Texas Access to Justice Commission Honors Pro Bono Efforts at New Lawyers Induction Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2026

Media contact: Melanie Dragger
Office & Communications Manager
Texas Access to Justice Commission
512-427-1838; [email protected]

Texas Access to Justice Commission Honors Pro Bono Efforts at New Lawyers Induction Ceremony

Awardee Madison Post poses with Trey Apffel (Executive Director, State Bar of Texas), G. David Smith (President, State Bar of Texas), and Armin Salek (President, Texas Young Lawyers Association). Photo by Melanie Dragger.

AUSTIN - The Texas Access to Justice Commission presented two awards recognizing outstanding pro bono service at this year's New Lawyers Induction Ceremony, held on Monday at Bass Concert Hall. On behalf of the Commission, Supreme Court of Texas Justice Brett Busby presented the 2026 Law Student Pro Bono Award and the 2026 Law School Commitment to Service Award.

The Law Student Pro Bono Award recognizes a student or recent graduate whose pro bono work has made a significant impact on the community and reflects a passion in advocacy for underserved populations.

The 2026 Law Student Pro Bono Award was presented to Madison Post, a third-year student at St. Mary's University School of Law. During her time at St. Mary's, Post has contributed nearly 400 hours to pro bono and public interest work through clinics, internships, and nonprofit service, far exceeding the law school's minimum requirement of 30 service hours.

The Law School Commitment to Service Award is presented annually to an accredited Texas law school that has distinguished itself by actively educating its students on access-to-justice issues.

The 2026 Law School Commitment to Service Award was presented to Texas Tech University School of Law, which has long fostered a culture of service and made pro bono work a key component of student leadership development. Of the nine clinical programs offered by the law school, five specifically serve low-income Texans. Students must complete at least 30 hours of pro bono community service before graduation. The Class of 2026 completed more than 11,360 hours of pro bono service, including more than 9,430 hours of law-related service.

For more information about the Texas Access to Justice Commission, visit www.TexasATJ.org.

About the Texas Access to Justice Commission
The Texas Access to Justice Commission was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans. The commission has created several initiatives to increase resources and awareness of legal aid. For more information, please visit www.TexasATJ.org