Houston Volunteer Lawyers, a service of the Houston Bar Association, has named Haynes and Boone, LLP as an Equal Access to Justice Champion for the firm’s pro bono efforts in the Greater Houston area. Haynes Boone ranked third among the 65 participating firms, corporate legal departments and solo practitioners with 49 accepted cases since the start of the bar year.
The Equal Access to Justice Champions Program was started by the Houston Bar Association in 2006 to help ensure placement of Houston Volunteer Lawyers cases with pro bono volunteers. At the start of the bar year, Houston firms, corporate legal departments, and solo practitioners pledge to handle one pro bono case per every five attorneys, collectively providing pro bono legal representation to 545 clients.
"The dedication and commitment shown by the attorneys in our Houston office in providing pro bono services are truly commendable,” said Houston Partner Lauren Brogdon, a member of the Haynes Boone Pro Bono Committee and former chair of the Houston Volunteer Lawyers. “Their hard work and compassion have made a significant impact in our community, and this honor is a testament to the impact they have made.”
Among the 49 cases that were accepted by the attorneys in the firm’s Houston office, Haynes Boone notably assisted veterans with receiving benefits and represented survivors of domestic violence in divorce proceedings against their abusers. As a firm in 2023, Haynes Boone devoted 16,000-plus hours to pro bono work, equaling $12.6 million in legal fees donated.
In addition to this recognition, the firm also received the prestigious W. Frank Newton Award on behalf of the State Bar of Texas for providing legal services to the less fortunate in Texas, the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award from The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, and the 2023 Law Firm of the Year award from the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program.
