Participating in Our Communities

Being a strong community partner and a good corporate citizen are responsibilities we take seriously. At Linebarger Goggan we make it a priority to support the social, cultural and educational institutions in our communities, including those organizations that are important to our clients.

The firm and its employees are involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations, some national in scope, while others focus on local community needs and services.

AUSTIN, TX

Adopt-A-Classroom

The firm became involved with the Adopt-A-Classroom program through the efforts of Partner Mike Vallandingham, Partner & Chief Marketing Officer, who has served on the Board of Trustees since 2004. The mission of this national organization is to ensure that all children have equal access to a quality education and to facilitate the delivery of community funds directly to teachers so they can purchase critical supplementary resources that maximize learning opportunities for their students.

There are more than three million public school teachers that spend about $800 of their own money, on average, to meet basic classroom needs. This equates to approximately $1.7 billion in out-of-pocket expenses that teachers incur on an annual basis. It goes without saying that most of these teachers can barely afford to cover their own living expenses much less assist with equipping their classrooms with basic teaching supplies.

The organization sends 100% of all donations directly to the adopted classrooms. All contributions are tax deductible. Corporate contributions and strategic partnerships, with companies such as Staples, the office supply giant, help offset the programs costs of administering the program.

To date, Adopt-A-Classroom has attracted the support of a host of celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, Britney Spears, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Courtney Cox-Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Faith Hill, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jewl, Kelly Ripa, Renee Zellweger, Tara Reid and Thora Birch. Other notables lending their support include Donald Trump, the Florida Marlins, the Red Sox and Yoko Ono. President Bush recently noted the program’s involvement in the community.

You can go to their Web site and make a contribution of $500, no more and no less, to the classroom of your choice. Of course, you can adopt as many classrooms as you would like. Mike Vallandingham adds that “unlike most other charities, donors actually receive an accounting from the teacher letting them know exactly where the $500 went, and they get to form a personal relationship with their adopted classroom through personal letters, appearances and opportunities to volunteer.” Finally, Mike stated that “we have to make sure our nation’s teachers and classrooms have the necessary tools to succeed with educating our children.”

For additional information regarding the Adopt-A-Classroom program go to http://www.adoptaclassroom.com or call 305/674-4470.

Keep Austin Beautiful

The firm became a corporate sponsor for Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) in January 2008 and renewed its sponsorship in 2009. In addition to providing financial support to underwrite KAB’s activities, members of the Austin office participate in the organization’s annual Clean Sweep. Clean Sweep is KAB's annual citywide cleanup that takes place all over Austin. The 2008 cleanup event was very successful with 7,315 volunteers who participated in more than 115 cleanup locations throughout the city. They worked roughly 14,630 hours to remove 30.5 tons of trash. The 2009 cleanup is scheduled and the Austin office is forming a team to help keep the city clean.

Tutoring Incentive Program

Linebarger Goggan donates to a local project aimed at improving academic scores of predominantly minority and low-income students. This new Austin initiative, the Tutoring Incentive Program (TIP), will offer incentive pay – with all money coming from the private sector – to students who improve academically while attending mandatory tutoring sessions. TIP is modeled after Advanced Placement Incentive Programs across the country demonstrating how at-risk students and schools can improve poorly performing campuses through public-private partnerships. The goal is to keep at-risk students, many of whom have to work to support their families, in school and provide them with a solid platform for completing their high school education.

Susan G. Komen RACE FOR THE CURE Breast Cancer Foundation

The Austin office has fielded a team for the Komen Race for the Cure since 2002. The office participation keeps growing every year, as more people become aware of this deadly disease and want to support this worthy cause. The Linebarger Goggan “Catch Us If You Can” and “Unite the Fight” teams have raised over $29,000 in contributions over the past several years to help find a cure for breast cancer.

DALLAS, TX

The firm’s Dallas office sponsors Mini-Grants for Dallas Independent School District teachers. All K-12 teachers in the school district are eligible to win a Teacher Mini-Grant of up to $500. The law firm contributed seed money to launch this program. The grants for the 2008 – 2009 school year will be announced in March 2009.

Dallas Partner Tracy Pounders was recognized by the Melissa Area Chamber of Commerce for his pro-bono legal services rendered to the Chamber for the past four years.

EDINBURG, TX

The firm supports the Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities & Scholarships (VAMOS), a non-profit organization that provides renewable scholarships to all deserving Hispanic students in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Starr counties in Texas for the purpose of completing a post secondary education. In 2008 VAMOS gave out $432,000 in scholarships to Valley students. The Edinburg office helps the organization with its annual fund-raiser golf tournament, and as a group, donates personal time to this non-profit organization. Edinburg Operations Manager Tito Salinas also serves on the VAMOS Board of Directors.

GALVESTON COUNTY, TX

The Texas City ISD Foundation inducted Partner Mark Ciavaglia into its Hall of Honor in November 2008. Mark said he has had the pleasure of serving as a director and past president of the Foundation since its inception.

In January the Foundation awarded a grant to fund an innovative teaching project to enhance creative writing in TCISD elementary schools. With its continued support of the foundation, the grant was named in honor of the firm. Mark presented the grant to a very, very excited Patricia Goins, the teacher who submitted an application for the grant.

Mark also serves as co-chair of the Texas City ISD’s Needs Assessment Committee. The committee’s work culminated in passing a $122 million bond package for new schools in the district and in recognition of that effort, the Texas City – La Marque Chamber of Commerce graciously recognized him as a 2008 Citizen of the Year.

HOUSTON, TX

Keep Houston Beautiful

Linebarger Goggan is supportive of blight elimination programs that beautify the neighborhoods where we work and live. Houston’s Downtown Team volunteered in Keep Houston Beautiful Day last spring. Clean Neighborhoods is a comprehensive, neighborhood oriented government strategy to combat existing litter, graffiti, and illegal dumping in selected neighborhoods and heavily traveled transportation corridors. To prevent the recurrence of these blights, the program focuses on enforcement, education and community improvement and beautification projects utilizing the valuable input and participation of area residents, businesses and civic groups.

The Clean Neighborhoods Program relies on Keep Houston Beautiful's effective system for organizing communities and helping residents to work with city government to control environmental blight in their neighborhoods. Seven key elements are essential to the effort: community organization, training of community leaders, assessment of litter/solid waste problems, community improvement projects such as cleanups and beautification efforts, anti-litter/illegal dumping enforcement programs, communications, and access to the City's Task Force so that residents have a "one-stop" coordinated response by several City departments.

Legal Services for Harris County Children

Partner Carmen Perez, who serves on the American Bar Association’s Children’s Rights Litigation Committee (CRLC), and former firm Partner Edward Hernandez gathered research and data for a report titled, Report on the Legal Needs of Harris County Children, developed by the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Litigation. As quoted in the report, “The juvenile delinquency courts in Harris County are the busiest in the State of Texas…. The ultimate goal of this Report is to provide a mechanism to meet the unmet legal needs of children in Harris County. It is CRLC’s hope that in identifying the needs and proposing a variety of solutions, we can inspire members of the private bar to dedicate time and resources to address the urgent legal needs of Harris County children.”

Since the report was released, Carmen (El Paso) and Partner Leah Stolar (Houston) have been working with a committee that approaches various bar associations and legal organizations to gain their interests in addressing the needs and recommendations outlined in the report and help develop a plan of action when appropriate. The committee is seeking to do outreach in Harris County in hopes of assisting the County with developing a training program for attorneys representing children placed in the custody of the state. The committee would also like to help the Dispute Resolution Center develop a mediation program in conjunction with HISD that will help resolve minor offenses committed at Houston schools. As these programs are set in motion, they will supplement the existing legal services for Harris County children.

To learn more about the Report on the Legal Needs of Harris County Children and other efforts of the ABA Children’s Rights Litigation Committee, please visit the organization’s Web site at: http://www.abanet.org/litigation/committee/childrens_l/home.html.

Promoting Literacy

Linebarger Goggan supports the Houston Independent School District’s (HISD) PTA/PTO. HISD held a competition to encourage parent participation at each school. The firm donated funds to the school with the most parents in attendance at a District IV town-hall meeting held by the HISD Board of Education First Vice President Paula Harris in an effort to promote literacy and public awareness of a new Gifted and Talented program.

Boy Scouts of America

Houston office employees and the Houston Young Lawyers Association (HYLA) helped the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America host the largest scout fair in the nation. Firm employees and HYLA provided judges to walk the acres of exhibit booths and help inspire the youth of Harris County. This year’s fair went off without a hitch, thanks in no small part to the volunteers who gave up their Saturday afternoon to judge games and taste food.

MEMPHIS, TN

The Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association bestowed its 2008 Making The Difference Award to the firm’s Memphis law office in December. This award recognizes the efforts of local law firms or organizations who have made a commitment to be a strong community partner and a good corporate citizen.

The Ben F. Jones Bar Association acknowledges the involvement, commitment, and dedication of the Linebarger Memphis office to important causes such as the Boys & Girls Club of Memphis, local efforts to raise funds for muscular dystrophy, and their volunteer work with the Juvenile Court of Memphis. Accepting the award on behalf of the firm was Partner Pamela Pope Johnson.

PHILADELPHIA, PA

First Annual Philly Spring Cleanup

The first annual Philly Spring Cleanup was held on April 5, 2008, and several employees from Linebarger Goggan’s Philadelphia office were proud to participate in the effort to clean up various community parks across the City. The Philly Spring Cleanup exceeded all goals: 15,000 volunteers filled 80,000 trash bags, cleaned 71 commercial corridors, and 2.56 million pounds of trash were hauled away.

Women Making A Difference Award, 2008

Partner Sharon Humble was honored at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Women Making A Difference on March 28, 2008. This program salutes extraordinary women who have excelled in their professional fields and as leaders of the Philadelphia community. Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown established the program ten years ago to recognize the achievements of women and to provide longer term benefits to women from all walks of life, especially women executives and entrepreneurs.

Commercial Real Estate Women

Charity Luncheon

Serving as the Chair of the Community Action Committee for the CREW Philadelphia organization at an annual Charity Luncheon, Ms. Humble assisted CREW Philadelphia in raising more than $160,000 for families in need. The funds benefited Endow-A-Home (a program under Resources for Human Development), the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center, and the CREW Foundation. For four consecutive years, CREW Philadelphia raised enough money to purchase a home every year for single, homeless mothers through Endow-A-Home.

CREW Board of Directors

Partner Sharon Humble served on the Board of Directors of the CREW Philadelphia Chapter as Co-Chair of the Community Action Committee, helping to organize a drive for backpacks and school supplies to benefit children in Southwest Philadelphia. For two consecutive years, Ms. Humble was also appointed by the President of CREW-Philadelphia to represent the City’s chapter to the national organization of CREW on its Grant-making Committee, helping review grant applications to decide which charitable organizations received grants. CREW-National makes annual grants to national charitable organizations with programs that promote the economic self-sufficiency of women and girls.

Pro Bono Legal Services

Partner Drew Aldinger was inducted into the Roll of Honor for Pro Bono Service for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania in 2006. His outstanding service included assisting a family overcome a tangled title problem, helping them avoid homelessness.

Dorothy Day Award

In April 2006 Philadelphia office law clerk, Priya Prakash, a third-year law student at Villanova University School of Law, received the Dorothy Day Award for significant contribution to pro bono service. Priya earned the award by committing over 45 hours during her first year of law school alone serving indigent clients through the law school's clinical program, "Lawyering Together," and for additional service. Priya’s major project was assisting a non-profit organization in Philadelphia seeking tax-exempt status for its new Charter School focused on assisting refugee and immigrant students adapt to life in the United States. Priya, who is fluent in French and Spanish, also worked with her law school’s other clinical programs primarily as a translator for indigent clients.

Annual High School Mock Trial Judge

Mr. Aldinger regularly serves as a judge in the annual high school mock trial competition sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association and Temple Law School’s Law Education and Participation Project.

SAN ANTONIO, TX

Employee Elected to Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce elected Carri Baker Wells as chairman-elect for 2009. Ms. Wells will begin her term in 2010. Carri is the Director of Operations for the law firm’s San Antonio office. She served on the Chamber’s board from 1997 – 2002 and 2004 – 2008 and has also been involved in the Chamber's Public Affairs Council and the Military Affairs Steering Committee.

Inaugural Rock N Roll Marathon and Half Marathon Race

On a frigid Sunday morning starting at 5:00am, Managing Partner Clif Douglass and Key Executive Rich Pachecano joined more than 40 volunteers from our San Antonio offices along with over 80 volunteers from the City of San Antonio and Bexar County to set up one of the premier water stations for the Inaugural Rock N Roll Marathon and Half Marathon race held in San Antonio on November 17, 2008. Partners, key executives, managers and support staff from each of the firm offices in San Antonio worked together for 9 straight hours to set up, serve and clean up water station #5 that was coined "Government Rocks". A world record setting number of participants (over 30,000) signed up for the inaugural event. As runners came upon the Government Rocks water station at mile marker 8.5 miles, they were greeted by San Antonio Assistant City Manager Ryan Rapelye and firm attorneys Cristina Gonzalez and Sonia Gonzalez (no relation!) who used a PA system to motivate runners as they refreshed themselves while listening to the top rock n roll tunes of the 80's. The firm had many participants running in the marathon and next year you can expect even more as our San Antonio offices are working to get fit in 2009. If you want to join the San Antonio team and run in the 2009 race scheduled for November 15, 2009, sign up at http://www.rnrsa.com.

San Antonio Leukemia Foundation

The San Antonio downtown office teamed up with Wachovia Bank President and Event Chairman Mark Metcalfe to "Light the Night" for the San Antonio Leukemia Foundation. Partner Clif Douglass led a team of 11 members of the firm and their families for a Saturday evening walk through the historic Hemisfair Park that raised more than $600,000 for cancer research and patient services. Lighting the night were Irene Castillo, Baudie Cepeda, Lorena DeHoyos, Sara Garza, Maddie Gatlin, Ronald Rocha, Laura Sifuentes, Donna Stein, Selene Villagomez and Carri Wells, along with members of their families.

ORGANIZATIONS OUR FIRM HAS SUPPORTED

Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

YWCA

Central Texas Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

AIDS Services of Austin

Brown Santa program and Capital Area Food Bank

Child Protective Services, Beaumont

Operation Paintbrush, Corpus Christi

Muscular Dystrophy Association

Montgomery County Community Foundation

Rotary Club

United Way

Boy Scouts of America

Executive Committee of the University of Texas Law Alumni Association

DFW/North Texas Families with Children from China

Greater Dallas & North Central Texas Urban League

Texas Food Bank

Children’s Rights Litigation Working Group, El Paso

Renaissance Cultural Center, Fort Worth

Local Chambers of Commerce

Board of Communities in Schools (CIS), San Antonio

Head Start

Nature Conservancy