Contact: Catherine Galloway
cgalloway@texasatj.org | 512-427-1892
New Commissioners Appointed to the Texas Access to Justice Commission
AUSTIN, Texas - The Supreme Court of Texas and the State Bar of Texas have appointed three new commissioners and reappointed three other members to the Texas Access to Justice Commission. These commissioners will assist the Commission in its efforts to expand civil legal aid resources to low-income Texans.
The Supreme Court of Texas appointed new commissioners Judge Joe Lopez, of the 49th District Court in Laredo, and Jeannie Rollo, Executive Director of the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas in Austin. The Supreme Court also renewed the appointments of Harry Reasoner, partner in Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston and Chair of the Commission since 2009, and Wayne Watts, former Senior Vice President and General Counsel for AT&T in Dallas and commissioner since 2013.
The State Bar of Texas appointed new commissioner Richard LaVallo, Legal Director of Disability Rights Texas in Austin, and renewed the appointment Harriet Miers, partner in Locke Lord in Dallas and commissioner since 2013.
“The Commission has been making significant strides to ensure the courts are accessible to low-income Texans. Each member on the Commission shares a strong belief that the courts should be open to all people, regardless of economic status. These new and reappointed members bring a wide breadth of knowledge and energy to the group,” Justice Eva Guzman, the Texas Access to Justice Commission Supreme Court of Texas liaison, remarked. “I am eager to work with them as we continue to ensure all Texans have equal access to justice.”
Judge Joe Lopez serves on the 49th District Court in Laredo. He was elected to the District Court in 2007, served as Assistant District Attorney for the 49th Judicial District Court from 1991 to 1994, Zapata County Attorney from 1996 to 2005, and maintained a private practice for clients in Webb and Zapata counties prior to his service on the District Court. Selected by the Court of Criminal Appeals, Judge Lopez represents the trial judges in Texas as an ASTAR court judge. Judge Lopez has a longstanding commitment to public service and strongly believes in transparency in the courts.
Harry Reasoner is a partner in Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston. He has served as a member on the Commission since 2006 and as Chair since 2009. Reasoner has been instrumental in spearheading some of the Commission’s first systemic changes in reducing the barriers to the court, including the creation of several Court-approved do-it-yourself forms and instructions designed to shore up the gaps where legal aid and pro bono attorneys don’t exist or aren’t available to help low-income people who need some basic legal help. A remarkable leader in the legal community with an exceptional commitment to equality, justice, and fairness, Reasoner was recently presented with the CAIL Award for Achievement in the Pursuit of Justice for All by the Center for American and International Law and the Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award by the Anti-Defamation League. Reasoner will continue to serve as Chair of the Commission for one year.
Jeannie Rollo is the Executive Director of the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas in Austin. For nearly four decades, Rollo has been an unwavering advocate of legal services for low-income Texans. She has served as a member and president of the board of American Gateways and on the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral and Information Service Standing Committee. Rollo serves on the Commission’s Self-Represented Litigant Committee and is a member of the State Bar of Texas Legal Access Division Pro Bono Workgroup. She also volunteers with the American Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service Program of Assistance and Review providing best practices consulting to referral services across the country.
In 2015, Wayne Watts retired from AT&T in Dallas as Senior Executive Vice-President and General Counsel. He began his career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1983 and was Vice-President and Assistant General Counsel for SBC Communications Inc. prior to their consolidation with AT&T. Watts is a member of the SMU Dedman School of Law Advisory Board, the University of Texas at Arlington Development Board, and the board of the Hill Country Mission for Health, an entity that provides medical care for those in Kendall County who cannot afford care.
Richard LaVallo is the Legal Director for Disability Rights Texas in Austin. For more than 30 years, he has used his skills as a social worker and attorney to advocate for people with disabilities in a wide range of individual and systemic cases. LaVallo has also worked on legislative and public policy issues dealing with education, mental health, foster care, and juvenile justice. In addition to his work with DRT, he is a member to the Collaborative Council for the Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families.
Harriet Miers is a partner and member of the Litigation and Public Policy sections at Locke Lord in Dallas. She served in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2007 as Staff Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Counsel to the President. Miers has demonstrated a commitment to public service through numerous elected and appointed positions, including being elected in 1992 to lead the State Bar of Texas as its first female President. Well respected as a leader in the legal community, she is a strong advocate of pro bono work and the advancement of minorities in the profession.
The Supreme Court of Texas created the Texas Access to Justice Commission in 2001 to expand services for low-income Texans in need legal assistance but who may not be able to afford or find it. The Texas Access to Justice Commission assists legal aid organizations to help more than 100,000 low-income Texas families each year with their civil legal needs. The Commission’s mission includes reducing barriers to the justice system and increasing resources and funding for legal aid. The Commission consists of 22 commissioners, each serving a three-year term and three ex-officio members appointed by the Texas Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House.
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