Educating Tomorrow's Leaders | Expanding Civil Justice | Aiding the Profession
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We the People
Coalition for Court Access Working on Legal Aid, Pro Bono and Unrepresented Litigants
On May 17, the Indiana Supreme Court formed the Coalition for Court Access to provide a coordinated plan for legal assistance or advice to Hoosiers who cannot afford private attorneys.The Indiana Bar Foundation will administer the new coalition. See the news release and a link to the order.
2015 Annual Report
A comprehensive version of the annual report is now available online. Any questions or corrections regarding donor recognition can be directed to Kayla DeVoy, (317) 608-6502.
Thank You Dues Check-off Donors
Many of you include the Indiana Bar Foundation when you renew your membership to the Indiana State Bar Association. Thank you for including our shared mission in your annual dues renewal. Thanks to supporters like you, the Foundation's board and staff are able to recruit and train new teachers for We the People and HS Mock Trial and work toward addressing the challenge of unrepresented litigants faced by our courts. Thank you!

Want to make a donation directly to the Foundation? Click here.
Northwest Indiana Attorney Kenneth J. Allen will replace Slaughter as Foundation President on June 1. Read the full news release here.
From Indiana to Nationals: HS Mock Trial Team Made Indiana Proud
Seven students, six seniors and one junior, from South Bend's John Adams High School showed the nation why Indiana is such a force in civic education at the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Boise, Idaho, May 12-15. Wall Street Posse finished 16th in the competition among 46 teams with the help of their coaches, Jeff Kimmell and John Scanlon. "This group has worked together for four years," said Donna Sharp, the school's sponsor. "They spend any and all free time working on a case or working on their character."

Would you like to help new high school mock trial teams succeed? The Foundation is starting an orientation for new teachers and coaches. Learn how you can help by contacting Marilyn Smith at msmith@inbf.org or (317) 269-7863.
Ten Year Olds Answer "How did the Framers Write our Constitution?"
Citizen education took center stage in Indianapolis when 280 fifth-grade students testified on constitutional issues and American history. Teams from Lake and Perry County testified May 16 and May 20. Judges were impressed with the level of knowledge the students possessed. The Honorable Martha Wentworth, Indiana Tax Court and former chair of the Indiana Pro Bono Commission, spoke to the students May 16 before the awards ceremony.

Enjoy your summer knowing you helped these students thrive, and thank you to the following volunteers for helping these students learn how to speak their minds: Jill Acklin, Seamus Boyce, Tom Brogan, Katherine Brown-Henry, Ginny Cain, Hon. James Carr, James Curtis, Colleen Denham, Robert Dyson, Jr., Amber Finley, Chase Haller, Latosha Higgins, Drew Howk, Philip Kappes, Josef Laposa, Joanne McAnlis, Brittney Newland, Robert O'Dell, Hon. Brenda Roper, Mary Runnells, and Harry Todd.
Fifth graders showing off their medals after the awards ceremony on May 20.
Indiana Teams Fare in Top Ten at We the People National Finals
Take pride in the accomplishments of Indiana's We the People teams that represented the state at the National We the People Competition this year. Indiana's state champion, Fishers High School, placed sixth among 54 teams competing at the national finals. Brown County Junior High placed second among 12 teams at the national invitational. Their teachers, Liz Paternoster and Michael Potts, are highly engaged and continue to impress us with their ability to prepare poised, knowledgeable students. 

North Side High School, Fort Wayne, was nominated to participate as a Warren E. Burger team. According to the teacher, Matthew Mertes, the effects of the We the People program go well beyond the academic knowledge students gain. "The opportunity to watch as those young people learned for the first time about the historical beginnings of our nation, the fundamental role that political freedom plays in so many areas of our lives, and the fact that those liberties are guaranteed to them in our Constitution was as rewarding an experience as I have had in my career in education."

Mark your calendars to participate as a judge for the fall competitions. Here are the dates for regional competitions in Indianapolis and Evansville.
Keystone Society Success
We are just $1,500 from our $25,000 fundraising goal! The launch of the Keystone Society, which will help the Foundation grow its civic education and civil justice mission, was propelled forward when  Timothy Abeska , an attorney in South Bend, agreed to match any unrestricted donation of at least $500 that is made to the Foundation before September 30. You can help by making a donation through our  website , writing a check or even donating stock. Thanks to everyone who has contributed already. We are inspired by how you want a more civic engaged Indiana and one where more impoverished Hoosiers get the legal advice and assistance they need.
What's Next?
No one really knows what the accelerated change the legal profession is undergoing will mean for the profession. Consider how a deferred donation through estate planning might be the tool to allow you to fulfill your dream for the legal profession that has provided for you and your family. It can be as simple as naming the Foundation as a beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement plan. Contact Theresa Browning or Chuck Dunlap for information.