Pro bono committee earns award

A nonprofit has bestowed a national award for work to a local pro bono committee, according to a news release from the Ninth Judicial District Court.

The Ninth Judicial District’s Pro Bono Committee, which provides services to Curry and Roosevelt county residents, was given the award Monday at the University of New Mexico School of Law.

The award was given by the Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors. The LSC is an independent nonprofit founded by Congress in 1974 to support legal aid to low-income Americans.

The committee, since 2012, has used an annual Ask-A-Lawyer event to provide free legal consultations to nearly 400 residents. Also, attorney Benjamin Cross has hosted more than 125 law clinics and various school programs have reached more than 6,000 students, according to the news release.