July 20, 2022 – New lawyers: Would you like to receive $2,500 to help pay law school debt or for your practice?

The Wisconsin Law Foundation in 2022 will provide Belle Case La Follette Awards to three new Wisconsin lawyers who currently represent underserved populations.

These populations include clients in Wisconsin whose legal needs are historically unmet or who live and work in rural areas with limited access to legal services.

“The awards are part of the Foundation’s mission to improve access to justice,” says Joseph W. Troy, Foundation President.

“The awards help attorneys meet the needs of residents in rural areas in northern Wisconsin – where attorneys often have to cover multiple counties and spend numerous hours driving. They also assist attorneys in urban areas helping those of modest means and where language barriers limit access to legal services,” Troy said.

Recipients may use the awards at their own discretion – whether that's school loans, office expenses, or to meet other financial needs.

How to Apply – Deadline is Aug. 19

One award each is given to a graduate of the U.W. and Marquette University law schools, and a third award is given to a graduate of an out-of-state law school who is practicing in Wisconsin. Applicants must be sworn in as Wisconsin lawyers between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2021.

The Foundation Awards Committee considers a number of factors, including the applicant’s professional reputation and achievements, as well as how the applicant represents underserved populations.

Visit the scholarships and awards information page (scroll down to “Belle Case La Follette Awards) for more information and to learn how to apply, and for application and award criteria.

Meet the 2021 Recipients

Meet the three Wisconsin lawyers who are the recipients of the 2021 awards:

Jacob A. Haller, Marquette 2018, Legal Action of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Haller works with the Reentry Legal Services Program to advocate for incarcerated persons who are nearing the end of their sentence and also living with a mental-health-related disability. “This award helps shine a light on work with underrepresented groups. Drawing attention to areas our profession has overlooked begins the process of correcting those deficits. The Belle Case La Follette award has allowed me financial breathing room, and is a welcome blessing that makes it easier to continue my work,” Haller said.

Taylor M. Hart, U.W. 2016, Martinez & Ruby, LLP, Baraboo. Hart devotes the majority of his practice to representing indigent criminal defendants across the state, primarily in rural counties. “It takes dedication and passion to a good cause for a new law school graduate to choose to go out and represent clients in a rural community who have no ability to pay for legal services. This award is a great recognition of the work that I and the other award recipients do on a daily basis to try to make our legal system truly fair for everyone, not just for those who can pay or who happen to live where all the attorneys do. This award is a great mechanism by which to encourage new law school graduates to go out and make a difference for those who need help the most,” Hart said.

Megan E. Lee, Michigan State University 2019, Wisconsin Judicare, Wausau. Lee represents victims of crime in the northern 33 counties in Wisconsin, as well as victims of domestic abuse in family law cases. “I pursued a career in civil legal aid because I’m deeply passionate about helping those in need. We cannot have a fair legal system without more evenly distributed access to justice, and legal aid organizations are just one piece of that puzzle. I am incredibly committed to this work, and am very honored to be selected for a Belle Case La Follette award,” Lee said.

About the Wisconsin Law Foundation

The Belle Case La Follette Awards are made possible by generous contributions to the Wisconsin Law Foundation.

The Wisconsin Law Foundation is the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin, and through its mission has a rich history of promoting:

• public understanding of the law,

• improvement of the administration of justice, and

• law-related public service through funding of innovative and creative programs that improve the vision of the American justice system.

The Foundation is a nonprofit, nonstock organization, and is open to all State Bar of Wisconsin members. Founded by five visionary attorneys, it was incorporated in 1951 as the Wisconsin Bar Foundation, and through the charitable contributions of our members, has grown into the vital philanthropic law-related organization it is today.

Find out more in the Foundation’s Impact newsletter.