Oct. 20, 2021 – Thanks to a generous pledge from the Kevin & Roseann Lyons Fund with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, all donations from individuals who are donating to the Wisconsin Law Foundation for the first time ​and from those who have not donated since July 1, 2018, will be matched for a cumulative dollar total of up to $25,000.

“Donate now through June 30, 2022, and your donation will have twice the impact, thanks to Kevin and Roseann’s generous donation,” said Margaret Ahne Herlitzka, Wisconsin Law Foundation president.

Milwaukee attorney Kevin Lyons is a member of the Wisconsin Law Foundation Board and has served the State Bar and the Law Foundation in many capacities over the years.

Affected by the Pandemic

The Law Foundation needs our support now more than ever, said Herlitzka.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Law Foundation saw a dramatic increase in applications for support of charitable and educational programs and projects that promote greater understanding of the law and improve the administration of justice in communities across our state.

“To meet the demand and help address issues caused by the pandemic, the Law Foundation is working hard to increase our funding, but we cannot do it without your support,” Herlitzka said.

“For those who have thought about making a donation, this is a great time to do so,” she said.

The Foundation Makes a Difference Across Wisconsin

Thanks to donations from Wisconsin lawyers, it has grown into the vital philanthropic law-related organization it is today. The Law Foundation provides funding for a broad array of programs in communities across Wisconsin, including:

• developing the next generation of legal and civic leaders;

• promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives;

• supporting teen courts and restorative justice efforts; and

• providing grants to attorneys providing services in rural and underserved communities.

The Law Foundation is the primary funder in supporting more than 1,300 students each year as they learn to articulate positions informed by their critical thinking skills via High School Mock Trial. Whether or not they become lawyers, they come away with a fundamental understanding and appreciation of the rule of law and the vital role it plays in a civil society.

​Other recent grants include funding to:

• Briarpatch Youth Services Inc., Madison, for its Restorative Justice Program/Youth Peer Court;

• Centro Legal, Milwaukee, for a family law consultation program;​
  

• Milwaukee Justice Center to help create a touch-free intake process due to COVID-19;

• RISE Law Center to support its End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin initiative;

• Boys and Girls Club of Portage County for programming for underprivileged children;

• State Public Defender’s Office for the Student Expulsion Prevention Project;

• Wisconsin Teen Court Association for its Restorative Justice Summit; and

• Teen courts in Grant and Winnebago counties.

“We were able to respond to these needs because of the past generosity of our donors,” Herlitzka said. “Thanks to our donors, we are able to continue providing funding for critically needed programs and services at a time when demand has never been higher.”

“And by donating today, you will double your impact, thanks to the generosity of the Lyons’ matching challenge gift.”

How Do I Donate?

• Mail a check to Wisconsin Law Foundation, 5302 East park Blvd., Madison, WI 53718-7158 (write “match” on the memo line).

• Call (608) 250-6171 or (800) 444-9404, ext. 6171, to make a donation by credit card over the phone.

• Make a secure online donation through WisBar.org Marketplace.

More About 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.