LUNCH AND LAUGHS-THIS FRIDAY

       A big crowd of judges, lawyers and community leaders will be attending the 6th Lunch and Laughs With A Legal Legend on this coming Friday, September 9, 2016, at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown, beginning at 11:30 AM, where the honored guest will be well known and well respected attorney, Robert M. “Bob” Steptoe, Jr.

       The “friendly” roasters are Attorney Susan Brewer, Energy Entrepreneur Ben Hardesty and Business Developer Jack Keeley—all from North Central WV. They will have the opportunity to tell stories and tales about Bob based upon their many personal experiences with him over the years.

       The Master of Ceremonies is WVU Provost Joyce McConnell, who previously served admirably as the WVU College of Law Dean and has had many interactions with Bob. The proceeds from the Lunch will be divided between Bob’s choice of student scholarships at the WVU College of Law and Bar Foundation grants.

       It will be a Good Time for a Good Cause!  

      (Last year, your generous donations enabled a Bar Foundation grant to be provided to Child Protect of Mercer County to assist victims of child abuse and neglect prevention—here is one successful result.)

     “Lora (not her real name), a thirteen year old girl, began receiving TF-CBT (trauma focused-cognitive behavioral therapy) services at Child Protect after she disclosed during a forensic interview at our CAC that she was being sexually abused by her stepfather over a period of several years.  Lora, a girl with exceptional talents and abilities, came into therapy with lots of issues to address.  As Lora has steadily progressed in sessions, our therapist has worked diligently to help Lora deal with the trauma of her abuse as well as educate Lora on appropriate and acceptable boundaries in familial and non-familial relationships.  Recently Lora disclosed information in therapy that she was concerned that other children in her family may be victims of sexual abuse.  This led to these children having forensic interviews at our center as well and currently the WV State Police is investigating this case which will hopefully lead to the arrest and eventual prosecution of Lora’s perpetrator. As the investigation is underway, Lora continues to move through the TF-CBT process with success.  We hope that in both Lora and Dan’s situations that the therapy interventions that they’ve both received at our CAC, made possible through funding by the WV Bar Foundation, is the catalyst they both need to break the cycle of abuse in their lives.”

(Dan’s situation was included in the August 22 Bar Brief.)   

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     The Bar Foundation Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting on Thursday, September 1.        It was the initial Board meeting for five new Board members—Ellen Cappellanti (Charleston), David Jividen (Wheeling), Christy Morris (Charleston), Gerard Stowers (Charleston) and Tracey Weber, III (Weston).

      During the meeting, the fifteen member Board of judges and lawyers reviewed the financial report, discussed plans for a fundraising campaign, considered the Justice Fund with the Investment Consultant, approved two grants to improve the administration of justice and the provision of legal services and made other policy decisions.