Pro Bono

Pro bono and other community service activities are an important professional responsibility. Thompson & Knight's pro bono program benefits the public, the individuals we serve, and the development of our lawyers' skills and sense of professional and public service. Our pro bono program provides assistance to those in our communities who cannot otherwise afford legal services. In recent years, Thompson & Knight and our attorneys have received the following awards and recognition for pro bono work:

• Honoree at the 2009 Judge Suzanne Covington Pro Bono Services Awards for the Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas;
• Various awards from the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program Annual Pro Bono Awards and Volunteer Recognition Events, including the 2009 Bronze Award for Pro Bono Service, 2006 Bronze Award for Pro Bono Service, 2003 Firm of the Year for Extraordinary Pro Bono Service, and 2002 Support of the Year Award for one of our employee's pro bono efforts;
• 2007 Pro Bono Service Award for one of our attorney's work on the New York City Bankruptcy Assistance Project's Steering Committee;
• 2002 Margaret Wagers Enduring Service Award from the Housing Crisis Center for one of our attorney's efforts in exemplifying "undeviating support for the prevention and elimination of homelessness;" and
• 2000 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in the Small Business category by the Volunteer Center of Dallas County for the Firm's continuous pro bono service to the Housing Crisis Center.

Some of the projects and organizations to which our attorneys have contributed include:

Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and South Dallas Legal Clinic. This program has awarded the Firm three pro bono awards for the significant hours we spend in support of the South Dallas Legal Clinic (SDLC). The SDLC is a clinic for people who fall below poverty levels. Thompson & Knight secretaries and legal assistants perform interviews and check paperwork to ensure that the persons requesting assistance fall within the SDLC's guidelines. Once eligibility is established, our attorneys visit with the individuals, providing legal expertise to help address problems.

Housing Crisis Center (HCC) in Dallas. The HCC is dedicated to preventing homelessness and stabilizing families, the elderly, and the disabled in decent, affordable, and permanent housing. Clients who attend HCC's workshops require legal assistance to avoid wrongful evictions and address other tenant needs. Our attorneys have staffed this clinic once a month for more than 15 years. The Volunteer Center of Dallas County has honored the Firm for its work with the HCC.

New York City Bankruptcy Assistance Project (NYC BAP). The NYC BAP was launched by the Legal Services of New York (LSNY) in response to the passage of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, which made it more difficult for consumers to obtain relief from debts through bankruptcy. Through NYC BAP, firms throughout New York City help low-wage workers file bankruptcy petitions in order to stabilize their lives and help them remain in the workforce. The LSNY has awarded a Thompson & Knight attorney with a 2007 Pro Bono Service Award for his work on the NYC BAP Steering Committee.

Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (VLS). VLS is dedicated to helping the overflow of low-income individuals seeking help from the local legal aid office. Its mission is to help low-income clients access the civil justice system by providing volunteer attorneys who donate free legal service and representation and by supporting and training those attorneys. Thompson & Knight has received numerous accolades and awards over the years from VLS, and most recently, the Firm was honored at the 2009 Suzanne Covington Pro Bono Service Award ceremony in Austin, Texas. Two Thompson & Knight attorneys were honored for their work in several cases, including a last minute case where our attorneys invested a significant amount of time for a client who was about to lose his home.

We believe that we have a professional responsibility to assure that the disadvantaged have access to our legal system. In addition to the examples mentioned above, our pro bono legal work ranges from handling adoption cases to handling death penalty cases to representing nonprofit organizations dedicated to addressing the needs of the poor.

We approach pro bono clients with the same dedication and service ethic that we give to all of our valued clients. Our commitment is exemplified in a statement from a former Thompson & Knight pro bono client that was published in the January 2006 issue of For The Defense, a monthly publication of DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar. In the "On the Record - A Most Noble Profession" article, our client was quoted as saying, "I am convinced their representation of me exceeded the representation normally accorded a billable client. It is my personal opinion that these attorneys are a credit to their profession and set standards that ever(y) member of the bar should strive to meet." As evidenced by this statement, Thompson & Knight recognizes the dignity that each individual deserves through its steadfast commitment to pro bono and other community service activities.