Q: Why is The Texas Lawbook creating this new position?

A: The Texas Lawbook deeply connects with the fundamental values of the law. It’s why our mantra is free speech, due process and trial by jury. Pro bono, public service and diversity are essential threads in the fabric of law’s fundamental values. In any profession — but especially the legal profession — it’s easy to get lost in the minutiae of the daily grind and forget why you do what you do. We know many of our readers went to law school because they want to help people — especially the less fortunate and marginalized communities. We also know that some hoped to afford a Lamborghini and others didn’t know what else to do. All of that is okay.

But let’s face it: The legal profession would never be what it is today — the good and the bad — if it was not designed to help people, regardless of their background, wealth or color of their skin. We aim to serve as a daily reminder for why you do what you do — or create a new “why” altogether — through prose that inspires action.

Q: Why did you want to be the new pro bono, public service and diversity writer?

A: As a founding staffer at The Lawbook, I’ve worn many hats and have written myriad stories over the last decade. I’ve written about litigation over industries I didn’t know existed, deals worth billions and the drastic transformation of the Texas legal market.

Regardless of the topic, I’ve always had a compulsive interest in the people behind the stories. Beyond that I’m fascinated by humanity and what led each of us to become the way we are. I’ve written a fair share of pro bono, public service and diversity stories over the years and have been moved by the fearless work of the lawyers involved. When writing about these topics full-time became an option, I jumped at the opportunity, which I believe will combine my fascination of humanity with my reverence for all the good that lawyers do in this world.

Although philosophically I wish that with the snap of a finger I could eliminate all of the world’s cruelty, inequality, evil and injustice that make the existence of this beat possible, I do not have those superpowers. What I do have is a curious mind, a passion for storytelling, an open ear, an empathetic heart and a somewhat energetic body (when caffeinated). I hope I can use all of those qualities together to help improve the world of pro bono, public service and diversity in Texas. What that means to me personally is to tell stories that motivate people to better understand one another and help each other out more.

Q: Tell us a little about the pro bono angle. What kind of articles are you seeking to write?

A: We seek to highlight pro bono cases or other matters that your firm, corporate legal department or cause-focused legal organization is handling either individually or in partnership with a client, law firm or legal organization.

Beyond writing about the pro bono matters themselves, I want to learn the ins and outs of the world of pro bono — its history in Texas, the players, where we are with the current state of pro bono work, and how we can do better in this area.

Q: How is public service different from pro bono in what you will be covering?

A: Although the public service side of the beat focuses equally on giving back, it doesn’t have to be giving back through using your legal skills. We will launch a regular column that highlights lawyers’ involvement in giving back to their communities, regardless of whether the efforts are law-related. For the column, the kind of news we seek includes any time a lawyer joins a board of a nonprofit, donates money to a nonprofit/charity (either individually or through their law firm/organization) or helps put together a fundraiser.

Q: How can lawyers, law firms, businesses and organizations help you to promote the pro bono and public service efforts they have underway?

A: Let’s get to know each other, and please contact me when you do have news, preferably as soon as you do (or might) have news. Drop me a line at natalie.posgate@texaslawbook.net to say hello, set up a meeting or to send me your news. And keep me in mind as you plan your event calendars, as well. And because this is a new beat for me, I’d also love to know of any resources you personally rely on to stay abreast in the world of pro bono, public service/nonprofits and DEI.

Q: For both pro bono and public service, are there specific story ideas that you have in mind?

A: Given that the ABA’s pro bono week recently occurred, I would love to know whether and how your firm celebrated, and as pro bono week 2023 approaches I welcome guest-authored copy on why pro bono is important to you. At any time of the year, I would like to tell lawyers’ personal stories about why they do pro bono work, profile notable pro bono clients, look at the breakdown of total pro bono hours each law firm contributes in a calendar year, or write enterprise pieces on how you can practically incorporate more pro bono into your regular caseload.

On the public service end, I would love meet the people behind worthy causes and learn about why they need the support of lawyers. Or if you’re a lawyer who is doing something wild in the name of charity — running an ultramarathon, scaling a mountain, biking across the country, growing a belly button-length beard, joining a monastery — tell me.

What I listed above are just a few of many directions both pillars of the beat could take, and I am open to ideas.

Q: On diversity, what kind of articles do you have in mind?

A: I’m interested in articles that keep the dialogue going about how diverse the Texas legal community currently is, how it’s lacking and how we can improve diversity. This could mean a statistical analysis of the demographics of law firm/corporate legal department leadership, a profile of a diverse lawyer or nondiverse lawyer making a difference in improving legal diversity, or a look at the factors and qualities behind the programs that are making a difference in the diversity pipeline.

Again, because this is a new beat for me, let’s hop on the phone or grab coffee and discuss ideas. I want to hear about what you would like to see on the beat.

Q: On diversity and pro bono, it seems like you and The Lawbook plan to take a carrot and stick approach. Is that correct?

A: Yes. We hope this beat will motivate you to engage in meaningful pro bono, public service and diversity efforts, but we recognize the reality that not everyone cares about this work (yet). Whether you care or don’t care, we’ll figure out which camp you’re in and there will be publicity regardless.

Q: What are some pro bono matters or public service efforts that matter to you most?

A: I care deeply about preserving mental health and de-stigmatizing mental illness (both in the workplace and society at large), combatting generational trauma, protecting women’s rights, and being a voice for victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment and domestic violence. I also care about racial justice and want to do my part to ensure the conversations that followed the murder of George Floyd do not fizzle out and that diversity, equity and inclusion are not merely buzz words of an organization’s marketing campaign.

And I’d be remiss if I did not also mention my passion for animal rescue. As my husband can attest, in my spare time I create complex and tragic backstories for our own rescue dog, Stella, and shed tears over these purely speculative narratives.

Q: What are one or two things you want lawyers to know about the Lawbook's future coverage of pro bono, public service and diversity?

A: With this new beat, you can expect the same substantive approach that The Lawbook provides on its core news beats (litigation, transactional and regulatory) but with a bonus: All of our pro bono, public service and diversity coverage is outside the paywall. But as we all know, nothing in this world is truly free, so please consider donating to The Texas Lawbook Foundation so we can continue doing this work.