RSS Kristi Couvillon Pro Bono Awards
John Castiglione, Tyler Nims, and Kelli Sussman — Latham & Watkins LLP — won a major victory in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals preventing the San Antonio Police Department from executing “no knock” warrants after officers broke into the home of an innocent lesbian couple and harassed them. (Bishop v. Arcuri)
Carly Milner, Ginny Maslin, and Chris Popov — Vinson & Elkins LLP — fighting a pending Fifth Circuit appeal on behalf of a prisoner whose case was tossed out of court on procedural grounds after a jail denied him medical care, causing his leg to be amputated. (Manemann v. Llano Co.)
Kyril Talanov, Trey Mahoney, and Casey Berger — Winston & Strawn LLP — in a pending case, helping a Native American prisoner practice his religious beliefs after the prison system banned Native American worship ceremonies. (Chance v. TDCJ)
Olga Kobzar and Joe Sanders — Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P. — in a pending case, helping drivers with hearing disabilities secure sign-language interpreters for driving tests after a change in state law. (Ivy v. TEA)
More TCRP Pro Bono Heroes
Blackmon v. Kukua — elderly Air Force veteran incarcerated in a prison where indoor heat index reached 130 degrees. A favorable Fifth Circuit opinion means prisoners will be protected from extreme heat.
Vasu Behara
DLA PIPER LLP
Salinas v. Salinas — jury verdict against community activist accused of defaming mayor overturned by Texas Supreme Court.
Pete Kennedy
GRAVES, DOUGHERTY, HEARON & MOODY
Occupy Austin Defense — injunction protects non-violent demonstrators from criminal prosecution. Dozens of pro bono attorneys volunteered to defend demonstrators in their criminal cases.
Civil Injunction
Ryan P. Bates
Anna G. Rotman
Ed Dawson
YETTER COLEMAN LLP
Criminal Defenses
David Van Os
Chito Vela
Benet Magnuson
Katie Salzer
Paul Quinzi
Shanon Keith Stanfield
Siavash Vaseghi
Alicia Butler
Angela Lee
Ira L. Davis
Travis Williamson
Cynthia Biggers
Jana Ortega
David Shapiro
Jamie Spencer
Paul Holt Walcutt
David Reynolds
Kenneth Gober
Stefanie Collins
Francis Montenegro
David Gibson
Malcolm Greenstein
Justice for Veterans’ Campaign — self-help materials for incarcerated service veterans will help these people apply for VA benefits and obtain medical care.
Emily Pipkin Blackwell
Tricia Boutros
Andrew Jackson
Lee Neel Davis
Edward Duffy
VINSON & ELKINS LLP
Rob Fowler
Fred Barrera
Charles Wang
Nancy Itnyre
Debra Kupferman
Brandon Essigmann
Margaret Brown
CJ Ponce
BAKER BOTTS, LLP
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) cases — immigrant survivors of domestic violence can leave their abusive relationships by acquiring legal immigration status.
Kavitha Kadambi
Jenny Lloyd
DLA PIPER
Ana Villegas
LAW OFFICE OF KYLE D. BROWN, PC
State of Texas v. Galindez — immigration authorities prevented from deporting a young mother who was brought to the U.S. at 12-years-old, and forced to marry and bear children at age 13 by an abusive family.
Lisa Gallerano
Keefe Bernstein
Heather Peckham
Wendy Curtis
Patrick O’Brien
AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, LLP
Denise Gilman
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW IMMIGRATION CLINIC
Jeana Lungwitz
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC
Frances Valdez
LAW OFFICE OF VELIA E. ROSAS, PLLC
Stephanie Kolmar
Edna Yang
AMERICAN GATEWAYS
Diaz v. San Antonio Police Department – police arrest a non-violent immigration demonstrator protesting unjust immigration policies. Fifth Circuit appeal is pending.
Matt Baumgartner
GRAVES, DOUGHERTY, HEARON & MOODY
Texas Civil Rights Project v. Hudspeth Co. — rogue county fails to provide documents about celebrity border enforcement program to TCRP. Pro bono attorneys, reveal documents about the county deputizing and arming Steven Segal.
Andrea Leyva Batista
VINSON & ELKINS LLP
Legal Research — these attorneys provide high-quality research projects for TCRP attorneys on recurring issues in TCRP litigation.
Tracey R. Keegan
Zeke DeRose
Nicholas N. Shum
Andrew Jackson
VINSON & ELKINS LLP
Sarah Clark
SCOTT, DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO LLP
Wyatt v. Kilgore — school officials unlawfully disclosed a student’s sexual orientation. Pro bono attorneys are defending a precedent-setting ruling for LGBT people in the Fifth Circuit.
Peter Perkowski
Nicole Kozdron
WINSTON & STRAWN LLP
Michael Clark
Adam Taliaferro
DUANE MORRIS LLP
Arrington v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice — prisons refuse to allow deaf inmates to use pay telephones, and deny them access to rehabilitation programs. Pro bono attorneys are defending an important trial court decision on appeal.
Brandon Tuck
Conor McEvily
Tom Leatherbury
VINSON & ELKINS LLP
Greer v. Richardson — filed amicus brief on behalf of TCRP and other groups fighting to protect the rights of Texans with disabilities in a Fifth Circuit case.
Matthew S. Owen
KING & SPALDING LLP
Texas Civil Rights Project v. Susan Combs — state comptroller released millions of Texans’ private data online. TCRP is fighting for information about this invasion of privacy in the Third Court of Appeals.
Jessie Amos
Brett D. Solberg
DLA PIPER
Chuck Herring
HERRING & IRWIN
Risenmay v. Flying R Ranch — racist neighbor harasses couple and their African-American children with disabilities. Pro bono attorneys assisted in asset investigation and collections.
David Collins
Hernandez v. United States — Border Patrol agent standing in U.S. shoots and kills child standing in Mexico. Pro bono attorneys filed an amicus brief arguing the Constitution protects people from police violence on the border.
Nancy Winkelman
SCHNADER, HARRISON, SEGAL & LEWIS, LLP
Texas v. Flores — police arrest sexual assault survivor and charge her with public intoxication after she reports assault. Pro bono lawyer gets charges dismissed.
John Wise
LAW OFFICE OF SCOTT C. SMITH
Franklin v. Doyle — jailer tases prisoner 22 times in under 30 minutes, and punches him in the throat.
Andy Zollinger
DLA PIPER
Tom Gutting
Adam Laughton
Ndanga Kamau
KING & SPALDING
Frank Newton
Elizondo v. City of Garland — pro bono attorneys filed a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief for TCRP in support of mentally ill man assaulted by the police.
Charles C. Lifland
Cynthia A. Merrill
Stephen J. McIntyre
O’MELVENY & MYERS LLP
“DREAMer” Clinics — executive action by President Obama makes deferred action immigration status available to immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Attorneys helped complete applications that prevent deportation and allow immigrants to obtain work authorizations.
Mike Riordan
Eleanor Gilbrane
WEIL GOTSHAL & MANGES
Sara Clark
SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO
Truman Fenton
Samantha Ade
Myrna Salinas Baumann
KING & SPALDING
Karen Holody
Ben Vaughn
Michelle Alcala
GRAVES, DOUGHERTY, HEARON & MOODY
Brandy Copley
GENERAL ELECTRIC
M. Marvin Katz
Kyle Friesen
Jessica Crutcher
MAYER BROWN
Amy Rodgers
SHELL
Leona Hammill
MUNSCH HARDT
Rocio G. Mendoza
Natalie Alfaro
BAKER BOTTS, LLP
Ben McReynolds
Maine Goodfellow
Chris Bloom
MCDERMOTT
Ivett Hughes
HALLIBURTON
Sanjay R. Chadha
Darlene Prescott
Shraer v. Texas Health and Human Services Commission — state food stamp program denies deaf man sign-language interpreter for mandatory benefits interviews, depriving him of food. Pro bono attorneys are appealing an adverse judgment in Texas courts.
Sean Flammer
SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO
Cruz v. Burnt Orange Report — losing judicial candidate sues progressive news blog for reporting on candidate’s alleged erratic behavior at a campaign event. Pro bono attorneys are addressing novel issues about free speech protections on the internet.
Chip Babcock
Nancy Hamilton
Audra Welter
JACKSON WALKER L.L.P.
