C ommunity B uilding with A ttorney R esources

One Act Can Make a Difference As a lawyer, people turn to you for the special knowledge and skill you have. Your guidance can be a gift to your client, the community, and yourself. Volunteering can be one of the most satisfying aspects of your career.

Pro Bono Provides Personal Rewards In a hectic, stressful world, helping a charitable organization fulfill its mission to help people without money is a wonderful thing. Here is a place where gratitude, respect, satisfaction and friendship flourish. Here is where you give of yourself and make the world a better place.

Give Hope to Others Many opportunities to volunteer exist in our community, but this is the one position that only you can fill. No one else has the experience and knowledge to help small nonprofits with their legal problems. Whether you are a veteran attorney or just starting your career, you have a place with Texas C-BAR.

Lawyers Building Communities Texas C-BAR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in low-income communities in Texas by providing high quality, pro bono business law resources to nonprofits.

Texas C-BAR has two primary goals:  Provide free, transactional legal assistance to community-based nonprofits in Texas that serve low-income communities and disadvantaged persons.  Provide transactional attorneys with non-litigation pro bono opportunities and with resources to effectively represent their pro bono clients.

Why Volunteer?

We Made a Promise Texas Lawyer’s Creed: “I commit myself to an adequate and effective pro bono program.”

State Bar Resolution “Each Texas attorney should aspire to render at least 50 hours of legal services to the poor every year.”

Legal Services to the Poor Includes: Legal Services without a fee, or at a substantially reduced fee, rendered to a charitable, public interest organizations with respect to matters or projects designed predominantly to address the needs of poor persons.

10 More Reasons to Volunteer Get re-energized Understand different cultures Be an agent of change Make new friends Show you care Be part of the solution Get to know a community Inspire your peers Be a leader Develop new skills

— Preparing incorporation documents — Advising on corporate governance matters — Giving nonprofit tax advice — Advising on property tax exemptions — Drafting employment law manuals — Establishing subsidiary corporations — Negotiating construction contracts — Clearing title to parcels of land — Preparing real estate documents — Reviewing loan documents — Preparing limited partnership agreements — Obtaining tax exempt status Types of Matters C-BAR Refers

Types of Nonprofits Texas C-BAR Assists 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community-based organization Primary mission relates to serving low- income persons Inability to afford legal services Priority given to nonprofits working in affordable housing, economic development, child care.

Support from Texas C-BAR Malpractice Insurance Coverage Staff Assistance Sample Documents Web Resources Attorney Mentors Screening of Clients

Texas C-BAR Website and Online Legal Library

Housing

Nonprofit Client: Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation Attorneys: Dell Computer Corporation; Vinson & Elkins Types of Legal Matters: –Drafted contracts to purchase vacant land –Drafted personnel policy manual and employment law advice –Reviewed contract with City of Austin –Assisted with closing documents for sale of homes to low-income families –Reviewed lending documents

GNDC new house and disabled family

Mark Mouritsen and Gail Weatherby; volunteers for GNDC

Blackland CDC

Economic Development

Nonprofit client: Tejas Community Credit Opportunities Attorneys: USAA Federal Savings Bank /Hughes and Luce Types of Legal Matters: – Reviewed lending documents – Drafted model loan policies – Drafted contracts – Formed nonprofit subsidiary/drafted of articles and bylaws –Advised about federal regulations

Child Care

Nonprofit client: Sunnyside-Up Community Development Corporation Attorneys: Baker Botts Types of Legal Matters: –Drafted contracts –Advised about liability issues –Assisted with zoning regulations –Assisted with state regulations

Community Counsel Partnerships In-house counsel and law firms serve as general counsel for a nonprofit for a year. Participants include: –Winstead, Sechrest & Minick –ConocoPhillips –Dell –Bracewell & Patterson –Jones Day

Baker BottsBracewell & Patterson Broude, Smith & Jennings Clark, Thomas & WintersConoco Corporation Delgado, Acosta, Braden & JonesDell Computer Corp. Gardere, Wynne, & SewellGraves, Dougherty Guevara, Rebe, BaumannHaynes & Boone Hughes & LuceJackson Walker Jenkens & GilchristKemp Smith Locke Liddell & SappJones Day McGinnis, Lochridge & KilgorePatton Boggs Popp & IkardSkadden Arps Thompson KnightVinson & Elkins Weil, Gotshal & MangesWinstead, Sechrest & Minick Law Firms and Corporations Participating in Texas C-BAR

Additional Volunteer Opportunities  Prepare documents for the Resource Center  Present workshops on legal issues to nonprofits  Mentor staff of Texas C-BAR  Present CLE programs to C-BAR volunteer lawyers

Lawyers Caring “It is great to have the opportunity to do pro bono work in your particular field of law. The C-BAR clients are doing very interesting things, and it’s a great feeling to be able to get involved in that.” —Morgan A. Ryder, Hughes & Luce

Lawyers Making a Difference “ Texas C-BAR has saved our organization several thousand dollars in legal fees. This savings will be used to provide high-skills job training to Austin area residents. Terry McDonald and his associates at McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore have treated us with professionalism and courtesy. This is a great service!” —Kathleen Burnside, Capital IDEA

Lawyers Helping Others “Texas C-BAR provides transactional attorneys with a unique opportunity to volunteer their skills to help low-income communities.” — Bill Volk, Vinson & Elkins

Lawyers Improving Lives

Lawyers Reaching Out

Lawyers Using Their Expertise

Texas C-BAR Annual Block Party

Community Builder Awards

Texas C-BAR Transactional attorneys giving their time and expertise to make a difference. “Thanks for the opportunity,” Romina Mulloy, Baker Botts.

Heroes are Just People with Big Hearts

Texas C-BAR Photos ©Alan Pogue