Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-7) and Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) and leaders of the Texas legal community joined the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) as it kicked off its 50th anniversary year with a forum in Houston. The event focused on increasing access to justice and highlighted the topics of regulatory reform and responding to domestic violence.

In addition to Rep. Fletcher, speakers included Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support Jan Edgar Langbein, former White House Counsel and Partner at Locke Lorde LLP Harriet Miers, and LSC Board Chairman John Levi. LSC’s Texas grantees Lone Star Legal Aid, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas also participated in the event.

The first in a series of nationwide events, this forum featured panel discussions of two significant topics in access to justice. The first panel on domestic violence came as news reports indicate that DV cases have rapidly increased since the pandemic. Panelists from prominent organizations supporting Texas survivors discussed the importance of a coordinated response in providing services. Panelists for this discussion were:

Maisha Colter, Chief Executive Officer, AVDA: Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse

Hon. Dimple Malhotra, Judge, Travis County Court at Law #4

Sonia Lopez, Director of Innovative Programming, Lone Star Legal Aid

Emilee Dawn Whitehurst, President and Chief Executive Officer, Houston Area Women’s Center

Moderator: Cindy Tisdale, President, State Bar of Texas; Partner, Goranson Bain Ausley, PLLC; Of Counsel, Lynch, Chappell & Alsup

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