Volunteer Of The Month

Volunteer of the Month – September 2020 Brad Monceaux is a sole practitioner. How did you first get involved with pro bono? I was introduced to DVAP while in law school and immediately knew that when I became licensed, volunteering with DVAP would be a great way to serve the legal needs of those who cannot afford the legal representation that everyone deserves. Describe your most compelling pro bono case. My most compelling pro bono case involved assisting an elderly client who signed a will under undue influence. The elderly client spent a year trying…

Volunteer of the Month – August 2020 Jared Slade is a partner with Alston & Bird. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono? In law school, I participated in a Community Economic Development Clinic and did pro bono via the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.  But it was when I was a summer associate at a law firm in town that I was taught pro bono was both a way to give back and develop important skills. 2. What types of cases have you accepted? I started with some basic estate planning matters and…

Volunteer of the Month – July 2020 Justin Bynum is a sole practitioner. 1. Describe your most compelling pro bono case.   A woman came into my office for assistance with her case against her abusive ex-husband. As with many abusers, the ex-husband was attempting to use the child as a means to harass and control my client. The case is ongoing, but I believe having representation has helped my client to feel more secure about the case. 2. Why do you pro bono?  Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, the matriarch of my Alma Mater, Bethune Cookman…

Volunteer of the Month – June 2020 Patrick Quine is an associate with Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono?  Hunton Andrews Kurth has a robust pro bono program and encourages attorneys to get involved. I attended a few DVAP intake clinics as a first year associate and eventually found the courage to start taking cases on my own. DVAP also provides mentors for attorneys, who have been a great resource.  They help enable me to handle cases that are outside of my regular practice areas. 2. Describe…

Volunteer of the Month – May 2020 Ewa Champagne is an attorney at Baker & Hostetler LLP. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono?  My life has been full of adventures, and one day, I landed in Dallas unexpectedly.  With only a New York license, I turned to DVAP clinics to stay connected to the legal community while obtaining my Texas license, finding a job, and embracing Dallas as home. 2. Describe your most compelling pro bono case.    I helped a client prepare her will and powers of attorney. That might…

Volunteer of the Month – April 2020 William Craven is a Member at Cozen O’Connor. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono?  My first involvement with pro bono came after joining Cozen O’Connor in October 2015.  It is well known, both inside and outside of the firm, that Cozen enjoys a strong tradition of pro bono contributions to the community.  Cozen supports and encourages its attorneys to participate in pro bono matters, and immediately upon joining the Dallas office, I began working with other attorneys and independently to develop a pro bono…

Volunteer of the Month – March 2020 Stephen Johnson is a sole practitioner. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono?  The first pro bono case I took was an adoption case; since my own children are adopted, I thought it would be great to do a pro bono adoption case. 2. Describe your most compelling pro bono case.  I handled an expunction case for a man who had several arrests on his record, although the charges were later dropped. His dream was to be a probation officer, but having the arrests on…

Volunteer of the Month – February 2020 Jenny Womack is a sole practitioner. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono?  I started my legal career in family law and that is one area where there is a lot of pro bono need.  It has been close to 20 years ago, but my first pro bono case was a DVAP case I picked up through the DBA Family Law Section. 2. Describe your most compelling pro bono case.  I was able to terminate the parental rights of a biological father who had a…

Volunteer of the Month – January 2020 Christine Leatherberry is the Director of Alumni Relations at SMU Dedman School of Law. 1. Describe your most compelling pro bono case. Last year, I helped two grandparents adopt their grandson. My clients’ daughter died at just 30 years of age from medical complications less than a couple weeks after she gave birth. After so much tragedy and heartache losing their daughter, they were able to adopt their grandson to raise him as their own son. Without the adoption and without a court order, many of their rights…

Volunteer of the Month – December 2019 Megan Ladriere is a Senior Associate at Baker Botts, L.L.P. 1. How did you first get involved in pro bono? My firm, Baker Botts, actively encourages young associates to get involved with pro bono activities early in their career.  When I received the DVAP monthly emails on available cases, I took a simple divorce to get started!  DVAP made it very easy and I felt supported so that I was able to successfully represent my client in a new area of law for me.  I’m also on the…