It’s the last week of National Volunteer Month! Throughout April, we’ve been celebrating the contributions of all 41,000 We The Action volunteer lawyers. Thank you for joining the celebration by donating half a million dollars in free legal services this month.

As the celebration comes to an end, it’s only fitting that we give the monthly Amicus Mundi Award to an outstanding lawyer in our community who has been working tirelessly to help Texans impacted by COVID get the resources they need to avoid eviction. We hope this profile inspires you to sign up for one of our 100+ active volunteer projects.

Congratulations, Pat Zacharie!

The big picture: As COVID-related evictions in Texas skyrocketed, Pat volunteered with the Ellis County Homeless Coalition to monitor eviction proceedings and ensure people facing eviction had the support and resources they needed to advocate for themselves.

• A Texan herself, Pat monitored weekly eviction hearings, verified that courts followed the federal eviction moratorium, and ensured people facing eviction were represented properly.

A career of volunteerism: A lawyer with 27 years experience, Pat first volunteered her legal expertise just a few years after she left law school, when she represented a woman who had been denied social security benefits.

• “There are people for whom the legal process seems intimidating,” Pat says. “Being able to help them with the skills I’ve gained — that’s one of the things I appreciate most about being a lawyer.”

An advocate for tenants: After volunteering during the 2020 elections to answer voter questions, Pat signed up with the Ellis County Homeless Coalition to help support the people most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Since then, Pat has been advocating for tenants in countless ways: monitoring eviction hearings, holding information sessions for tenants and legal aid attorneys alike, ensuring both tenants and the courts had up-to-date resources to avoid eviction, and more.
• “There is this sense that homeless people are somehow responsible for being homeless,” Pat says. “But I’ve seen firsthand that’s not the case at all.”

“The best way to use my legal skills”: Though she’s been volunteering most of her life, Pat says that she’s particularly able to make an impact using her legal skills because it allows her to help people navigate their darkest moments.

• James Bell, President of the Ellis County Homeless Coalition agrees. “Patricia was responsive to all our needs in a timely manner and worked tirelessly with our volunteers to coordinate with four courts in Ellis County,” he says. “It helped us educate the public about evictions and the process.”

“Something that has stayed with me”: Pat says that volunteering is one of the most rewarding things a lawyer can do, and it doesn’t have to take much time.

• “It’s fulfilling to know that you’re making a difference in the community,” she says. “It can feel a little intimidating, but you use the skills you already have and make a bigger impact than most lawyers do in their everyday job.”
• Join Pat and use your skills to remotely help individuals with their most pressing legal needs. You can volunteer from your couch and even just a few hours will make a huge impact.

On behalf of 41,000+ volunteer lawyers: Thank you, Pat!