Vol. 76, No. 10, October 2003

Building a Strong Foundation

by George C. Brown,
State Bar executive director

Did you know that a State Bar public service program has helped launch the careers of dozens of Wisconsin lawyers, doctors, teachers, and business leaders? It's the State Bar High School Mock Trial Program. One alumnus is a former clerk to a U.S. Supreme Court Justice; another serves on the State Bar Board of Governors, is a lawyer-coach himself, and has a son who is a member of a high school team. More than 160 Wisconsin high schools field one or more teams in this competition, with the state champion moving on to national competition. More than 600 lawyers and judges, 160 high school teachers, and 1,800 students participate from across our state.

So, who pays for this program that has such a positive impact on students and their futures? Some of the money comes from entrance fees paid by the schools, but these fees are kept small because schools have less money these days. Some money comes from your dues dollars. And a substantial sum is granted to the State Bar from the Wisconsin Law Foundation (WLF). In fact, the WLF founded the High School Mock Trial Program in 1984.

The State Bar now is responsible for the program and the Foundation is responsible for raising funds for this and other public service programs. Today, WLF grants pay a portion of the mock trial program costs and support a variety of valuable public service programs. Teen courts in Clark and La Crosse counties are just two examples of other law-related public service projects receiving WLF grants.

Who is the Foundation? You are. That is, 700 of your colleagues constitute the membership of the WLF. In the last several years, with the help of its new professional development leadership, the WLF board has enhanced the potential for the Foundation to grow. The WLF has developed Restricted and Named Funds opportunities to help meet the charitable interests of a variety of lawyers, and it has established recognition systems for gifts and their tax ramifications.

As WLF leaders travel to local bar associations and law offices to educate Wisconsin lawyers about its mission, the WLF has experienced an increase in requests for both gifts and grants.

Because of this increase, the WLF and the programs it sponsors need your help. To learn more, please contact John Daugherty at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6038, or at jdaugherty@wisbar.org. Do it for the kids.

Wisconsin Lawyer