Texas Appleseed Expanding Pro Bono Outreach to Legal Deserts

AUSTIN, Texas—Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit policy and advocacy organization, is launching a pro bono expansion project to broaden its reach into legal deserts in Texas. Made possible by funding from the Texas Bar Foundation, the project seeks to create new partnerships with legal professionals to more effectively serve underrepresented communities.

Pro bono projects are mutually beneficial for the legal profession, nonprofits, and individuals alike. Unfortunately, many parts of Texas lack a strong pro bono network that nonprofits and communities can access. In El Paso, Laredo, and Corpus Christi, for example, residents may battle systemic injustice without the abundant pro bono assistance that is present in Texas’ bigger cities. 

“Pro bono partners are essential to Texas Appleseed’s policy and advocacy work, so we are thrilled at the opportunity to build new relationships that will benefit even more communities,” said Lena Martinez-Wolfinger, Pro Bono Director for Texas Appleseed. “We are grateful to the Texas Bar Foundation for recognizing this need and look forward to collaborating with our new partners to discover paths to impactful, meaningful, and lasting change in Texas.”

In addition to serving as valuable thought partners, pro bono volunteers contribute research, legal and regulatory analysis, legislative testimony, educational materials, and more. In 2023, pro bono attorneys and other legal professionals donated 3,600 hours to Texas Appleseed, valued at over $2.4 million, helping expand the work of Texas Appleseed staff.

The long-term goal for this project is to increase access to legal services throughout rural areas of Texas and support sustainable pro bono networks that can continually respond as community needs evolve. 

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About Texas Appleseed

As one of the most trusted resources for data-driven policy analysis and solutions, Texas Appleseed advocates at the state and local level for fair, just, and equitable laws. Our work has shaped hundreds of laws and positively affected millions of Texans by breaking down barriers through transformative policy solutions. Visit www.TexasAppleseed.org for more information.

About Texas Bar Foundation

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $28 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.