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.
Mission statement
The Wisconsin Law Foundation is the charitable arm of the State
Bar of Wisconsin and is dedicated to enhancing the law through
education
and service.
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.
“Your grant will help to advance young people’s
understanding of our constitutional and justice systems.
ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation
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.
The Foundation supports State Bar Law-related Education
programs
that promote understanding of the law including (top) the Mock Trial
tournament and (bottom) the Judicial Teachers Institute.
These are just of few of the programs dependent on the WLF for their
continued success, and the impact of these programs is significant.
Board and Committees
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.
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.
