The Texas Bar Foundation has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Houston Bar Foundation for its Veterans Legal Initiative (VLI), a program that provides pro bono legal services to veterans in 17 Texas counties. The grant will be used to increase awareness of the services provided by the VLI through mailings to veterans and veteran organizations, as well as advertising in community media.
Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $14 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. The Houston Bar Foundation is the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association.
The VLI provides free legal clinics to veterans, working in conjunction with local bar associations and legal groups in the following counties: Bell, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, McLennan, Montgomery, Orange, San Jacinto, Travis, Walker and Waller. Veterans and spouses of deceased veterans who meet income eligibility requirements can receive advice and counsel from a volunteer attorney in any area of law, including family, wills and probate, consumer, real estate and tax law, as well as disability and veterans benefits. Qualifying veterans who need ongoing legal representation can be assigned a pro bono attorney to handle their case through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers, a service of the Houston Bar Association.
For more information on the VLI, contact the Foundation at (713) 759-1133 or visit www.hba.org.