Sept. 23, 2026 — The Wisconsin Law Foundation supports projects and activities that advance the rule of law and law-related initiatives.

State Bar of Wisconsin members support the Wisconsin Law Foundation through one-time or annual contributions and through membership as a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation.

The Law Foundation is the primary funding source for many law-related programs, including the Wisconsin State High School Mock Trial Tournament, the Rural Practice Development Program, and the G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy — to name a few. Many participants in the mock trial program have gone on to become lawyers in Wisconsin.

These programs can now be supported by contributions to the Legacy Gift Program.

About the Law Foundation’s Legacy Program

The Law Foundation’s board of directors authorized the creation of a new legacy gift program to provide another vehicle for State Bar members to support programs and initiatives.

The Legacy Gift Program offers the opportunity for State Bar members to support the Law Foundation through different gift-giving strategies that typically arise in the estate planning setting. Lawyers may designate gifts to the Law Foundation that will provide future funding for the Foundation’s programs and initiatives.

“This new program is the next step to sustaining the great work of the Wisconsin Law Foundation to positively impact the legal profession and our state in many different ways,” said Law Foundation Past President Francis Deisinger.

“Contributions that are designated to the Legacy Gift Program assure us that the good work of the Law Foundation will continue and expand for the benefit of those who come after us.”

A legacy gift offers a meaningful way to ensure that your support for a cause you cherish continues well into the future, even when the time comes that you are no longer able to make annual contributions.

Where to Find Out More

Visit wisbar.org/wlflegacy for more information on the Legacy Gift Program, and look for articles in the forthcoming October 2026 issue of Wisconsin Lawyer magazine.