Lawyers do a great job!

By Charles E. Hardy
Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P.

You don’t read that headline often but the crisis in El Dorado has put lawyers in the limelight of need and allowed us to shine as a profession. Yes, it is a time for lawyers to be proud.
We all know what happened—allegations in West Texas grew to the point that a raid was conducted (right or wrong) and many children and adults were forcibly removed from their home. Our system needed to work and help, but with hundreds in need, it was overwhelmed.

Then the emails started. Multiple family law groups from around Texas started emailing lawyers asking for volunteers to donate their time (their stock in trade) to help with this calamity.

The response was immediate and without hesitation. Hurst lawyer Barbara Nunneley, President of the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, said “Texas Family Lawyers were nothing less than amazing at the outpouring of generosity of their time and skills for the children of Texas.”

Houston lawyer Ellen Yarrell, Family Law Section member and President of Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists said “I think the lawyers’ response is phenomenal. Family lawyers understand the legal issues, both state and constitutional, that need to be addressed. Each family member affected by this situation needs representation to assure that individual rights are protected.”

And volunteers were not the only contribution from lawyers. Our SA Bar’s Family Law Section voted to contribute $2,500 to the Texas Bar Foundation. San Antonio Bar Family Law Section President Karen Marvel said “We knew they needed help. We as lawyers had the opportunity to make a major contribution to help and we did.”

Many other law firms and lawyers have made financial contributions. Our efforts should not stop here. This crisis is ongoing and needs our help. Time, money, and mentoring will all help the effort to assist these families in crisis.

San Antonio lawyers played a very special role in this growing situation.

Weatherford lawyer Tom Vick, a commissioner for the Texas Access for Justice Commission (TAJC), saw the story on CNN and decided to call Emily Jones, Executive Director of the TAJC to see if they needed help.

“She explained to me that she needed 50 lawyers to volunteer to help out with the situation. I sent the word out and 40 of the first 45 volunteers that signed up that day were San Antonio lawyers. I was amazed at San Antonio’s response!”

The next day, Texas Bar President Gib Walton called Vick and explained that, in reality, the need was for 350 lawyers. “I got on the phone and called our local Fulbright office and set up a war room in a conference room to start calling for help. We had 350 lawyers volunteer within four days thereafter.”

Vick said the response was absolutely incredible, especially from San Antonio’s Bar.

So far, 400 lawyers have volunteered (far more, at least at this time than are needed) and there are 80 attorneys on a standby list. Vick is asking for other attorneys to sign up to be on the waiting list should the need arise.

A CNN reporter called Vick and asked him if he was surprised, especially based on the reputation of lawyers, that so many had signed up to volunteer. Vick stated “It may have surprised you but it did not surprise me. Texas lawyers have always been ready and willing to help children and families in need.”

If you would like to volunteer time, send money or act as a mentor, contact Tom Vick at tvick@vcslaw.com (or call 817.596.5533) and give him the following information: your name, address, telephone, bar card number and a brief description of your qualifications.

Meanwhile, let’s continue to take pride in the fact that our profession did the right thing when it was needed.