CONNIE BLESSING RETIREMENT-
On March 2, the Lawyer Disciplinary Board and the Bar Foundation sponsored a reception to honor Connie Blessing, who has retired after more than 25 years of service to the state’s  legal profession and the justice system. During her career, she was the Executive Assistant for the WV State Bar and the staff person responsible for finances for the Bar Foundation. With her leadership, the Bar Foundation administered more than $13 million in IOLTA funds for civil legal services for low income citizens and more than $1 million in real estate transactions for the legal profession. Connie was well known for her long time commitment to serving  WV’s lawyers and to assisting members of the general public understand the justice system.  Lawyer Disciplinary Board Chairperson David Jividen and State Bar President-elect Gary Nickerson, both of whom are Bar Foundation Fellows, made remarks at the well attended event.

13th ANNUAL BAR FOUNDATION FELLOWS DINNER-
Eighteen individuals will be honored as Bar Foundation Fellows during the 13th Annual Bar Foundation Fellows Dinner on Thursday, April 28, 2011, at the Marriott Hotel in Charleston. This year’s Fellows are lawyers and members of the judiciary who will join less than 300 other Fellows that have been previously selected from the more than 5, 000 lawyers and judges in the state.  The black tie optional reception and dinner begins at 6:30 PM and the cost is $125 per person or $1,250 for a table of ten persons. Please contact Tom Tinder (304-343-9823 or tom@wvbarfoundation.org) to make reservations.

BAR FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS-
The Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors met on March 10 at the law offices of Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love in Charleston with participation by video and telephone conferencing. The Board took action on its financial report, strategic plans for the future, numerous grant applications, Bar Foundation Fellows and nominations for Board members and Officers for the upcoming year.