Locke Lord Attorney Honored with Pro Bono Award

(AUSTIN) April 22, 2014 - Locke Lord Of Counsel Barbara Ellis was recognized today for her pro bono work by the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association and the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Foundation. The 2014 Pro Bono Award was presented at an awards ceremony in Austin.

Ellis has worked with Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas – a nonprofit that provides legal services to abuse victims, the disabled and those living in poverty – since 1995, serving on the board of directors in various capacities, while also representing numerous pro bono clients, including several on repeat occasions.

Ellis, a litigation lawyer, also has served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Tech Law School Foundation, and acts as both a formal and informal mentor to law students.

In addition to her pro bono work, Ellis is committed to a number of charitable causes. She has been involved with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Program and the Austin Heart Walk, and has worked with the women’s philanthropic organization Impact Austin since 2006. She played a key role in bringing the Jeremiah Program to Austin – a nonprofit that provides housing and educational support for low-income single mothers and their young children, using a two-generational approach to ending the cycle of poverty, one family at a time. For several years, she has also provided fundraising assistance to the Austin nonprofit Emancipet by organizing multiple tables for its anniversary luncheon.  

“We are so pleased the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association has recognized Barbara with this award,” said Locke Lord Chair Jerry Clements. “Barbara’s passion and commitment to her pro bono clients, and other nonprofit work, sets a high standard and serves as an example to others.” 

Locke Lord has a Firm-wide pledge to give back to the communities in which it serves. In 2013, Locke Lord lawyers devoted more than 10,000 hours to pro bono work, ranging from complex political asylum cases that seek safety for people persecuted in their native countries to simple tax matters that make huge differences in the lives of everyday people. 

Locke Lord consistently ranks among American Lawyer’s top 100 U.S. law firms. The Firm’s full range of practice and industry areas serve national and international clients from offices in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. It has an excellent reputation in complex litigation, regulatory and transactional work, with its 650-plus lawyers building collaborative relationships and crafting creative solutions – all designed and executed to meet clients’ long-term strategic goals.