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News Release
Texas Access to Justice Foundation
McKinney, Texas—The Texas Access to Justice Foundation
awarded several Collin County-area banking institutions with the Prime
Partner Award for their outstanding contributions to civil legal services.
Executives of each bank received the award during a special presentation
held in conjunction with the 60th anniversary celebration of
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas on Wednesday, March 21, in McKinney.
Those receiving the Prime Partner Award include:
· Bank of the Ozarks
· Collin Bank
· First National Bank Southwest
· Independent Bank
· LegacyTexas Bank
· North Dallas Bank & Trust Co.
·
PlainsCapital Bank
· SharePlus
Federal Bank
The recognized banks have participated in the state’s
Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program and have been designated
as Prime Partners—institutions that go above and beyond by paying one
percent interest on IOLTA accounts. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation
receives a significant amount of funding from IOLTA accounts and uses the
funds for grants to legal aid service providers across
“With more than six million Texans who qualify for
legal aid, it is crucial that legal aid service providers have the resources
they need to supply quality legal assistance to those who desperately need
it,” Betty Balli Torres, executive director of the Foundation, said.
“Through the efforts of our Prime Partner Banks, we continue to
significantly increase the Foundation’s ability to aid low-income Texans
seeking protection from devastating domestic violence, assistance with
housing and foreclosure issues, access to earned benefits and other basic
civil matters.”
Collin County-area legal aid organizations that receive
funding from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation include Disability
Rights Texas (formerly known as Advocacy, Inc.), and Legal Aid of Northwest
Texas,.
In 2007, The Texas Access to Justice Foundation’s IOLTA
revenue was more than $20 million, but due to historically low interest
rates, that figure has declined by nearly 80 percent according to 2012
projections. By paying higher
interest rates, Prime Partner banks help mitigate the decline in funds
available for legal aid organizations.
-30- The Texas Access to
Justice Foundation (www.teajf.org), created by the Supreme Court of
Texas in 1984, is the leading state-based funding source for the provision
of civil legal aid in Texas. The organization is committed to the vision
that all Texans will have equal access to justice, regardless of their
income. The Foundation administers a variety of funding sources, which are
earmarked to assist nonprofit organizations in providing legal aid to
approximately 120,000 Texans each year.
Contact: Kimberly Schmitt512-320-0099, ext. 104 kschmitt@teajf.org
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