HEADNOTES HEADNOTES Hartline Barger Celebrates 30 Years of Giving

BY MICHELLE ALDEN

As the new year gets underway, steadfast DVAP supporter Hartline Barger LLP has stepped up once again with a donation of $30,500—the largest contribution to this year’s Equal Access to Justice Campaign to date! The firm has a long history of supporting pro bono in Dallas through the Campaign. Including this gift, the firm has donated more than $215,875 to legal aid since 2007.

Three decades ago, seven lawyers left a big city law firm and set out on their own. Their goal was to create a firm full of sharp and talented lawyers willing to take on any case, with a commitment to established principles. As a veteran, C. Vernon Hartline, Jr. lived by seven core values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Courage. For nearly 30 years, Hartline Barger has remained loyal to these tenets, which is why it supports programs, like DVAP, that foster the same values.

“’With justice for all’ is a phrase we repeat every time we say the pledge of allegiance. Securing equal access to justice is a cause that was close to the heart of Vernon Hartline, and remains a cause that this firm continues to support. The right to justice is a basic right belonging to all. It is at the foundation of our system of government,” said Richard Crews, Managing Partner.

Hartline Barger focuses on general civil litigation defense and trials. The firm’s services are wide-ranging. They focus on product liability litigation, personal injury defense, commercial litigation, construction litigation, and labor & employment litigation, among other areas.

“While it is a privilege for us to practice law, we do not believe it should be a privilege to have access to quality legal representation. Unfortunately, this is a reality for much of society. The fact that we represent successful businesses makes it all the more important that we give back to those who lack such financial wherewithal,” said Jeffrey Patterson, partner in Dallas.

Access to legal services continues to be fundamentally important as people face dire economic straits. DVAP continues its weekly virtual intake clinics every Thursday, along with in-person and virtual Veterans Clinics, and in-person clinics in South Dallas and West Dallas. One recent applicant, “Connie,” came to DVAP seeking help. She had two old criminal charges on her record, which posed an obstacle to obtaining employment. The charges were eligible for expunction. Dedicated volunteer attorney David Green accepted the case and worked on it even while he was deployed in the Middle East as a Judge Advocate General (JAG). David completed the case remotely, and Connie was able to move forward with her job search, making all the difference in her future prospects.

The justice gap in Dallas County is daunting. In a country based on justice for all and access to our court system, over 25 percent of Dallas County residents live near the poverty level, and 42 percent have slim hope of being able to afford an attorney. With annual poverty incomes of $34,687 for a family of four, justice is a luxury for low- and moderateincome families.

As Michelle Sheppard, Chief Operating Officer, stated, “We are well acquainted with the impact that DVAP has on the underrepresented in North Texas; its efforts towards mitigating the staggering justice gap are unparalleled. We know our contribution helps put resources into the right hands.”

DVAP is a joint pro bono program of the DBA and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. The program is the only one of its kind in Texas and brings together the volunteer resources of a major metropolitan bar association with the legal aid expertise of the largest and oldest civil legal aid program in North Texas. For more information, or to donate, visit www.dallas volunteerattorneyprogram.org.

Michelle Alden is the Director of the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program. She can be reached at aldenm@lanwt.org.