An IOLTA special grant is awarded to Michele Bush, Executive Director of the WV CASA Association by Immediate Past President John Tinney.
An IOLTA special grant is awarded to Michele Bush, Executive Director of the WV CASA Association by Immediate Past President John Tinney.

IOLTA GRANTS-
The Bar Foundation presented its final round of grants to the seven legal services organizations listed in the WV Supreme Court Order at the end of June. More than $100,000 was distributed to bring the total IOLTA grants distributed since the program’s inception in 1990 to almost $13.8 million. In fact, the most recent year may be the most successful in IOLTA history since WV was one of a very small number of states, or perhaps the only state, that registered an increase in IOLTA revenue during this most difficult economic time. The implementation of the IOLTA Comparability Rule, by Order of the Supreme Court, was a major factor in this achievement. The administration of the IOLTA program was transferred to the State Bar, effective July 1, 2010.

BAR FOUNDATION MEETINGS-
The Bar Foundation Board of Directors, a diverse group of a member of the judiciary and fourteen lawyers from all parts of the state and all types of law practice, has been involved in several meetings and a multitude of electronic communications in the past month. As the policy making body, the Board has adopted financial and budgetary matters, administered the transfer of the IOLTA program to the State Bar, made governance decisions regarding the two buildings it owns-the State Bar Center and the Lawyer Disciplinary Board facilities- and interacted on numerous occasions with the Supreme Court, the Lawyer Disciplinary Board/Office of Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel and the State Bar. They are to be commended for their volunteer time and service on behalf of the Bar Foundation.

BAR FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP-
After serving either one term of three years or two terms of six years, five outstanding lawyers completed their commitment of energy and effort as members of the Board of Directors last month. They gave their leadership as the Bar Foundation made substantial progress in achieving its goals and objectives as the philanthropic entity for the legal profession and the justice system here in West Virginia. Their responsibilities grew as important decisions were made regarding the organization’s future direction. Congratulations for a job well done to:
Stephen R. Crislip-Charleston
Stephen B. Farmer-Charleston
Neva G. Lusk-Charleston
Cheryl D. Riley-Wheeling
John H. Tinney-Charleston