[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 174 (Friday, November 9, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E2377]]


             LIEF ERICKSON RECOGNIZED FOR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 9, 2007

  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, Mr. Lief Erickson, of Houston, TX, was 
recently recognized by the NAACP when he was given the ALEX award or 
Award for Legal Excellence. The award was named after Congressman 
Alexander Green who was president of the Houston branch of the NAACP 
for 10 years.
  The award is presented to individuals who have made a significant 
contribution to the NAACP's Houston legal programs, people who have 
demonstrated a commitment to pro bono legal services within the 
community or to people whose legal contributions significantly impacted 
persons in the community served by the NAACP.
  The path to being recognized with this prestigious award began a long 
time ago when Erickson was living in Houston in 1977 and working as a 
carpet layer. He met a young up-and-coming lawyer who recognized his 
potential and encouraged him to become a lawyer to make a difference in 
the community.
  With only a 10th grade education and rugged determination, Erickson 
decided to become an attorney. After obtaining his high school 
equivalency diploma, he enrolled in the University of St. Thomas and 
earned a Bachelors Degree in psychology. He later entered and graduated 
from Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall Law School. I had 
the pleasure of swearing him in as an attorney marking this great 
accomplishment. It was a long journey in Erickson's life to go from 
high school dropout to attorney.
  After completing law school, he worked for a private law firm for 2 
years and then became a prosecutor for the Drug Task Force in Waller 
County, Texas. Two years later, Erickson realized that his heart and 
conscience were better suited for criminal defense to assist the 
downtrodden and disenfranchised. Since 2000, Erickson has defended more 
than 3,000 clients. He has also devoted his weekends over 13 months to 
give back to the community as a volunteer to help the NAACP with 
criminal defense cases in their pro bono legal redress clinic. From 10 
a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays he volunteers to assist walk-in clients 
with consultation and legal advice. By donating his weekends to serve 
others, he is a shining example of service above self.
  It is for his generous volunteer efforts that the NAACP recognized 
Mr. Erickson with the ALEX Award. I salute Lief Erickson for his spirit 
of service and volunteerism.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________