Houston Legal Community Unites for Pro Bono at 76th Annual Harvest Party
Over 1,000 attorneys gather to support Houston Volunteer Lawyers
(HOUSTON–November 12, 2025) – More than 1,000 members of Houston’s legal community came together on November 10 to celebrate the power of pro bono legal services at the 76th Annual Harvest Party. Co-sponsored by the Houston Bar Association (HBA) and the Houston Bar Foundation (HBF), the Harvest Party is the premier fundraising and networking event benefiting Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL).
HBA President and Harvest Party Co-Chair Daniella Landers emphasized the event’s deeper meaning for the legal profession.
“Houston area lawyers have a long-standing history of serving the community, and the Harvest Party is a chance to support where the need is greatest,” said Landers. “Every Texas attorney bears the responsibility of providing impactful pro bono service. It’s not only a professional duty, but a core pillar of the Texas Lawyer’s Creed. I’m grateful to this year’s sponsors and attendees for helping HVL transform lives across Houston.”
Since becoming a fundraiser in 1999, the Harvest Party has raised more than $13 million in net proceeds to support HVL’s mission of providing free legal services to low-income Houstonians.
"The Harvest Party is the Houston Bar Foundation's signature event and a highlight of the holiday season for Houston's legal community," said HBF Chair and Harvest Party Co-Chair Sara Keith. "The Foundation was created to support Houston Volunteer Lawyers, and thanks to the generosity of firms, corporations, organizations, and individuals, HVL can continue delivering critical legal services to our neighbors in need."
[HBF Chair Sara Keith (left) and HBA President Daniella Landers served as the 2025 Harvest Party co-chairs. Photography by Deborah Wallace, Barfield Photography)
Each year, HVL provides more than $14 million in free legal services to the Houston community. These services include helping individuals facing eviction, veterans seeking assistance, parents navigating guardianship or custody issues, and seniors in need of estate planning.
“HVL is proud to help low-income Houstonians with their civil legal needs,” said HVL Executive Director Jessica Howton Stool. “As one of the largest providers of pro bono legal services in Texas, we continue to see the need for assistance outweigh community capacity. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who supported this year’s Harvest Party. Your contributions directly support access to justice in our community.”
This year’s event also featured a special auction, including the opportunity to take home Justice, a 9-week-old pedigreed Black Labrador puppy. All net proceeds from the auction benefit HVL.
To underscore the importance of legal aid, consider this: Americans spend over $860 million annually on Halloween costumes for pets—more than the total federal funding allocated to legal aid services nationwide. Every donation to HVL stays local and helps bridge the justice gap for Houston families.
We thank all our sponsors for their support, especially the individuals, firms, and organizations who pledged at the Diamond, Ruby, and Sapphire levels.
Diamond Sponsors
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Bracewell LLP
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright
Troutman Pepper Locke LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP
Ruby Sponsors
Benny Agosto, Jr. & Nikki Agosto
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
AZA
Chevron Corporation
HBA Litigation Section
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Sapphire Sponsors
BakerHostetler LLP
Blank Rome LLP
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
Chamberlain Hrdlicka
Thomas J. Henry Law
Winston & Strawn LLP
Thank you to all of this year's sponsors!
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The Houston Bar Association is a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys that provides education and service programs for the legal profession and the community. With over 10,000 members, the HBA is one of the largest metropolitan bar associations in the nation.
The Houston Bar Foundation was established in 1982 as the charitable arm of the Houston Bar Association. Since that time, the Foundation has supported programs that help provide legal representation to the indigent, promote community understanding of our legal system and foster the administration of justice. Through the generosity of its contributors, and significantly its Fellows, Life Fellows and Sustaining Life Fellows, the Foundation has been able to make a difference in the greater Houston community.
Founded in 1981 by the Houston Bar Association, Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL) provides free, civil legal services to low-income residents of the Greater Houston area by linking qualified applicants with attorneys who volunteer their time on a pro bono basis. HVL is an equal opportunity agency, providing services to clients without regard to race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin or religion.
