BAR FOUNDATION GRANTS
Since the Bar Foundation presented its first grant in 2004, more than $250,000 has been provided to worthwhile charitable entities to fulfill the mission of improving the administration of justice and the provision of legal services to the state’s citizens.

As the philanthropic organization for the legal profession and the justice system in West Virginia, the Bar Foundation, under the direction of its Board of Directors, has made 47 grants and distributions in the past 10 years, with 41 grants and more than $230,000 occurring in just the past 6 years.

Recently, the Board received input from two grantees on the impact of its grants. Dan Ringer gave a final report on the weekly television series, “The Law Works”, where he had served as the Producer/Host during its 15 years of broadcasts on WV Public Television. “We produced and broadcast 26 new programs every year for 15 years. A total of 391 programs, totaling approximately 200 hours of legal information and education.”

Dan went on to say that the program “reached nearly every home in West Virginia…”, that “program topics covered essentially every aspect of federal, state and local legal system…” and that “at a time when civic education had been abandoned by the public schools, “The Law Works” WAS civic education.” He concluded his report by thanking the Bar Foundation for its “generous support for the program. It could not have been possible without you.”

Four years ago, the Bar Foundation Board initiated its Public Service Scholarship for a student at the WVU College of Law, who makes a commitment to practice law in the area of public service. The first recipient, Michael Nissim-Sabat, is currently working for Mountain State Justice.

After the Scholarship was awarded this academic year, the College of Law Interim Dean, Gregory Bowman, stated, “Your generosity is invaluable to helping our students fulfill their promise as future lawyers and leaders in West Virginia and beyond” and “Your gift is an important piece of our success.” The recipient of the scholarship for a second year is Stephanie Mascella.

The Bar Foundation Board will continue its commitment and focus to providing financial assistance to improve the administration of justice in WV.