State Bar of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Law Foundation

The Wisconsin Law Foundation (WLF), founded in 1951, is dedicated to enhancing, promoting, funding, and developing charitable and educational programs to promote public understanding of the law.

About WLF

Since 1996, the WLF has distributed more than $295,300 in grants to support law-related education and public service programs statewide on behalf of the legal profession.

The WLF offers lawyers many opportunities to join their colleagues in supporting programs that have a long-lasting, positive impact on Wisconsin citizens and youth. Through membership dues, donor-advised and designated funds, and will provisions, contributors can direct their donations to specific law-related programs.

Programs range from teen court programs that benefit young adolescents and their communities to providing safer environments for families struggling with domestic abuse, custody, and visitation issues. Donations also help support translating documents for the deaf and into Spanish, increasing access to justice for underprivileged pro se residents, educating legal professionals about community resources and the public about the importance of legal representation, assisting families of children with disabilities, and developing a resource manual for incarcerated parents and informational kits for social workers, health care providers, and families. Listing of past grant recipients.

The WLF also sponsors important State Bar Law-related Education programs including the Judicial Teachers Training Institute, a professional development program to instruct social studies teachers on the U.S. Constitution and the justice system, the High School Mock Trial Tournament, and On Being 18. This free booklet, soon to be translated into Spanish and Hmong, focuses on the changes in legal rights and responsibilities that occur when one reaches age 18. Law-related Education programs.

These are just of few of the programs dependent on the WLF for their continued success, and the impact of these programs is significant.

How to join or make a contribution

Apply for a grant

Newsletters

Annual Reports

History

News

Board and Committees

• Roster
• Committees

Awards of excellence

The WLF presents four annual awards to recognize exceptional lawyers from Wisconsin. Members of the Foundation are encouraged to nominate lawyers they feel exemplify these award category descriptions.

Fellows Program

The Fellows Program was instituted in 1999. Its purpose is to honor accomplished State Bar of Wisconsin members who have made significant contributions to their communities, offer quality educational programs to foundation members, and raise additional funds for the foundation. The inaugural class of Fellows in 2000 comprised 83 members. Membership today is 174. Fellows are elected by nomination from the Fellows.