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Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

Justice Through Advocacy

aka Legal Aid of NW TX; LANWT; Legal Aid   |   Fort Worth, TX   |  www.lanwt.org

Mission

It is the mission of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas to ensure equal justice for low-income people through the provision of quality legal representation and to improve the lives of low-income Texans through the rule of law.

Ruling year info

1965

CEO

Ms. Maria Thomas-Jones

Main address

600 E. Weatherford Street

Fort Worth, TX 76102 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Legal Services of North Texas

West Texas Legal Services

EIN

75-0856086

NTEE code info

Victims' Services (P62)

Military/Veterans' Organizations (W30)

Legal Services (I80)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

In the low-income and working poor communities civil legal aid can mean the difference between having a home and being homeless, between violence and being protected from violence, between access to employment or healthcare or education and not. Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (Legal Aid) is very often the difference for tens of thousands of people who live in North Central and West Texas. When low-income veterans seek benefits, or to protect their rights to housing, employment, education, and other basic needs, Legal Aid is their one source for equal access to justice. When grandparents seek custody over grandchildren to raise and protect them, Legal Aid is often their only source of help. When mothers seek to protect themselves and their children from violence and abuse, Legal Aid is their primary source to access legal protections afforded them.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Lawyers Against Domestic Violence

Staff and volunteer attorneys represent victims of family violence in civil matters - most often single mothers with children.

Population(s) Served
Families
Victims and oppressed people

Providing free civil legal aid to veterans of US armed forces and their families to prevent homelessness and provide access to benefits.

Population(s) Served
Veterans

To provide free civil legal aid to those in danger of becoming homeless or those already homeless to ameliorate a wide variety of civil legal problems that stand in the way of their family's economic stability.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Homeless people

Clients receive legal assistance in a wide variety of civil legal matters including but not limited to landlord - tenant controversies, foreclosure, consumer matters, wills, estates, and bequests, access to benefits, access to education, legal issues affecting the disabled, and other legal matters.

Population(s) Served
Families
Economically disadvantaged people

Removal of barriers to low-income clients gaining access to employment, education, healthcare, etc through, but not limited to, expungement of incorrect information, and access to drivers licenses.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Legal Aid lawyers work with medical and social work staff of medical facilities and healthcare agencies to address legal problems presented by their patients.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people

Recruit, train, and support volunteer attorneys and other legal staff as they provide civil legal aid to our clients.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Families

Volunteer Attorney Program Jointly Administered with the Dallas Bar Association to recruit, train and support private attorneys and other legal professionals to provide free civil legal aid to low income residents of Dallas County, Texas. This is the only such program in the United States that involves joint management by a Legal Aid organization and a County Bar Association.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Families

Where we work

Awards

Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Legal Services; 2009

State Bar of Texas

Harrison Tweed Award for excellence in pro bono legal services; 1996

American Bar Association

Affiliations & memberships

National Legal Aid and Public Defender Association - Member 1951

American Bar Association 1951

Videos

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas seeks to become the premier civil legal aid provider in the United States.

To improve and expand staff training and recruitment; to reach more client communities to educate them about services available while marketing Legal Aid to a much larger potential donor\supporter network, generating more revenue from diversified and stable sources; improving leadership development both internally with our board and staff, and externally by recruiting additional vibrant volunteer leadership capable of leading us forward.

With more than 65 years of experience, a staff of almost 300, thousands of volunteers every year, and 24 locations, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (Legal Aid) has the raw materials to deliver the highest quality legal services to low-income clients in our 114-county service area. Using the latest online, telephone hotline, and in person communications with clients, Legal Aid seeks to offer access via as many different portals to which our clients and potential clients might be able to gain access. An experienced senior management team, led by Maria Thomas-Jones, CEO with more than 25 years in the practice of law including 19 years experience as a Legal Aid staff attorney, has outstanding leadership development, legal supervision, legal practice, program development, human resources, and fundraising experience.

1. Online intake is operational. Formal public launch is later in 2019;
2. New revenue sources are being researched and solicited, with some successes already achieved;
3. New Intake Supervisor is examining all intake systems to ensure applicant intake is as easy as possible while achieving maximum efficiency;
4. New programs have been implemented broadening the types of legal issues addressed while expanding outreach to include previously underserved and\or isolated populations.
a. Removing barriers to employment;
b. Legal Aid for survivors of sexual assault, human trafficking, and domestic violence;
c. Community Revitalization Project
d. New Medical Legal Partnership
e. Community Lawyering Center based in a local law school (UNT Dallas College of Law)

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

Board of directors
as of 11/27/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Ms. Kristin Postell

Randy Wilson Law

Term: 2021 - 2022


Board co-chair

Ms. Penny Robe

Plano Bar Association / Penny Robe Law

Term: 2021 - 2022

Larry Long

Ector County Bar Association

Jean Anderson

Lubbock Area Clients Council

Crystal L Gayden

L. Clifford Davis Legal Association

Erika Kiser

The Family Place

Angelina LaPenotiere

DBA - Dallas Hispanic Bar Association

Robin R. Malone

Amarillo Area Bar Association

Carolyn Moore

Lubbock Area Bar Association

Sylvia Ortiz

Plainview Volunteer Client Council

Ophelia Perez

First Step, Inc.

Kristin Postell

Abilene Bar Association

Mandy S Price

Dallas Bar Association

Desire Robinson

Northside Client Council

Pamela "Pam" St. John

AT&T Services Legal Department

Diane M. Sumoski

SMU Dedman School of Law

Tonya Winchester

Dep't of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services - Workforce

Brit Swanson

Lubbock Bar Association / Tombs Maxwell

Maria Ochoa

Concho Valley Homeless Planning Coalition

Ruth Lane

Arlington Bar Association / Ruth Lane, Attorney at Law

Meredith Hatch

Walker Law Group / Big Country Title

Jack Fan

Dallas Bar Association / Fan Law Office

Brett Christiansen

LGBT Bar Association

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 3/10/2022
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Black/African American
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability