Pro Bono Excellence Awards

Awards to Texas individuals and organizations for work that has made an outstanding contribution toward guaranteeing access to the legal system by the poor, and for providing free legal services to the needy. Six different awards will be presented as follows:

1. The W. Frank Newton Award recognizes the pro bono contribution of attorney groups (e.g., law firm, corporate law department, government attorney office, law school faculty) whose members have made an outstanding contribution in the provision of, or access to, legal services to the poor.

2. The Pro Bono Coordinator Award is presented to an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to the delivery of, and access to legal services for the poor, while serving as the pro bono coordinator for a volunteer attorney organization or group, local bar association, law firm, law school, corporate legal office, governmental law department or legal services organization.

3. The J. Chrys Dougherty Award recognizes an outstanding legal services staff attorney. The award is named for J. Chrys Dougherty, a private attorney and Bar leader, whose efforts helped to build a strong working partnership between the State Bar of Texas and legal services providers. The award includes a $1,500 stipend from the Texas Bar Foundation and a contribution from Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody.

4. The Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award honors a judge, sitting or retired, who has provided exemplary pro bono service, including: outreach to attorneys to increase the quantity and quality of pro bono representation; modifications to court processes to increase access to justice; advocacy on behalf of access to justice; or service as a volunteer judge for pro bono clinics or other pro bono proceedings.

5. The Pro Bono Award honors a volunteer attorney organization that has made an outstanding contribution toward guaranteeing access to the legal system by the poor.

6. The Frank J. Scurlock Award honors an individual attorney, in good standing, who has provided outstanding pro bono work. The award is named for the late Frank J. Scurlock, the first chair of the Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee.