On June 2, the Bar Foundation held its quarterly meeting and made policy decisions on numerous matters.

The Financial Report was basically break even for the July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016 fiscal year with the Board approving a similar sized budget for the upcoming 2016-17 fiscal year. A decision was made to dramatically increase the level of fundraising requests in the next several months to include every WV lawyer in order to reach the $1 million goal for the Justice Fund.

The past fiscal year witnessed the largest amount of Bar Foundation grants provided to worthwhile charitable entities in the state—10 grants totaling more than $41,000. The grants were in four general categories—Law Student Scholarships, Public Education, Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Legal Services for WV’s men, women and children.

The Board also made plans for the following events—Lunch and Laughs With a Legal Legend on September 9 in Morgantown, the Bar Foundation Fellows Dinner on April 28, 2017, in Charleston and the Lawyer Leadership Institute in May, 2017, at Stonewall Resort. Discussion also occurred on possible scholarship additions and Institute registration waivers.

Incoming President Jodie Bolen (Parkersburg) talked about her plans for the coming year, Presidential appointments and vendor contracts for 2016-17 were approved and Officers were formally elected, as follows:

President Jodie Boylen-Parkesburg
Vice President Ken Gray-Morgantown
Secretary/Treasurer Mary Clare Eros-Shepherdstown

The WV Bar Foundation wishes to express its supreme appreciation to the five Board members who each completed six years of outstanding service to the Bar Foundation, the legal profession and the justice system at the completion of the June 2 Board meeting.

These extraordinary leaders are:

Judge John Bailey-Wheeling

Barbara Allen-Charleston

Tom Flaherty-Charleston

Ancil Ramey-Huntington

Steve White-Charleston

Each of them is to be highly commended for volunteering their time, energy, expertise and effort during the past six years as the Bar Foundation continued its progress from a striving to a thriving organization with increasing emphasis on providing needed grants to worthwhile non-profit entities and providing beneficial services and programs which assist WV’s citizens.

Thanks so much to these highly qualified and esteemed members of the judiciary and the legal profession!