CLIFFORD-CLECKLEY FELLOWSHIP GRANT-   The WV Bar Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce a second annual grant to Mountain State Justice for its innovative Clifford-Cleckley Fellowship Program. Pictured above are WVU College of Law Professor John Taylor, a Bar Foundation Board member, and Camille Wartts, an attorney in the Morgantown office of Mountain State Justice.   The Fellowship Program was instituted last year “to continue and expand pipeline recruitment and support for the next legal leaders of color in West Virginia.” It is named after J.R. Clifford, the first African American admitted to practice law in WV and Professor Frank Cleckley, the first African American to serve on the WV Supreme Court and the first African American faculty member at the WVU College of Law.   During its first year, two students of color attending WVU participated in the program. One student “engaged in a variety of legal support tasks, including reviewing medical records to support a class action lawsuit, attending legal proceedings, and drafting documents.” The other student “worked with our currently and previously incarcerated clients to ensure that they were receiving the services and supports that they needed, including supporting people upon reentry.”   In addition, Mountain State Justice “developed a weekly lunch speaker series to further support the Fellowship…. This speaker series exposed the Fellows to a variety of types of legal-related practice, and helped them build the connections and mentorship that they did not already have in the legal community, including with individuals in the state and federal judiciary, legal services, academia, and private bar.”   The Bar Foundation looks forward to receiving another report regarding this grant to successfully support diversity and inclusion activities within WV’s legal profession. ___________________________________________________ DEADLINE-BAR FOUNDATION FELLOWS DINNER   The Deadline to register to attend the Bar Foundation Dinner is TUESDAY, APRIL 12!   The Bar Foundation Fellows Dinner will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel (600 Kanawha Blvd., East) in Charleston.   This highly anticipated event will honor the judges and lawyers selected for the 2022 Fellows class, as well as several judges and lawyers, from the 2020 and 2021 Fellows classes who were unable to attend last year’s Fellows Dinner. Social distancing and masking guidelines in effect on April 21 will be followed.   These outstanding individuals are:   Tammie Alexander-Morgantown Charles Bailey-Charleston Joseph Beeson-Charleston Kim Croyle-Morgantown Perri DeChristopher-Morgantown Paul Farrell, Jr.-San Juan, Puerto Rico Olubunmi Kusimo-Frazier-Charleston John Gompers-Wheeling Monica Nassif Haddad-Morgantown Jackie Hallinan-Charleston Evan Jenkins-Huntington Gail Kahle-Wheeling Judge Thomas Kleeh-Clarksburg Colleen McCulloch-Beckley Paul English Smith-Huntington William Thompson-Charleston Brenda Waugh-Charles Town Professor Suzanne Weise-Morgantown   The well received event (black tie optional) begins at 6:00PM and the cost is $150 per person or $2,000 for a reserved sponsored table of ten persons. The majority of the amount is tax deductible and the net proceeds from the Dinner are used for Bar Foundation grants to improve the administration of justice in the state.   Contact Tom Tinder to make your reservations—(304)-444-0181, or tom@wvbarfoundation.org   For your convenience, a block of sleeping rooms has been set aside at the 4 Points Sheraton Hotel at a reduced group rate of $114. To make your sleeping room reservations, please call–800-368-7764—and specify the group name, which is “WV Bar Foundation Room Block”.   The Deadline to register is TUESDAY, APRIL 12. ______________________________________________________ WVJLAP CONFERENCE AND RETREAT-   The Annual WV Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program (WVJLAP) Conference & Retreat is set for May 20th – May 22nd, 2022 at Stonewall Resort.   All WVJLAP board members, participants, volunteers, and members of the bench and bar who support WVJLAP’s mission are encouraged to attend. The Retreat will offer an opportunity for 5.2 CLE credits, as well as training for WVJLAP Volunteers.   The registration fee is $150. For additional information and registration, go to wvjlap.org WVJLAP has received Bar Foundation grants to support its important mission and activities. _____________________________________________________   UPCOMING BAR FOUNDATION DATES:   Bar Foundation Fellows Dinner-April 21, 2022-4 Points Sheraton Lawyers Leadership Institute-May 20-22, 2022-Stonewall Lunch & Laughs with Legal Legends – September 9, 2022-Morgantown   ‌     ‌     ‌   ‌ ‌     ‌ ‌ ‌