The firm is committed to community

For over ninety years, we have been a leader in giving back to the communities where our lawyers live and work. This unwavering commitment to community development is engrained in our culture, whether in one of our U.S. locations or abroad.

From the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to Habitat for Humanity, from the American Cancer Society to the Anti-Defamation League, the firm demonstrates its community commitment through our presence in a number of charitable organizations.

The firm and the arts

Both in its domestic locations and abroad, the firm provides sponsorship and leadership for virtually every aspect of the arts, including the Houston Grand Opera, the San Antonio Children's Museum, and Ballet Austin, as well as for exhibitions, student art programs and public television.

The firm and aid to the less fortunate

From participating in area food pantry and clothing drives to beach clean-up projects and March of Dimes walkathons, getting involved and making a difference is core to our foundation. Our lawyers and staff not only volunteer countless hours, but also donate funds to organizations that provide services to those in need, such as the American Red Cross, UNICEF, AIDS Walk Washington, Special Olympics-New York and the United Way.

Our firm responded to the 9-11 WTC tragedy and other natural disasters around the world by making a substantial gift to a firm foundation created to provide victim assistance funds. In addition, our lawyers have provided legal assistance on a pro bono basis to victims of these disasters.

The firm and community development

Park programs and chambers of commerce. Economic development and historical preservation projects. Business education and entrepreneurship support. These are just some of the key areas to which the firm contributes in order to promote community development. Our lawyers support nonprofits, such as Avenue CDC, which develop affordable housing for first time home owners and preserve historic buildings. We have also been an active supporter of the NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League for many years.

The firm and education

Through adopt-a-school and mentoring programs, the firm reaches out to students of all ages. We participate in Communities in Schools, a program in which high school students intern at the firm. We are also a sponsor of Junior Achievement, the Council of Mexican American Administrators and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The firm and health care

The firm has been integrally involved with one of the largest medical complexes in the world, the Texas Medical Center in Houston, since its founding in 1934. In fact, streets in the Medical Center are names for two of our founding partners, Col. W.B. Bates and John Freeman. For a number of years, our lawyers have provided legal representation and served on the boards of some of the most prestigious health care institutions in the country.

The firm and leadership

Our firm's tradition of providing bar and civic leadership goes back to our founding partners. Our partners have served as presidents of bar associations at local, state and national levels—a record of leadership that few firms have been able to achieve. In addition, our lawyers have a a legacy of serving as officers and board members of nonprofit hospitals, charitable foundations and university boards.

The firm and pro bono

Crucial to a community's infrastructure is equal access for all its citizens to the justice system. We have been a leader in providing pro bono legal services by working with organizations such as the Legal Aid Society of New York, Bexar County Legal Aid, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program, the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Project and the Inner City Law Center in Los Angeles. The time spent on pro bono matters each year by our lawyers equals tens of thousands of hours.