Allegheny County Bar Foundation Fund Descriptions


Academy of Trial Lawyers William S. Schweers, Sr. Educational Fund
Established in honor of William S. Schweers, Sr., this fund supports the academy's
annual essay contest for high school students, which explores current legal issues.

Attorneys Against Hunger
This annual campaign raises money to support the fight against hunger in Allegheny
County. Proceeds benefit the Downtown Ministerium Walk-in Ministry (First Lutheran Church,
First Presbyterian Church, Saint Mary of Mercy Church, Smithfield United Church,
and Trinity Cathedral), East End Cooperative Ministry, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank,
Intersection, Inc., Jubilee Kitchen, Just Harvest, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, Rainbow Kitchen,
Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, and Urban League Hunger Services.

Donald W. Bebenek Fund
Established in memory of Donald W. Bebenek, this fund supports the education and
mentoring of attorneys, including, but not limited to, providing financial support for Continuing
Legal Education seminars presenting the issue of Operation Experience from the perspective
of the plaintiff, defendant and court.

Center for Volunteer Legal Resources
The center helps facilitate the delivery of pro bono legal services in
Allegheny County. The center works with service providers in the community,
helping them recruit, train, and recognize volunteers. The center provides
support services to these volunteers, including malpractice insurance and
access to online legal research.


The Daniel B. Dixon Scholarship Fund
Established in 2007 in honor of Daniel B. Dixon's lifelong commitment to the law and community,
this fund will provide an annual scholarship to a student of Dixon's alma mater, The University
of Pittsburgh School of Law who has completed his or her first or second year and has
demonstrated an interest in real estate law, academic excellence and financial need.  

Dues Check Off
This annual campaign runs concurrently with the bar association's dues renewal. 
The foundation annually requests that members of the bar association "check-off" 
an additional $50 contribution to the foundation.  Proceeds from this campaign will 
provide funding to administer the foundation's educational and philanthropic 
programs, which provide awards, loans, and scholarships to law school students; 
as well as educational, training, and mentoring programs for attorneys.


Endowment Fund
In 2005, the foundation launched the Endowment Campaign in response to funding
cutbacks affecting legal service organizations.  Funds from the Endowment will support
and foster new and innovative programs at the foundation and enable the foundation to
award additional and/or larger grants to agencies which provide legal services to low-income residents.


Divorce Law Project
The project provides pro bono legal services to persons of limited means who are
seeking no-fault divorce actions in Allegheny County.

Fellows Program
In 1996, the Allegheny County Bar Foundation established the Fellows Program to:
    Recognize a commitment to excellence in charitable, community,
    professional and/or public service activities
    Recognize a level of professional distinction in the legal community based on significant contributions
    Create an endowment for bar foundation programs and foster new and innovative programs
    Create an organization of members who recognize and accept the Bar's on-going challenge
    to fund public service activities.

Fellows Pledges support the foundation in two important ways:
50% of each pledge helps support the foundation's initiatives
to enhance the delivery of pro bono legal services to low-income clients in Allegheny County
and 50% of each pledge helps grow the foundation's Grant Program.

Foundation's Greatest Need
Provides assistance in underwriting the establishment of new named funds, the promotion
of existing programs and projects, and the creation of new initiatives to assist ACBA
members and the public
 

The Honorable Gerald K. Gibson Fund
Established in memory of the Honorable Gerald K. Gibson, this fund annually makes
cash awards to deserving students participating in the creditors & debtors rights
courses at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University Schools of Law.

Grants Program
The foundation funds programs that support the delivery of pro bono legal services
to persons of limited means and/or promote the public understanding legal-related
issues. Since 2000, the foundation has awarded $85,000 in grants to community-based programs.

Juvenile Court Project
The project provides pro bono legal services to protect the legal rights of indigent
parents whose children are the subject of Juvenile Court dependency and termination
of parental rights proceedings.

The Honorable Carol Los Mansmann Memorial Fund
Established in memory of the late Honorable Carol Los Mansmann, this fund will annually provide
scholarships to female law school students attending Duquesne University Law School. 
The fund will distribute its first scholarship in 2005.


Lawyers' Fund

The purpose of this fund is:
1. To relieve want or distress among members of the Bar of Allegheny County or their immediate families
2. To promote, advance, improve, and facilitate the administration of justice in Allegheny County
3. To give scholarships, fellowships, and grants-in-aid for research, writing and other study of the
    law and of the administration of justice
4. To make loans to deserving law students
5. To acquire, preserve, and exhibit rare books, objects of art, and items of historical interest
    having legal significance or bearing on the administration of justice

Louis Little Attorneys' Memorial Fund
Established in 1963 through Louis Little's bequest, the fund annually provides low
interest loans of up to $3,000 to deserving law school students.

Lynette Norton Memorial Fund
Established in memory of Lynette Norton, this fund annually offers a post-graduate
award to a graduating student from the Duquesne University School of Law who has
demonstrated academic excellence, skills in oral advocacy through moot court programs,
and a keen sense of ethics and professionalism.

James I. Smith, III Notre Dame Law School Scholarship Fund
Established in honor of James I. Smith's 38-year career as Executive Director of the
Allegheny County Bar Association, this fund provides scholarships to law school students
from Allegheny County who are enrolled at the Notre Dame Law School.

Zittrain Forums on Law and Public Policy
Established by Ruth A. Zittrain and the late Lester E. Zittrain, the fund will bring to
our community educational, topical and informative programs, which will lead to a better
understanding of the complex legal issues confronting our government and legal systems
and how best to deal with these issues.