Loading…
2025 Poverty Law Conference
Wednesday, August 27
 

12:00pm CDT

Interactive Free Legal Answers Luncheon
Wednesday August 27, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
Salon E
Texas Free Legal Answers is a website where income-qualifying Texans can ask for advice from a licensed Texas attorney at no cost to the user. Texas Free Legal Answers is a project of the American Bar Association and Texas Legal Services Center, a non-profit law firm that serves low-income Texans on a variety of civil legal issues. You can find answers to frequently asked questions about Texas Free Legal Answers here. For this project, malpractice insurance is provided by the ABA for all communications within the portal.

To be able to answer questions on the site, attorneys must first create an account at https://texas.freelegalanswers.org/Attorneys/Account/Agreement. It takes about 2 minutes to fill out the information needed for registration. Once attorneys fill out the registration and are approved in the system, they can start answering a variety of civil legal questions asked by low-income Texans. Each attorney will receive additional information and training resources once the registration is approved.
Speakers
avatar for Mary Rios

Mary Rios

Managing Attorney, Texas Legal Services Center
Wednesday August 27, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

1:00pm CDT

From Huge Challenge to Low-Hanging Fruit: Restyling (Instead of Sealing) Eviction Cases
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 406
It is now well known that even dismissed eviction cases have disastrous effects on those sued for eviction. Some states have taken action to have eviction cases that did not result in judgments for the landlords sealed, HUD has declared that eviction filings not leading to eviction judgments have no legal relevance, and many pro-tenant lobbyists are trying to get legislation passed in Texas to get eviction cases sealed. And though Federal rules now say that tenant screening companies are regulated as credit reporting agencies and may not report mere eviction filings, this information can still be made known to landlords, who either deliberately or mistakenly use it to screen out potential tenants.

It is my position that courts have the discretion to handle their records as they see fit. However, in addition to concerns about open courts, I have found that getting cases sealed (which I did successfully both by agreement and by order of the court) has a number of disadvantages: e-filing is impossible, the parties cannot themselves see what occurred in the case, the parties cannot prove cases were ever filed (which is a disadvantage even to tenants, e.g., when trying to prove harassment or that a landlord relied on the same Notice to Vacate in two lawsuits), and both landlords and judges cannot be investigated. In fact, if every bad case a landlord files is sealed, a search under Odyssey will give the impression that the only eviction cases the landlord has ever filed were valid and correctly done.

As such, I have for over a year successfully had cases restyled so that the case remains visible and can be found by case number or landlord name, but not when a search is done under the tenant’s name. At this point, our local CCAL judge and most of our JPs in Tarrant County routinely restyle cases that are dismissed, even months or years after the fact. In fact, I have even gotten very old cases in which a judgment was reached restyled when enough time has passed. Opposing counsel also now routinely agree to have cases restyled well before trial or as a part of settlement, giving tenants a chance to apply elsewhere and retain clean records. I have also shared my reasoning and forms with attorneys working in other counties, and have heard back that the results have been favorable.

In the long term, I feel hopeful that courts will be willing to restyle cases immediately and routinely upon a motion by the defendant, which cases would remain restyled unless and until the case resulted in a final eviction judgment. I will still (and have) request(ed) that cases be sealed when necessary (e.g. if a client is being stalked and his/her safety is at issue), but as long as cases are not searchable by text but only under the names and case numbers, restyling is an easy way to address a problem that has long vexed renters, with no change of statute or lobbying needed.
Speakers
GT

Galaganov, Talya

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

1:00pm CDT

How to Build a Network of Donors
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Salon E
Participants will be presented with a model to be used to help them build a successful network of individuals with whom they can raise funds in an effort to support legal services.
Speakers
avatar for Sam Prince

Sam Prince

Director of Development, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Sam Prince (he/him) has been with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas for more than 28 years and has seen it grow to be the 5th largest LSC-funded organization in the US. Sam has been a fundraising professional since 1977. A graduate of the University at Buffalo... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

1:00pm CDT

Improving Access to Justice for People Sued by Debt Collectors
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 410
In June of 2024, JP 1.2 launched a pilot to provide people sued by debt collectors with information on how to answer the lawsuit and their legal rights. Defendants were sent a plain language notice explaining what a default judgment is and its implications. The notice included a QR code that linked to a form answer and information on debt collection rights. The pilot was developed in response to a 2020 resolution from the Texas Judicial Council as part of a strategy to decrease default judgments and increase access to justice in debt claim lawsuits. It was implemented with input from the National Center for State Courts, Texas Legal Services Center, and Texas Appleseed.

This panel presents the current pilot results, looking at how access to legal tools and information affected answer rates as well as case outcomes. Insights from the court, TexasLawHelp, and Texas Appleseed provide a roadmap to develop and expand simple court-based efforts to improve justice for unrepresented litigants.
Speakers
avatar for Aaron Varner

Aaron Varner

Co-Managing Attorney, Texas Legal Services Center
Aaron Varner is a staff attorney in Texas Legal Services Center’s Self Represented Litigants Program, which administers TexasLawHelp.org. He has a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Wisconsin, where he focused on tech policy, and he received his JD from Chicago-Kent... Read More →
avatar for Judge Steven Duble

Judge Steven Duble

Justice of the Peace, Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1
Steven Duble is Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, Place 2 in Harris County, Texas. He was elected in November 2022 and took office January 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in 1986 and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center... Read More →
AB

Ann Baddour

Texas Appleseed
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

1:00pm CDT

Mediation in Cases Involving Family Violence
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 408
Many courts require family law cases to go to mediation before trial. The Family Code contains an exception for cases involving family violence, but as an advocate, you may choose to mediate anyway, as the best way to resolve the issues. This session will discuss the challenges of mediating these cases, and suggest strategies to obtain the best outcomes for your clients. Topics will include selecting the mediator, preparing your client, negotiation strategies, ideas for handling possession of children, and drafting the mediated settlement agreement.
Speakers
avatar for Melanie Morgan

Melanie Morgan

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Ms. Morgan is a staff attorney specializing in Family Law.  She works in the McKinney office of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, and litigates cases in Collin, Grayson, Fannin, Rockwall and Hunt Counties.  She is also an adjunct professor at Collin College, teaching Family Law in their... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

1:00pm CDT

Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV)’s 89th Legislative Session Update
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 412
Join the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) for an in-depth look at domestic violence related bills that intersect with housing, family law, protective orders, and economic justice passed during the 89th Texas Legislature. We will also discuss TCFV’s funding and legislative priorities and share insight on supporting the implementation of new laws designed to protect survivors and enhance their safety and stability. We’ll highlight opportunities to engage in the legislative session to help shape future policies.
Speakers
MV

Molly Voyles

Director of Public Policy, Texas Council on Family Violence
JM

Jen Mudge

Texas Council on Family Violence
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

1:00pm CDT

Your Honor, I Need a Nap: How to Lawyer Without Losing It
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 415
This CLE training provides attorneys with essential knowledge about trauma, its neurobiological impacts, and practical techniques for implementing trauma-informed approaches in legal practice. Participants will gain both client-centered strategies and personal resilience tools to manage the inherent stressors of legal work.
Speakers
avatar for Elizabeth Barrera-Sepulveda

Elizabeth Barrera-Sepulveda

MS, LPC with TRLA/LASSA Project/Social Work Team, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Liz Barrera-Sepulveda is a licensed professional counselor and has worked with victim/survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault for more than 25 years. She currently works with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid on the LASSA project, with the social work team and family law team.She... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Medellin

Stephanie Medellin

Family Clinic Staff Attorney, St. Mary's Center for Legal and Social Justice
Wednesday August 27, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

2:15pm CDT

A Muggle's Guide to Bankruptcy: What Every Non-Bankruptcy Attorney Must Know to Survive
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 415
Even if you never plan to file a bankruptcy case, your practice will inevitably intersect with bankruptcy law. This presentation uses the magical world of Harry Potter to demystify essential bankruptcy concepts that every attorney needs to understand.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Allen

Amy Allen

Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Amy Allen has been licensed since 1991 and is the Supervising Attorney  for Housing, Consumer, and Public Benefits at the Fort Worth Office of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. She is a proud graduate of LSU and Bates School of Law at the University of Houston. Her primary areas of practice... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Kehl

Samantha Kehl

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Samantha Kehl: Bankruptcy Attorney by Day, Chaos Wrangler by NightWhen she's not untangling the complexities of bankruptcy law as a Staff Attorney and Bankruptcy Practice Team Leader at Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT), Samantha Kehl can be found negotiating peace treaties between... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

2:15pm CDT

In and Outs of the OAG - Child Support Division
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 408
A IV-D Judge and former OAG MAAG discuss how a case progresses through the Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division.
Speakers
ST

Sharon T Forbes

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
JS

Judge Shelly Dukes

Texas IV-D Judge
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

2:15pm CDT

Tackling Coerced Debt: Nuts and Bolts of Helping Survivors Recover
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 410
This will be an interactive lecture that explains how Texas law defines identity theft to include debts obtained by coercion and how to use existing identity theft protections to help survivors recover. Whereas in our previous session we went in depth on the various federal and state laws that address identity theft, in this session we will focus on the nuts and bolts of how to respond to identity theft using Chapter 521 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We will briefly touch on some of the successes and challenges of our pilot project in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area. We will walk participants through the process of identifying coerced debt, writing dispute letter, filing a Ch. 521 application, and obtaining an order. We will also share the materials we have prepared for our pilot project, including our case planning tool.
Speakers
avatar for Brittany Hightower

Brittany Hightower

Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid (Texas Coalition on Coerced Debt)
Brittany Hightower is a Staff Attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid with the Individual Safety Unit where she provides legal services to survivors of sexual abuse, including protective orders, divorces, custody, housing, privacy, and more. Prior to joining LSLA, Brittany worked as an attorney... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

2:15pm CDT

When Tech Turns Toxic: Digital Abuse & Intimate Partner Violence
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 412
This training will help the audience understand digital abuse within the context of intimate partner violence. It will discuss how Texas law defines crimes related to digital abuse, federal laws relating to digital abuse, common forms of digital abuse, best practices for digital safety, and legal protections available to survivors of digital abuse.
Speakers
avatar for Kaitlyn Eberhardt

Kaitlyn Eberhardt

Education & Outreach Director, Texas Advocacy Project
Kaitlyn Eberhardt is the Education & Prevention Director at Texas Advocacy Project, a non-profit organization providing free legal and social services to survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child abuse. She leads conversations... Read More →
BG

Beeral Gupta

Staff Attorney, Texas Advocacy Project
Beeral Gupta has been a passionate advocate for survivors of domestic violence for her entire legal career. With a Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law (2006) and a BBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin (2003), she skillfully combines her legal... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

2:15pm CDT

2025 Legislative Update for Housing Advocates
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 406
This presentation will cover the significant legislative developments in housing law from the Texas 89th Legislative Session, with an emphasis on changes and additions to landlord-tenant laws. The session will also cover some caselaw updates from the past year, with an emphasis on landlord-tenant laws.
Speakers
avatar for Nelson H. Mock

Nelson H. Mock

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Housing

2:15pm CDT

Left Behind: Confronting Texas’s Legal Deserts with Data and Advocacy
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Salon E
Across vast stretches of rural Texas, low-income residents face civil legal crises alone—without local lawyers and without the resources to hire help from afar. These are Texas’s legal deserts, where justice is effectively out of reach for many, if not most, residents. This session takes a close look at what the data reveals—often exposing hidden gaps and overlooked communities—and explores how to use that information to drive meaningful change and close the justice gap.
Speakers
EK

Eden Kriz Klein

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
avatar for Judge Roy Ferguson

Judge Roy Ferguson

Private Judge, Private/Visiting Judge
Judge Ferguson retired from the full-time bench in December 2024, at the conclusion of his 3rd term in office, and now serves as a special/private judge and arbitrator in civil and family law cases statewide. You can learn more at judgeroyferguson.com. He serves on the Texas Children's... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Tech - Data

3:30pm CDT

Beyond Passive Debt Defense: Stronger Strategies for Current Challenges
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 410
Debt defense is evolving—and getting tougher! Today’s debt collectors are coming to court with better records. As a result, relying solely on their lack of evidence is no longer enough in many cases. This presentation will expand the defense toolkit by not only reinforcing the tried-and-true defenses but also introducing new strategies that are effective against debt collectors with improved records. You'll learn how to use discovery to your advantage, make evidentiary objections to keep their evidence out, hold the debt collectors to their burden of proof, and utilize arbitration for beneficial results.
 
Speakers
avatar for Melinda Lopez

Melinda Lopez

Senior Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
Melinda Lopez is the staff attorney for the Housing and Consumer Unit at Lone Star Legal Aid. She has been with LSLA for over 11 years, the first 5 years were at the Bryan office and is now currently at the Houston office. Throughout the years, she has assisted low-income clients... Read More →
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

Criminal Record Clearing Made Easy
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 406
This session will provide an overview of criminal record clearing (expunction and nondisclosure) eligibility in Texas and will preview a new statewide tool that will connect low-income Texans to criminal record clearing relief. Attendees will learn about the benefits of criminal record clearing, which of their clients might be eligible to use the statewide tool, and how to connect their clients with the statewide tool for record clearing relief.
Speakers
BM

Brettney Moore

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
EducationSouth Texas College of Law, Houston, TXJuris DoctorateMid America Nazarene University, Olathe, KS Bachelor of ArtsRedlands CC, El Reno, OKAssociate of ArtsID Restoration Experience... Read More →
avatar for Justin Thompson

Justin Thompson

Program Director / Attorney, Beacon Law
AG

Angel G. Williams

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

Ethical Conundrums in Mandatory Reporting of Child/Elder abuse
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 415
Attorneys are mandatory reporters for both child and elder abuse, and the mandatory reporting requirements may impact our case work in a variety of areas of law as legal aid practitioners. This session will discuss practical solutions to navigate confidentiality, care for our clients as people, and our mandatory reporting obligations. Presenter will provide case studies for situations where she has made reports to protect clients.
Speakers
JT

Jonna Treble

Lone Star Legal Aid
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

Help! I Need Somebody. Help!: Tears, Trauma, and Telling their Story - Working With Traumatized Clients
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Salon E
Many people involved in the legal system have suffered trauma or are currently experiencing trauma: we take our clients as they are. That trauma may stem from both legal and non-legal causes. How does this trauma affect the case? What are the signs for me, as the lawyer, to watch for? How does this trauma affect my ability to obtain and develop the case facts? What special techniques, beginning at the interview stage and throughout the case, might I need to use to best represent these clients? Are there strategies I can use to help my client survive the litigation process? This session will test your knowledge about the causes of and signs of trauma, discuss stress relief techniques, and offer ideas to make sure you have the skills necessary for effective representation.
Speakers
avatar for Richard Bell

Richard Bell

Fort Bend County (AJ)
EK

Eden Kriz Klein

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
JH

Janet Heppard

UHLC (adjunct) and Retired Judge (387th State District Court)
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

Protective Order Toolkit: Updates and Improvements for your Practice
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 408
This session will seek to update practitioners on recent changes in protective order law as well as provide some helpful information to refine and improve your protective order practice. Presenters will cover strategies employed by Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas’s LASSA unit in seeking protective orders and provide valuable insights to make the OCA forms work for you.
Speakers
AS

Anwesha Sarkar

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
AM

August Mustillo

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

The Intersection of Human Rights, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking: Legal Frameworks and US Obligations
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 412
This presentation explores the role of human rights frameworks in addressing domestic violence (DV) and human trafficking (HT), focusing on both domestic and international legal structures. It examines the human rights principles applied to these issues, the US's legal obligations, and notable case studies, including Jessica Lenahan's landmark legal battle and the impact of international treaties like CEDAW and the Palermo Protocol. The presentation also identifies gaps in US policy and enforcement, offering insight into ongoing efforts to enhance accountability and support for survivors.
Speakers
EG

Emily Gustafson

Texas Advocacy Project
Wednesday August 27, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

4:45pm CDT

CREJ Task Force Meeting
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Salon E
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

4:45pm CDT

Disaster Law Task Force Meeting
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Room 406
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

4:45pm CDT

Family Law Task Force Meeting
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Room 410
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

4:45pm CDT

Housing and Consumer Task Force Meeting
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Salon C
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Salon C

4:45pm CDT

Public Health & Benefits Task Force Meeting
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Room 415 A/B
Wednesday August 27, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Room 415 A/B
 
Thursday, August 28
 

9:00am CDT

Empowering Crime Survivors with Web3 Technologies: Decentralization, Immutability, and Data Ownership
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 412
Imagine escaping an abusive situation with no identification, no proof of the abuse you endured, and no access to a bank account. This is the harsh reality for many crime survivors whose abusers use coercion, such as destroying identifying documents and exerting financial control, to trap survivors in a cycle of abuse and vulnerability. Web3 concepts provide immutable (tamper-proof) decentralized (peer-to-peer governed) user-centric solutions such as self-sovereign identities, InterPlanetary File Systems (IPFS), and decentralized finance (DeFi).

When identifying documents are destroyed, it becomes difficult for survivors to prove their identity for employment, education, and accessing benefits like housing, food stamps, and medical care. Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) allows individuals to own, control, and access their digital identity, ensuring their identity remains intact even if physical documents are lost. Abusers often destroy evidence, such as voice messages, texts, social media posts, etc., that could corroborate abuse. This destruction prevents survivors from participating in justice processes, such as the investigations and prosecution of their abusers, or petitioning for protective orders. It also hinders access to restorative services, like domestic violence shelters or therapy for trafficking survivors, when survivors must prove their specific victimization. InterPlanetary File Systems (IPFS) enable users to securely store and share data, preserving evidence that can corroborate victimization and abuse. Many survivors escape with little or no credit history and are often barred from traditional financial services, such as opening a personal checking account. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) provides access to financial services without relying on a central authority. Through DeFi, individuals can borrow and lend money directly to each other, bypassing traditional barriers. Join this session to explore how these innovative Web3 tools can help create a safer, more supportive environment for crime survivors.
Speakers
avatar for Ugochukwu, Davina

Ugochukwu, Davina

Lone Star Legal Aid
Davina Ugochukwu is a staff attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid’s Justice for Human Trafficking Survivors program. The JHTS program was created in response to the unique civil legal needs that survivors of labor and sex trafficking face when attempting to stabilize their lives and... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

9:00am CDT

Benefits 101: A Practical Guide to Assessing Basic Client Eligibility
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 408
A practical guide to assessing BASIC client eligibility for food stamps, TANF, SSI, RSDI, Medicaid, Medicare, MSP Medicaid, CHIP, other health benefits, Unemployment, and housing benefits.
Speakers
JL

Jeff Larsen

attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
woodworking, traditional music and singing in parts, Shakespeare, Social Security
GT

Gloretta Thornton

Paralegal Supervisor, Lone Star Legal Aid
I have been with Lone Star Legal Aid for 49 years and I have been in the Public Benefits Unit in the Houston office all of that time.  I truly enjoy helping people and my work with LSLA allows me to do that.  I am the mother of 2, the grandmother of 4, and the great grandmother... Read More →
KB

Kim Brown

Lone Star Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Benefits

9:00am CDT

The Current State of Disasters: What the FEMA?
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 415
This session will discuss the current state of Disaster Law/Services today. We will look at current administrative developments to FEMA as well as other federal disaster programs, such as CDBG/CDBG-DR. We will also examine the role climate change plays in the size and scope of disaster. Advocates also will be advised on their ethical responsibility to remain apprised of the current state of law and their duty to clients. Finally, we will discuss strategies for advocacy for today's natural disasters.
Speakers
SA

Sapna Aiyer

Assistant Directing Attorney – Urban Legal Services, Lone Star Legal Aid
Sapna Aiyer is an Assistant Directing Attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston, TX.  Lone Star Legal Aid represents qualifying low income clients in a full range of civil matters at no cost.  Ms. Aiyer began her work at LSLA in 2007, working on disaster cases resulting from hurricanes... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Duke

Stephanie Duke

Supervising Attorney Disaster Resilience Team, Disability Rights TX
Stephanie Duke is currently a staff attorney at Disability Rights Texas and Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Program fellow.  As the Protection and Advocacy agency for the state of Texas, Disability Rights Texas’ mission is to ensure individuals with disabilities know and... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Bosley

Amanda Bosley

Managing Attorney - Disaster Relief Unit, Lone Star Legal Aid
Amanda Bosley is a Supervising Attorney and manages the Disaster Relief Unit at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) in Houston, Texas. She also serves as Content Manager for the Advocates for Disaster Justice website, which provides legal help information to survivors and facilitates connections... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Environmental and Disaster

9:00am CDT

Update on Defending Evictions in Federally Subsidized Housing & Public Housing
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 406
This session will focus on providing an update on rights of tenants facing eviction in federally subsidized housing and public housing. It will include an overview of HUD’s new regulations, effective January 13, 2025, on lease terminations for both federally subsidized housing and public housing tenants and caselaw developments. Time permitting, it will also include an overview of some of the major changes in the federal housing regulations relating to asset and income calculation, effective January 2, 2024, resulting from HUD’s implementation of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016.
Speakers
FF

Fred Fuchs

Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Fred Fuchs is the housing group coordinator for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, where he oversees the program's housing work. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law where he teaches a housing clinic each spring. He received his law degree from the... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Housing

9:00am CDT

Data-Driven Insights: Using Automation to Improve Client Satisfaction
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Salon E
Utilizing our case management system to automate the sending of sending satisfaction surveys, thereby allowing our clients to submit real time comments on the services they were provided. Our data teams analysis will provide data points on which law types, counties, age, gender and language had the most responses thereby allowing us to focus on underserved areas.
Speakers
avatar for Mary Molandes

Mary Molandes

Director of Case Management System Training, Lone Star Legal Aid
I'm a native of East Texas. I've worked for Lone Star Legal Aid for 25 years, with the last 20 years being the trainer for our case management systems.  I also facilitate our Brown Bag Trainings and assist with compliance.
NW
avatar for Ashley Oborn

Ashley Oborn

Director of Data Analytics, LSLA
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Tech - Data

9:00am CDT

Empowering New Legal Professionals: Drafting Wills and TODDs for Low-Income Texans
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am CDT
Room 410
Join us for a dynamic and interactive session designed for beginner attorneys and paralegals looking to develop foundational estate planning skills tailored to the needs of low-income Texans. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of estate planning considerations unique to individuals with limited financial resources, including common challenges, client misconceptions, and best practices for addressing these issues.

Through a hands-on drafting exercise, attendees will review a fact pattern and practice drafting both Wills and Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs), gaining invaluable experience in navigating real-world legal scenarios. By the end of the session, participants will be better equipped to assist clients in securing their futures, protecting their assets, and avoiding common pitfalls in estate planning.
Speakers
HD

Hannah Dyal

Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Hannah Dyal is an Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Program Fellow at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. She recently completed her first Equal Justice Works fellowship on the Disaster Recovery Legal Corps, the first disaster corps of its kind. Hannah has been working in disaster recovery... Read More →
BP

Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Probate Estate and Wills

10:15am CDT

Navigating New Laws: Legal Strategies for Assisting Defendants in Driver’s License Reinstatement
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 412
The Texas Legislature recently updated Code of Criminal Procedure 45 to 45A. This session will discuss those changes and how they can be utilized to more effectively represent clients trying to regain their driver's license.
Speakers
avatar for Justin Thompson

Justin Thompson

Program Director / Attorney, Beacon Law
avatar for Stephanie Marrone
SM

Sam Marsh

Beacon Law
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

10:15am CDT

A Lawyer's Guide to Children’s Medicaid and Managed Care
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 408
Healthcare access plays an important role in a child’s over all wellbeing. Children who lack access to healthcare will have increased risk of poor health outcomes, developmental delays, and impact to their education. Programs like Children’s Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program also known as CHIP play such a huge role in ensuring that eligible children have access to proper healthcare coverage which leads to better developmental outcomes for their wellbeing. Furthermore, Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) are responsible for approving or denying medical claims for Children Medicaid recipients and can potentially be a barrier to a child's access to medically necessary services. In this presentation we will discuss Children's Medicaid and CHIP eligibility requirements, and what advocates can do if an eligible child has been wrongfully denied for these benefits. Advocates will also learn how access to these benefits for low-income families is vital to a child's ability to have positive health outcomes and development into healthy young adults. Our panelists will discuss the importance of Managed Care's role in a child's ability to access medical services after a determination of eligibility, and what advocates can do ensure MCOs are not a barrier to an eligible child's access to medically necessary health services.
Speakers
EG

Elizabeth Green

Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
Elizabeth Green is a Staff Attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) located in Houston, Texas. Elizabeth joined Lone Star legal Aid, which provides free legal assistance for low-income individuals dealing with civil law issues throughout the state of Texas about a year ago. Lone Star... Read More →
CP

Cristina Palacios

Paralegal, Lone Star Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Benefits

10:15am CDT

Disaster Lawyering 5.0
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 415
In 2025, climate justice remains a pressing issue, further complicated by evolving sociological and political challenges that impact funding for disaster resilience and response. As we confront the realities of climate injustice, public health emergencies, and both man-made and natural disasters, it is essential to acknowledge the increasing necessity for access to justice and legal resources.

Community lawyering and collaborative efforts are vital in building resilient communities and fostering relationships with both public and private partners. These endeavors empower communities, providing equitable opportunities for all. Legal aids frequently face resource shortages, which limit their capacity to support those in need. Nevertheless, by proactively engaging in disaster preparedness and refining our advocacy strategies, we can address the sociological inequities that disaster survivors often face. Proactive strategies, such as establishing pro bono and volunteer networks and collaborating with community partners, will be critical.

Given the current landscape, funding for disaster resilience and response may be subject to substantial changes. It is increasingly important to plan, structurally organize, and effectively apply disaster lawyering principles to ensure that all communities, especially the most vulnerable, receive the support they need.
Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Duke

Stephanie Duke

Supervising Attorney Disaster Resilience Team, Disability Rights TX
Stephanie Duke is currently a staff attorney at Disability Rights Texas and Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Program fellow.  As the Protection and Advocacy agency for the state of Texas, Disability Rights Texas’ mission is to ensure individuals with disabilities know and... Read More →
avatar for Sean Jackson

Sean Jackson

Executive Director, Disability Rights Texas
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Environmental and Disaster

10:15am CDT

Eviction Advocacy and Challenging Illegal Lease Provisions through the DTPA
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 406
Although federal law (the CARES Act) requires affordable housing landlords to give their tenants a 30-day notice to vacate, they often ignore the law and evict tenants a month early. The CARES Act defense still frequently works when attorneys spot the issue, but it is an extremely unintuitive law for pro se tenants. Determining CARES Act coverage has become more and more difficult as the various databases for affordable housing erode.

We can shift our eviction advocacy from defense to offense by using the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The DTPA makes it illegal to misrepresent rights in contracts; common leases used by affordable housing landlords misrepresent the landlord's right to evict, contradicting federal law. This session will discuss legal background, strategic advocacy angles, and seeking creative equitable remedies through the DTPA.

The session will also address using the same DTPA theories to attack other illegal eviction tactics, unauthorized fees, and illegal lease provisions outside of the eviction process.
Speakers
BG

Benjamin Gerzik

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Community Revitalization Project
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Housing

10:15am CDT

Generative AI as a Tool for Litigation
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Salon E
Generative AI offers valuable tools to support civil service litigation by assisting with client communications, summarizing complex information, analyzing case materials, aiding in case preparation, and providing translation support. This session will explore practical use cases and ethical considerations while offering a live demonstration of no-and-low-cost AI tools. Attendees will gain hands-on insights into how AI can be responsibly integrated to improve efficiency and effectiveness in civil service practice. Whether you're new to AI or looking to refine its use, this CLE will provide actionable strategies for leveraging AI in litigation support.
Speakers
avatar for Katie Valle

Katie Valle

Senior Attorney, The Law Office of Jason Wright
EA

Edge, Andrew

McGinnis Lochridge
Thursday August 28, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Tech - Data

11:30am CDT

Keynote Luncheon: Keegan Warren
Thursday August 28, 2025 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT
Salon C
Keegan Warren, JD, LLM, is the Executive Director of the Institute for Healthcare Access at Texas A&M Health Science Center. She brings lived experience and a civil justice lens to bear on health and wellness, specializing in non-medical drivers of health and health equity.

An attorney and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) director with over two decades of senior management experience spanning health and human services, she is a national expert on integrating medical and social services through medical-legal partnership (MLP), a care delivery model that leverages legal expertise to advance individual and population health. Keegan’s research and writing apply an epidemiological perspective to legal interventions as a concrete means for addressing social determinants of health and reducing health disparities. She writes and speaks most regularly on late-breaking trends and evidence-based best practices in the implementation, evaluation, financing, and impacts of integrated care delivery.

Keegan is currently serving a three-year term on the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Board on Health Care Services. She previously served on the NAM Committee on Integrating Social Care and was an NAM Emerging Leader in Health and Medicine Scholar. Her local community impact includes recent elections to the presidency of the Texas Medical-Legal Partnership Coalition and membership on the Texas Design in Health Advisory Council.

Keegan is an adjunct professor at the Texas A&M University School of Law. She previously was a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, McCombs School of Business, and School of Design and Creative Technologies. She is also a veteran of the Army National Guard and a member of the Order of St. Joan of Arc, the highest civilian award given by the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Associations.

Keegan earned her Master of Laws in Health Law and Policy from Southern Illinois University, her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, international relations, and Latin American studies from the University of Arkansas.

In her spare time, Keegan rows crew competitively; and hangs out with her undergraduate twin daughters, who study chemistry and linguistics, respectively, and her husband, Patrick, who is Sierra Club’s Vice President and a national SME on sustainability and corporate citizenship.
Speakers
avatar for Keegan Warren, JD, LLM

Keegan Warren, JD, LLM

Executive Director, Institute for Healthcare Access, Texas A&M Health Science Center; Texas Medical-Legal Partnership Coalition
avatar for April Faith-Slaker

April Faith-Slaker

Executive Director, State Bar Of Texas - Legal Access Department
TA

Trey Apffel

Executive Director, State Bar Of Texas
Thursday August 28, 2025 11:30am - 1:00pm CDT
Salon C

1:00pm CDT

Social Security Appeals Process
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 408
This session is intended for both new and seasoned advocates. It will focus on the differences in the appeal process when a person's application for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration is denied versus when a recipient of SSA disability benefits receives a notice of SSA determination of medical cessation of disability (termination of benefits). The session will also address the specific ethical obligations of advocates while providing representation of clients before the Social Security Administration, as well as general ethical considerations for legal advocates in Texas will also be addressed.
Speakers
RT

Renee Trevino

Public Benefits Group Coordinator, TRLA
Ms. Treviño practices law in the San Antonio, Texas office of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. (TRLA). She is a legal advocate for low-income Texans and Group Coordinator of the TRLA Public Benefits Group which consists of four teams including the Public Benefits Team, Health Law... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Benefits

1:00pm CDT

Empowered Choices: Legal and Health Interventions for Pregnant and Parenting Youth
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 412
This session will explore the legal challenges facing pregnant and parenting youth, the impact of Medical-Legal Partnerships in addressing SDOH, and the role of attorneys in creating pathways to stability for young families. Presenters will share insights from the program's development and implementation, as well as early outcomes and best practices for replicability in other legal aid settings.

Empowered Choices (EC) is an innovative program developed through a Medical-Legal Partnership between Greater Waco Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm, and Waco Family Medicine, a Federally Qualified Health Center. This program integrates legal services with healthcare access to support pregnant and parenting youth, addressing critical social determinants of health (SDOH) that impact maternal and child outcomes.

EC educates young parents about their legal rights and provides direct assistance in establishing a temporary, nonparent caregiver who can make decisions for their child without requiring court intervention. This legal mechanism allows youth to continue their education and employment while maintaining full parental rights. Through educational workshops and direct legal services, EC empowers young parents to make informed decisions, access critical support, and protect their families' futures.
Speakers
JT

Jessica Trevino

Medical Legal Partnership Staff Attorney, Greater Waco Legal Services
avatar for Kayla Mize

Kayla Mize

Director of Operations and Impact, Greater Waco Legal Services
Kayla Mize is a Licensed Master of Social Work with over 10 years of program development and management experience. Her current role is Director of Operations and Impact at Greater Waco Legal Services where she leads internal operations, supervises programs, and drives strategic initiatives... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Medical-Legal Partnerships

1:00pm CDT

AI Chatbot Development for Legal Services
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Salon E
AI-powered chatbots hold incredible potential to enhance legal service delivery, both internally for staff and externally for clients. This session will provide an accessible, high-level overview of AI chatbot applications in the legal aid space, addressing ethical implications as well. We’ll focus on practical examples from Texas legal aid organizations, including TexasLawHelp’s public-facing Amigo information bot, and Lone Star Legal Aid’s TIG-funded chatbot initiatives: Juris (for legal research), LSLAsks (for internal administrative support), and NAVI (for public-facing information, referrals, and resources). Through this session, participants will gain an accessible understanding of how AI chatbots can be applied in legal services, and how these tools are being developed and implemented to meet evolving needs.
Speakers
avatar for Martha Beard-Duncan

Martha Beard-Duncan

Managing Attorney, Texas Legal Services Center
avatar for Aaron Varner

Aaron Varner

Co-Managing Attorney, Texas Legal Services Center
Aaron Varner is a staff attorney in Texas Legal Services Center’s Self Represented Litigants Program, which administers TexasLawHelp.org. He has a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Wisconsin, where he focused on tech policy, and he received his JD from Chicago-Kent... Read More →
avatar for Ashley Oborn

Ashley Oborn

Director of Data Analytics, LSLA
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Tech - Data

1:00pm CDT

Community Empowerment to Enforce Environmental Protection Laws: How to Hold State and Federal Agencies Accountable
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 415
This presentation will overview critical community lawyering tools for environmental justice matters. The first part of this session will briefly address general ways to mitigate adverse community impacts from the lack of industrial oversight by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the drastic changes at the Environmental Protection Agency. The second part of the session will provide examples of community empowerment in action that can be duplicated elsewhere. This will include sample public documents from actual concrete batch plant cases that address: 1) the Texas Clean Air Act (including public participation in concrete batch plant standard permit process; submitting citizen evidence with citizen complaints/requests for a TCEQ investigation; participating in enforcement actions; and appealing adverse TCEQ decisions); 2) the interplay of the Texas Public Information Act (including filing the initial request; participating in the agency’s request for an Attorney General opinion, and seeking a writ of mandamus/declaratory judgment/injunctive relief); and 3) the role of the Federal Clean Air Act (including the interplay of Texas’ state implementation plan (SIP) and citizen suit action provisions). The session concludes with an audience participation discussion.

Participants: Wendi Hammond, Michael Bates and Haley Varnadoe (most likely to be substituted with Adam Pirtle upon his return from parental leave).
Speakers
MB

Michael Bates

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
avatar for Adam Pirtle

Adam Pirtle

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
WH

Wendi Hammond

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Environmental and Disaster

1:00pm CDT

Evidence: A Refresher and Demonstration
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 406
Presenting and objecting to evidence is a key and often poorly executed part of trial law. Understanding how to control what evidence the factfinder sees will often be the difference between winning and losing your case. This session will serve as an introduction to evidence in trial practice for newer attorneys and a refresher course for those of us for whom it's been a while. The first half of the presentation will be a practical evidence lecture, and the second half will be a mock eviction trial to demonstrate the skills explained during the talk.
Speakers
avatar for Leesa Everitt

Leesa Everitt

Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
Leesa Everitt, a native Houstonian, is a staff attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid in the Housing & Consumer Unit. Over the past decade she has handled a variety of civil legal matters, but her focus has been housing and landlord-tenant work. Her law degree is from the University of Houston... Read More →
EK

Eric Kwartler

Lone Star Legal Aid
JT

Jonna Treble

Lone Star Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Housing

1:00pm CDT

Empowering New Legal Professionals: Drafting Affidavits of Heirship for Low-Income Texans
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 410
Join us for an engaging and interactive presentation designed for beginner attorneys and paralegals, focused on drafting Affidavits Concerning the Identity of Heirs for low-income Texans. This session will begin with a comprehensive overview of Texas intestacy laws, providing attendees with the fundamental legal knowledge necessary to understand how assets pass when there is no probated will.

Participants will then engage in a hands-on drafting exercise, working through a fact pattern to draft an affidavit of heirship. This practical session will help attendees develop the skills needed to document heirship correctly, ensuring compliance with Texas law while addressing common challenges that arise when assisting low-income clients.

By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a solid understanding of intestacy laws, hands-on drafting experience, and best practices for issue spotting and risk mitigation—key skills for empowering low-income Texans in securing their rightful inheritance.
Speakers
HD

Hannah Dyal

Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Hannah Dyal is an Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Program Fellow at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. She recently completed her first Equal Justice Works fellowship on the Disaster Recovery Legal Corps, the first disaster corps of its kind. Hannah has been working in disaster recovery... Read More →
BP

Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Probate Estate and Wills

2:15pm CDT

Bridging the Justice Gap: The Legal Resource Center Model for Community-Centered Access to Justice
Thursday August 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Salon E
Join Judge Steve Duble of Harris County Justice Court, Precinct 1, Place 2, and Andre Davison, Director of the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, for an engaging session on an innovative, replicable model for community-centered legal access. The newly launched Legal Resource Center at the Harris County Courthouse Annex #2 serves as a beacon of equitable justice, providing free, multilingual, and user-friendly legal information to self-represented litigants navigating eviction, small claims, and debt collection matters.

Attendees will learn how this pioneering collaboration — funded by the Texas Bar Foundation — connects vulnerable communities to legal knowledge through curated materials, pro bono virtual consultations, and technology-enhanced tools. Presenters will explore how courts and libraries can partner to reduce barriers, expand community engagement, and reimagine what access to justice looks like for the most underserved populations. This session will highlight how localized innovation can serve as a powerful response to the justice crisis affecting low-income individuals, especially in neighborhoods of persistent poverty.
Speakers
avatar for Judge Steven Duble

Judge Steven Duble

Justice of the Peace, Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1
Steven Duble is Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, Place 2 in Harris County, Texas. He was elected in November 2022 and took office January 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in 1986 and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center... Read More →
avatar for Andre Davison

Andre Davison

Director, Harris County Law Library
As the Director of the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, the largest county law library in Texas, I am dedicated to advancing our mission of providing equal and open access to justice for all. Our library focuses on delivering essential legal information, empowering... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

2:15pm CDT

Addressing SNAP Overpayments and Intentional Program Violations in Texas: Legal and Practical Perspectives
Thursday August 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 408
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides critical assistance to individuals and families facing food insecurity in Texas. However, overpayments and intentional program violations (IPVs) are common issues that affect both recipients and administrators of the program. This session will provide an overview of the legal landscape surrounding SNAP overpayments and IPVs, focusing on Texas-specific regulations and practices. We will examine the causes and implications of SNAP overpayments, the process for identifying and addressing IPVs, and the rights of recipients facing potential disqualification or penalties. Participants will learn about best practices for advocating on behalf of clients affected by SNAP overpayments and how to navigate legal remedies and administrative hearings. The session will include real-world case studies and interactive discussions to help attendees understand both the legal frameworks and the practical challenges involved in defending clients against overpayment charges and accusations of intentional program violations.
Speakers
MO

Marty Orozco

Litigation Director for Public Benefits & Outreach, Lone Star Legal Aid
avatar for Tobenna Okezie

Tobenna Okezie

Lone Star Legal Aid
avatar for Tunrayo Lumpkin

Tunrayo Lumpkin

Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Benefits

2:15pm CDT

Recipe for Success: Access to Justice through a Medical-Legal Partnership
Thursday August 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 412
This fast-paced session includes discussion about identifying patient participants, meeting program requirements for both organizations, the two organizations' staff roles and collaboration, expenses and cost sharing, and important tips for attendees, whether designing a new MLP or restructuring an existing MLP to improve program efficacy.
Speakers
avatar for Susan Soto

Susan Soto

Staff Attorney / AccessHealth Medical-Legal Partnership, Houston Volunteer Lawyers
CL

Carol Luna

AccessHealth
avatar for Darci Moore

Darci Moore

Population Health Program Manager, AccessHealth
Thursday August 28, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Medical-Legal Partnerships

3:30pm CDT

Defying Gravity: Rising Above Credit Card Lawsuits
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Salon E
Journey down the Yellow Brick Road through credit card litigation and post-judgment procedures. Like Elphaba's transformation from student to powerful witch, we'll guide attorneys and paralegals through mastering credit defense from summons to post-judgment remedies.
Speakers
avatar for Becky Moseley

Becky Moseley

Deputy Director of Litigation, LANWT
avatar for Amy Allen

Amy Allen

Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Amy Allen has been licensed since 1991 and is the Supervising Attorney  for Housing, Consumer, and Public Benefits at the Fort Worth Office of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. She is a proud graduate of LSU and Bates School of Law at the University of Houston. Her primary areas of practice... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Kehl

Samantha Kehl

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Samantha Kehl: Bankruptcy Attorney by Day, Chaos Wrangler by NightWhen she's not untangling the complexities of bankruptcy law as a Staff Attorney and Bankruptcy Practice Team Leader at Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT), Samantha Kehl can be found negotiating peace treaties between... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

Fighting the Good Fight - Self Care for Sustainable Client Advocacy
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 415
Passionately and effectively advocating for clients is a good fight that rewards legal practitioners with their own double-edged sword. On one side, playing a part in securing wins for those who need them most and camaraderie working alongside others committed to the same fight. The downside of this good work builds up over time: exhaustion from knowing there is an ever-growing number of cases, clients, and problems to solve, accumulated grief from the inevitable losses, and secondary trauma from dealing in difficult issues, some of which go beyond the capabilities of legal practitioners.

Haley, Michael, and Adam are attorneys who have felt these feelings through years of working in various legal aid fields, including environmental justice, family, fair housing, criminal, and community development work. Everyone’s journey to taking care of themselves is different, but we will share our stories and lessons learned in our journeys of acknowledging the very real difficulty of burnout and finding pathways to sustainability. This presentation will focus on specific ways to process and manage your case load, celebrate wins, build community inside and outside of the legal field, and connect with specific mental health and wellbeing resources. Attendees will have various opportunities to reflect on their own wellbeing and consider emotional, physical, and mental health as a part of their legal practice.

Think of it this way: you are not a lawyer. First and foremost, you are a person who practices law. We hope this presentation encourages you and provides specific tools to help sustain your advocacy.
Speakers
MB

Michael Bates

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
avatar for Adam Pirtle

Adam Pirtle

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
HV

Haley Varnadoe

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Haley is a staff attorney with the Community Revitalization Project at Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. She focuses on environmental justice in the DFW area and beyond, using community lawyering as a tool to empower client communities in their fights for clean air and neighborhoods safe... Read More →
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

3:30pm CDT

Legal Issues Regarding Mixed Immigration Status Families: Meeting Basic Needs with Public Benefits and Services
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 408
Families are having to choose between meeting their basic needs of food, shelter, and family and the fear of losing everything. It is our job to know the law and how to help them maneuver these obstacles. Melissa and I are going to focus on the two overlapping legal specialization areas that are affecting mixed immigration status families. Families are already having to make very hard choices about meeting their basic needs and applying for benefits for eligible family members and avoiding immigration consequences for family members who are not applying for benefits or not eligible for benefits. In the last Trump administration there were proposed changes to the Public Charge rule that were not finalized that would have affected mixed status families. Many of us are watching to see if the administration or Congress will attempt to make changes that will affect eligible persons based on non-eligible persons in their households. This is extremely important for our client populations as many families eligible for our services live in mixed immigration status households or multi-generational households with needs that vary by generation.
Speakers
avatar for Melissa M. Lopez

Melissa M. Lopez

Executive Director/Attorney at Law, Estrella del Paso
BS

Bernadette Segura

Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Benefits

3:30pm CDT

Data-Driven Strategy: How Data Analysis Has Helped in Housing and Can Be Used In Your Projects
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 406
From data mapping to data trends, data analysis helps you understand past data, uncover patterns, forecast future trends and use everything you learn to create an action plan for your legal project(s). This session will explore and provide examples of how lawyers have utilized data to develop housing projects and respond to crisis. We will also discuss how lawyers working in other practice areas can utilize data in their work to optimize performance and strategies.
Speakers
LP

Lizbeth Parra Davila

St. Mary's School of Law
GH

Genevieve Hebert-Fajardo

St. Mary's School of Law
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Housing

3:30pm CDT

Indigent Healthcare in Texas - From COVID to Measles - Where Are We Now?
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 412
With resources and funding from the federal government to the states to support access to healthcare during the pandemic now depleted and no longer available to the states, it has become more difficult for low-income Texans to find healthcare. With a growing measles epidemic, this access has become more urgent. Texas statutory and state constitutional law requires that each county provide access to health care to its indigent residents. While large urban areas can usually meet this requirement, rural parts of the state have fewer resources and larger challenges in providing healthcare. This session will cover how each county meets this indigent healthcare requirement (county indigent healthcare programs, public hospitals, hospital districts) and how to access the services. We will briefly discuss orders requiring hospitals receiving medicaid funding to inquire about citizenship status and our obligations as advocates to explain that requirement of hospitals and the patients option to decline to answer without any consequences to receiving treatment. Finally, the session will allow for discussion of advocacy strategy when a county is not following the law.
Speakers
MO

Marty Orozco

Litigation Director for Public Benefits & Outreach, Lone Star Legal Aid
BB

Bruce Bower

Volunteer, Texas Legal Services Center (volunteer)
Bruce Bower is a member of the State Bar of Texas and of the Poverty Law Section.  The State Bar of Texas lists Mr. Bower as certified to provide representation in guardianship cases in Texas.  Mr. Bower was employed by Texas Legal Services Center from 1989 to 2022 and now does... Read More →
JL

Jeff Larsen

attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
woodworking, traditional music and singing in parts, Shakespeare, Social Security
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Medical-Legal Partnerships

3:30pm CDT

Empowering New Legal Professionals: Understanding Capacity and Drafting Advanced Directives for Low-Income Texans
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 410
Join us for an insightful and interactive session designed for beginner attorneys and paralegals, focusing on the critical role of Durable and Medical Power of Attorneys and Directives to Physicians (advanced directives) in estate planning for low-income Texans.

The session will begin with a comprehensive discussion on assessing a client’s capacity to execute these legal documents, addressing key legal and ethical considerations. Attendees will then engage in a hands-on drafting exercise, working through a fact pattern to draft various advanced directives. This practical component ensures participants gain real-world experience and develop issue-spotting skills essential for serving vulnerable populations.

By the end of this session, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of capacity assessment, hands-on drafting experience, and best practices for mitigating risks in advanced directives preparation—all critical tools for empowering clients to make informed decisions about their medical care and estate planning.
Speakers
HD

Hannah Dyal

Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Hannah Dyal is an Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Program Fellow at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. She recently completed her first Equal Justice Works fellowship on the Disaster Recovery Legal Corps, the first disaster corps of its kind. Hannah has been working in disaster recovery... Read More →
BP

Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Thursday August 28, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Probate Estate and Wills

4:45pm CDT

Poverty Law Section Meeting
Thursday August 28, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Salon E
Thursday August 28, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

6:30pm CDT

2025 TxMLPC Affinity Dinner
Thursday August 28, 2025 6:30pm - 8:30pm CDT
Location TBD, Near Downtown Austin Hilton

RSVP here: https://www.txmlpc.org/event-details/2025-affinity-dinner
Affinity Dinner 2025 2 pdf
Thursday August 28, 2025 6:30pm - 8:30pm CDT
 
Friday, August 29
 

9:00am CDT

Emergency Preparedness for Immigrant Families at Risk of Detention & Removal
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Salon E
This session will cover how legal professionals can prepare families for the civil impacts of an absent parent or adult household member resulting from an immigration emergency. It will cover caregiver authorization agreements, special powers of attorney, durable powers of attorney, and other legal documents, and orient participants to existing tools and primers to improve their practice.
Speakers
avatar for Eva Sikes

Eva Sikes

Managing Attorney, Economic Justice Initiative, Texas Immigration Law Council
CH

Cori Hash

Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

9:00am CDT

Paralegal Perspectives: Strategies for Legal Outreach and Education
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 415
This panel will feature paralegals from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT), and Lone Star Legal Aid, who will share their experience and best practices for conducting outreach and the distribution of community education. The paralegal position plays a critical role in bridging the gap between legal aid organizations and the communities they serve, ensuring that access to vital legal resources and information is readily available. The panelists will discuss the various outreach strategies their organizations have implemented, the materials they have found most effective, and the challenges they have encountered in reaching diverse communities they serve. This panel aims to foster collaboration and innovation in outreach efforts, equipping attendees with practical tools and insights to enhance their own community education initiatives.
Speakers
GT

Gloretta Thornton

Paralegal Supervisor, Lone Star Legal Aid
I have been with Lone Star Legal Aid for 49 years and I have been in the Public Benefits Unit in the Houston office all of that time.  I truly enjoy helping people and my work with LSLA allows me to do that.  I am the mother of 2, the grandmother of 4, and the great grandmother... Read More →
DG

Dora Garcia-Ruiz

Farmworker Outreach Coordinator, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Doris Garcia-Ruiz is a paralegal at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid who specializes in outreach. 
PR

Penelope Rodriguez

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas - Community Revitalization Project
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

9:00am CDT

They Not Like Us: The Grit, Grind, and Heart of Legal Aid Attorneys
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 412
Legal aid attorneys navigate unique challenges that require exceptional grit, dedication, and emotional resilience. The demands of the profession often lead to burnout, secondary trauma, and stress, impacting both professional effectiveness and personal well-being. This interactive session will explore strategies for managing these challenges while fostering a supportive and sustainable work environment.
Speakers
avatar for Lindsay Eustace

Lindsay Eustace

Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
LP

LaRonda Pondexter

Lone Star Legal Aid
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

9:00am CDT

#Winning Social Security Disability Benefits Claims For Veterans
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 408
Discussion of how to obtain Social Security disability benefits for veterans. Emphasis will be on the differences between SSA disability compensation (SSI/SSDI) and VA disability compensation (Service-Connected/Pension) and the rules governing each. Attendees will learn best practices for proving the veterans Social Security disability claim. Brief discussion of Professional Responsibility/Ethics/HIPAA.
Speakers
SH

Sondra Haltom

Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
LF

Lori Fergie

Lone Star Legal Aid
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Benefits

9:00am CDT

Wills & Estates for All: Estate Planning for You and Your Low-Income Clients
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 410
Presentation of estate planning documents for clients with limited assets, as well as end of life planning.
Speakers
ST

Sheena Teague

Staff Atorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Probate Estate and Wills

9:00am CDT

Bridging Housing and Consumer Law: Practical Tools for Holistic Legal Advocacy
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am CDT
Room 406
This session will explore how legal aid attorneys can bridge the gap between housing law and consumer protections to provide more holistic advocacy for clients facing threats to their homes and debt-related threats to housing stability.
Speakers
avatar for K'Lisha Rutledge

K'Lisha Rutledge

Managing Attorney - Home Preservation Project, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
avatar for Amir Befroui

Amir Befroui

Supervising Attorney/Managing Attorney - Foreclosure Prevention Project, Lone Star Legal Aid
Practicing lawMentorshipServing low income communitiesHelping consumers (Consumer law)Helping homeowners with a variety of legal issues (real estate law)The highs and lows of litigationPractice uses of mediationUniversity of Houston athleticsPracticing yogaCyclingThe stresses and... Read More →
avatar for Molly Rogers

Molly Rogers

Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid
Molly Rogers is a Staff Attorney and the Team Manager for the Real Property and Home Foreclosure Prevention Team at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) in Austin, Texas.  TRLA is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to residents of Central and Southwest Texas who... Read More →
Friday August 29, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Housing

10:15am CDT

Empowering Older Adults: Overcoming Legal Barriers to a Better Future
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 408
This presentation will focus on the legal challenges faced by aging populations and provide tools to help older clients overcome these obstacles. It will cover a broad range of issues, including housing, healthcare, financial security, access to public benefits, and expungement. Special attention will be given to the unique needs of older adults, such as cognitive decline, health issues, and limited resources, and how these factors impact their ability to navigate legal systems. The presentation will also highlight available community resources and legal tools to empower older adults to improve their quality of life.
Speakers
avatar for Mariah Gorom

Mariah Gorom

Lone Star Legal Aid
FH

Fallon Hamilton Vaughn

Lone Star Legal Aid
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

10:15am CDT

Essentials for Non-Immigration Practitioners: 2025 Immigration Legal Updates and Practical Tips
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Salon E
This practical session provides attorneys outside the immigration field with essential insights into 2025's significant immigration developments. Attendees will receive straightforward guidance on recent executive orders, new enforcement agreements between Texas and Department of Homeland Security agencies, and the implementation of the Non-Citizen Registry and REAL ID requirements. The session covers fundamental immigration concepts relevant to general practice, including Alien Registration Numbers, procedures for locating clients in immigration detention, and methods for verifying immigration court hearings. Topics and updates covered are subject to change in this rapidly evolving landscape.
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Cisneros

Jessica Cisneros

Managing Attorney, Texas Immigration Law Council
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

10:15am CDT

Huh? . . . Effectively Communicating Legal Topics to Those with Low Literacy Skills
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 412
Communicating complicated legal issues to legal aid clients can be tricky. While not all who experience poverty have lower than average literacy levels, research indicates that, where 20% of all American Adults are functionally illiterate, 43% of Texas adults with the lowest literacy skills are currently in poverty as opposed to 4% of those with the highest literacy skills are currently experiencing poverty. Additionally, 54% of American adults read at or below a 6th grade level and the adult literacy rate in Texas is currently only 81%. This can make communicating complicated legal issues hard. It is important to meet the client population of legal aid organizations where they are without talking down to them. While attorneys are regularly encouraged to not use jargon, shorthand, or acronyms when communicating with clients, explaining complex legal issues to those with lower literacy skills can prove difficult and require additional thoughtfulness. This presentation aims to discuss the importance of presenting information to our client populations in ways that are manageable for them, including the ethical implications of using non-legal terms to describe legal concepts; warn of the pitfalls of communicating to those with lower literacy skills; and share strategies for communicating with individuals in simple, easy-to-understand terms.
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Waggoner

Melissa Waggoner

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
avatar for Stephanie Marrone
SM

Sam Marsh

Beacon Law
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

10:15am CDT

Probate Mythbusters : Probate Methods for Low-Income Texans
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 410
Presentation of methods to probate the estates of both testate and intestate decedents, both in and out of the courts. Will discuss basic terminology, intestacy succession, pros/cons of administration, and non-probate ways to settle small estates.
Speakers
ST

Sheena Teague

Staff Atorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Probate Estate and Wills

10:15am CDT

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Tech Solutions for Client-Facing Tools and Internal Workflows
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 415
Lone Star Legal Aid has been developing innovative tech-based resources for both clients and internal use for the last several years. Join our Data Analytics Director and Environmental Justice Project's Litigation Director as they share key insights on creating effective tech solutions—whether for client-facing tools or internal workflows. Discover the essential steps in developing web-based applications, AI chatbots, and other resources that can help your organization enhance outreach, improve efficiency, and work smarter, not harder.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Dinn

Amy Dinn

Litigation Director / Managing Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid
Environmental JusticeCivil Rights Litigation
avatar for Ashley Oborn

Ashley Oborn

Director of Data Analytics, LSLA
Friday August 29, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Tech - Data

11:30am CDT

2025 Update: Community Justice Workers in Texas
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Salon E
Lawyers alone cannot bridge the justice gap. The “Community Justice Worker” movement describes a diverse set of approaches to incorporating individuals other than lawyers into the legal profession. Several states have experimented with formal approaches to training, certification and/or licensing to authorize non-attorneys to address specific types of legal matters with greater independence than previously contemplated under ethical rules. Representatives from these and other states have joined forces to launch a national CJW taskforce in 2025. This session will provide an overview of developments on a national and state level, including how paraprofessionals and community justice workers are able to work to bridge the justice gap under current Texas law. Speakers will detail their current work and projects utilizing paraprofessionals and community justice workers to close the justice gap.
Speakers
avatar for Bethany Carson

Bethany Carson

Community Justice Worker Coordinator, Texas Immigration Law Council
Bethany brings over a decade of experience at the intersection of grassroots organizing, legal empowerment, and movement-building to her role as Community Justice Worker Coordinator at TxILC. As part of TxILC’s Economic Justice Initiative, she supports a dynamic statewide cohort... Read More →
avatar for Cristian Sanchez
avatar for Sean Jackson

Sean Jackson

Executive Director, Disability Rights Texas
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Salon E 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

11:30am CDT

Improving Advocacy for Veterans Claims by Using VA IT Systems
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 408
Advocates will learn how they can more effectively and efficiently assist US military veterans with claims before the Veterans Benefits Administration by using IT systems. The session will include familiarization and access training on VA.gov, VA QuickSubmit, and the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS). There will also be a short ethics component on the duty of attorneys to understand the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology.
Speakers
avatar for Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers

Equal Justice Works Fellow and Staff Attorney, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
I am employed as a staff attorney by TRLA with the help of an Equal Justice Works Fellowship, sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and Greenberg Traurig. My fellowship is focused on providing wrap-around legal assistance to noncitizens US military veterans. My primary... Read More →
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 408 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

11:30am CDT

Municipalities and Legal Aid Organizations: Responding to Substandard Structures, Demolitions, and Heirs’ Properties”
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 406
In this panel discussion, we will delve into the three main statutes that municipalities use for holding property owners accountable for the condition of their properties: Texas Local Government Code chapter 54, Texas Local Government Code chapter 214, and Civil Practice and Remedies Code chapter 125. We will also consider ways in which municipalities respond to heirs’ properties. We will discuss how Legal Aid advocates can recognize city actions, advocate for and negotiate on behalf of clients who are defendants in such actions, and even complement and collaborate with cities on such actions to benefit clients in a way that also benefits the community as a whole.
Speakers
BG

Benjamin Gerzik

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Community Revitalization Project
KB

Kelsey Blanche Ciluffo

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
JH

Jill Haning

Dallas City Attorney’s Office
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 406 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

11:30am CDT

Title IX: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore. How to Navigate the Yellow Brick Road to Keep Survivors in School.
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 412
This session will provide technical guidance on how to help survivor’s meet their education goals after experiencing a sexual assault or domestic violence on campus. Lawyers tend to focus on “winning” by getting a finding of responsibility. Our goal is to provide an alternative type of Title IX practice that focuses on the core goal of Title IX—ensuring the student’s access to their education. Supportive measures are on-disciplinary, non-punitive services available even without a formal Title IX complaint and can include things like counseling, housing assistance, and academic accommodations. We will summarize the relevant regulations and laws as they exist at the time of the presentation and provide a step-by-step process for identifying a survivor’s educational needs after an assault and how to advocate for them. We will cover both K12 schools and higher education.
Speakers
avatar for Mary Christine Reed

Mary Christine Reed

Economic and Social Justice Group Coordinator, Education Team Manager, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
As an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) since 1993, Mary Christine Reed has assisted low-income clients with a broad range of legal problems, including a frequent focus on issues impacting youth and families. TRLA is a non-profit corporation that provides free civil and... Read More →
avatar for Brittany Hightower

Brittany Hightower

Staff Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid (Texas Coalition on Coerced Debt)
Brittany Hightower is a Staff Attorney at Lone Star Legal Aid with the Individual Safety Unit where she provides legal services to survivors of sexual abuse, including protective orders, divorces, custody, housing, privacy, and more. Prior to joining LSLA, Brittany worked as an attorney... Read More →
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 412 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701

11:30am CDT

Beyond Natural Disasters: Expanding Legal Aid's Role in Crisis Response Session
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 415
Legal aid organizations across Texas have long been at the forefront of providing essential legal services to low-income clients impacted by natural disasters. However, their expertise is increasingly sought after to address the legal needs arising from non-weather-related crises such as mass shootings, apartment fires, and industrial accidents. This session will explore how disaster legal aid providers pivot their experience and adapt their response strategies to assist individuals and communities facing these new types of crises. Attendees will learn how legal aid programs can develop scalable models to respond effectively, collaborate with stakeholders, and provide holistic support to clients in the wake of life-altering tragedies.
Speakers
avatar for Amanda Bosley

Amanda Bosley

Managing Attorney - Disaster Relief Unit, Lone Star Legal Aid
Amanda Bosley is a Supervising Attorney and manages the Disaster Relief Unit at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) in Houston, Texas. She also serves as Content Manager for the Advocates for Disaster Justice website, which provides legal help information to survivors and facilitates connections... Read More →
avatar for Melissa Waggoner

Melissa Waggoner

Staff Attorney, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
BP

Brittanny Perrigue Gomez

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 415 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Environmental and Disaster

11:30am CDT

Guardianship Guide
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 410
This presentation will begin with an exploration into the circumstances within families that often lead our clients to seek guardianship over their loved ones. Attendees will receive a step-by-step guide to the legal requirements and process of obtaining a guardianship over an adult in Texas, including recent updates to the law by the state legislature impacting the guardianship process. Guardianship is not always the necessary or appropriate solution - even when a well-intentioned loved one believes it is - this presentation will illuminate alternatives to guardianship (e.g. medical power of attorney; representative payee status etc.) that should be considered and implemented prior to seeking a guardianship in some cases. Questions such as if and when a guardianship be terminated and what to do if you believe a client is unjustly under an order of guardianship will be explored. We will also dive into the guardianship of pop-culture celebrity Wendy Williams and her battle to terminate the order and re-gain access to her assets and control of her life.
Speakers
TC

Tiffany C. Green

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
Friday August 29, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Room 410 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
  Probate Estate and Wills
 
2025 Poverty Law Conference
From $306.69
Need help? View Support Guides
Event questions? Contact Event Planner
©2025 Sched • About • Privacy • Terms
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
Wednesday, August 27
Thursday, August 28
Friday, August 29
Room 406
Room 408
Room 410
Room 412
Room 415
Room 415 A/B
Salon C
Salon E
  • Benefits
  • Environmental and Disaster
  • Housing
  • Medical-Legal Partnerships
  • Probate Estate and Wills
  • Tech - Data
  • Popular