back to the greater community by providing aid to those who need it most.

Austin Bar in Action:  Self-Represented Litigant Program

Many pro se (self-represented) litigants can’t afford the services of an attorney but also can’t qualify for free legal aid. These are the working poor of Travis County. All pro-se litigants are now required to go to the Travis County Self Help Center before they are allowed in court. Due to this mandate, the Self Help Center has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people seeking help. In response to this overwhelming need, the Austin Bar Foundation created this program to provide assistance for self-represented litigants in the uncontested civil docket. Volunteer attorneys are available in the Self Help Center to answer questions and help fill out forms. They also assist with divorces, obtaining occupational driver’s licenses, name changes and landlord/tenant issues. Additionally, a volunteer attorney staffs the uncontested docket courtroom to help the litigants through the courtroom process.