Close the Gap

Texas ranks 46th in ensuring access to justice for all. It is our responsibility, as lawyers, to address that justice gap.

Why do I want your vote?

You will not hear from the folks who experience the worst of our legal system at bar meetings or galas, and I believe that separation plays a role in our lack of urgency in addressing the Justice Gap. If I am elected, no TYLA meetings will pass without us learning from and serving low-income Texans.

Under my leadership, TYLA will also:

1. Ensure that local affiliate grants are dedicated to public service;

2. Shift pathway investments to the pre-law school stage, before aspiring lawyers are filtered out;

3. Commit to utilizing subject experts for TYLA pamphlets; and

4. Rewrite self-help materials for an eighth grade reading level to address language and literacy barriers.

Our State Bar represents the voices of lawyers. It is the responsibility of TYLA to prioritize the voices of Texans who do not have access to legal support or legal careers.

How would a year under my leadership look different?

From an organization that celebrates the successes of the legal profession while avoiding difficult conversations about our failures to an organization that seeks out candid conversations about our profession's role in contributing to the Access to Justice Gap while also recognizing our public service success stories.
From meetings featuring and serving lawyers and others who experience the best of our legal system to meetings which include the voices and perspectives of folks who are struggling to access legal support for their basic needs.
From law pathway investments that wait to support law students with the highest grades (long after risk is gone) to law pathway investments that take a chance on missing voices to create success stories that we would otherwise lose.
From a lack of legal aid attorneys on the Board of Directors for the Public Service Arm of the State Bar of Texas (TYLA) to active recruitment of the young lawyers who are leading the way in providing legal support to our most vulnerable neighbors.
From zero direct service clinics supported by the Texas Young Lawyers Association to TYLA working with local public interest organizations to run in-person clinics.
From pamphlets frequently produced by lawyers with limited experience in the topic area resulting in needlessly complex guidance to pamphlets produced by attorneys utilizing their expertise and resulting in self-help materials that are accessible to pro-se litigants with simple to follow step-by-step instructions.
From TYLA hosted trial advocacy competitions that focus on improving the quality of litigators to TYLA competitions that improve advocacy while also introducing participants to an area of great need for pro bono services.
From an emphasis on the number of projects produced and hours spent working as a measure of impact to measuring impact by the feedback of the users of our self-help materials and the number of clients we serve at our clinics.
From occasional visits to secondary schools to support legal education efforts to serving secondary law programs in connection with every board meeting.
From no time at board meetings dedicated to public interest law CLEs on areas of high need for pro bono supports to free public interest law CLEs at every meeting with invitations to local affiliates and dedicated time to support Texas Free Legal Answers.

Close the Gap

What is the Texas Young Lawyers Association?

Why do I want your vote?

How would a year under my leadership look different?

Connect with me to share your ideas!

I'm especially interested in learning about your ideas for breaking down barriers to legal support in Texas and answering questions about my plans.

Sign Up To Receive a Reminder to Vote

Close the Gap

What is the Texas Young Lawyers Association?

Why do I want your vote?

How would a year under my leadership look different?

Connect with me to share your ideas!

I'm especially interested in learning about your ideas for breaking down barriers to legal support in Texas and answering questions about my plans.

Sign Up To Receive a Reminder to Vote

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