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News Release
Texas Access to Justice Foundation
May 21, 2020
Endowment program supporting legal services for Texas veterans reaches $1M in donations
Joe Jamail Endowment for Veteran Legal Services will offer
continued support for free veteran legal services in the future
AUSTIN, Texas––The
Texas Access to
Justice Foundation
(TAJF)––the largest state-based funding source for civil legal aid––today
announced the
Joe Jamail Endowment
for Veteran Legal Services
reached a milestone of $1 million dollars in donations from lawyers, others
in the legal community, the Jamail family and Jamail’s personal friends.
The
Endowment—created in 2017 to ensure Texas veterans have fair and equitable
access to the justice system, as well as civil legal help to successfully
integrate back into civilian life—will support continued veteran legal
services. Named in honor of Texas attorney Joe Jamail, well-known in the
legal community for his philanthropic efforts, the Endowment was created by
Houston attorney Richard Mithoff––a protégé of Jamail––in an effort to
continue Jamail’s mission of access to justice for all.
“Joe was
passionate and committed, especially when it came to veterans who have
sacrificed so much for the rest of us,” Mithoff said. “The Joe Jamail
Endowment for Veteran Legal Services was created to commemorate his
dedication and commitment to our veterans and active service members. As a
Marine, Joe saw a need for civil legal aid in the veteran community, and it
is our honor to continue to serve those who have served our country.”
Texas
has the second-highest population of veterans in the nation. According to
the Department of Veterans Affairs, legal issues account for five of the top
10 unmet needs of homeless veterans. The ability to access free legal
services is necessary for veterans to obtain the benefits and support they
need for themselves and their families.
“Providing
civil legal support to Texas veterans is crucial in ensuring they can get
back to their lives after serving our country,” Harry Reasoner, Chair of the
Texas Access to Justice Commission and partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP, said.
“Joe
and his wife Lee were among the greatest philanthropists in Texas history,
giving many millions to support higher education, medical care, the needs of
Veterans and other worthy causes.”
Thanks
to financial support from TAJF and the Endowment, legal aid organizations
and pro bono lawyers throughout Texas are able to provide legal
representation to veterans with civil legal problems such as denial of
medical care; legal issues related to disabilities; problems receiving
benefits; family law matters arising from deployment; and more. Now that the
Endowment has reached $1 million in donations, legal aid efforts on behalf
of Veterans will continue to be supported.
The Texas Access to
Justice Foundation (www.teajf.org), created by the Supreme Court of
Texas in 1984, is the leading state-based funding source for the provision
of civil legal aid in Texas. The organization is committed to the vision
that all Texans will have equal access to justice, regardless of their
income. The Foundation administers a variety of funding sources, which are
earmarked to assist nonprofit organizations in providing legal aid to
more than 150,000 Texas families each year.
Kimberly Schmitt
512-320-0099, ext. 104
kschmitt@teajf.org
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