THIS PAST YEAR, THE BAR FOUNDATION HAS MOVED FORWARD THROUGH A THIRD YEAR OF MAJOR CHANGE AND SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.
THE BAR FOUNDATION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A DIVERSE GROUP OF JUDGES AND LAWYERS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE STATE AND ALL TYPES OF LAW PRACTICE, PUT BOTH OF ITS REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET FOR SALE IN JANUARY, 2012. EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE BEST ECONOMIC SITUATION, BOTH BUILDINGS WERE SOLD WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS! SO, THE BAR FOUNDATION IS OUT OF THE REAL ESTATE AND LANDLORD BUSINESS AND ABLE TO FOCUS ITS FULL ATTENTION TO PROVIDING GRANTS TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS!
IN THE AREA OF GRANTMAKING, THE BAR FOUNDATION HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES FORWARD IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. DURING JUST THE PAST FIVE YEAR MORE THAN $175,000 HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO PROGRAMS TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, INCREASE LAW RELATED EDUCATION EFFORTS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, EXPAND MOCK TRIALS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, PROVIDE BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTE A PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP FOR A DESERVING STUDENT AT OUR LAW SCHOOL AT WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY.
IN ADDITION, THIS PAST YEAR, THE BAR FOUNDATION HELD ITS SECOND LUNCH AND LAUGHS WITH A LEGAL LEGEND, WITH WVU PROFESSOR EMERITUS JOHN FISHER AS THE HONORED GUEST, AND ITS SECOND ALPS LAWYER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TO TRAIN 11 YOUNGER LAWYERS ON BECOMING LEADERS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION, THEIR COMMUNITIES AND OUR STATE.
FINALLY, INITIAL WORK WAS BEGUN ON A MENTORING PROGRAM WHICH PROPOSES TO USE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION FELLOWS AND WV BAR FOUNDATION FELLOWS TO ASSIST NEWER LAWYERS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW.