Message froM rebecca K. eaton
2022 t arrant c ounty b ar f oundation c hair
As the 2022 Chair of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation, it is my pleasure to report on the meaningful work of the Bar Foundation and our legal community over the past year.
2022 “JUSTICE FOR ALL” GALA
With the enthusiastic support of the Tarrant County legal and business communities, the Foundation held the second “Justice for All” gala in November 2022. This accomplishment was extraordinary for two reasons.
• We Celebrated Kleber Miller’s Dedicated Service to Tarrant County. First, The Foundation was honored to present the 2022 Community Service Award to Kleber Miller and celebrate his dedicated and distinguished service to the citizens of Tarrant County.
• We Increased Fundraising Net Profits from 2019. Second, despite the three-year gap between the inaugural gala in 2019 and the 2022 gala (due to Covid), the Foundation raised over $89,000 in net profit from this event in 2022—increasing our net profit by over 65% from 2019. Because of your efforts and steadfast support, we raised significant funds to sustain and ensure the growth of the Foundation’s charitable programs.
One of the highlights of the night for me was watching the staff of the Tarrant County Bar Association, led by Executive Director Kayla Dailey, execute such an amazing and organized event. No detail went unnoticed. I know I speak for the entire Board when I say how grateful we are to Kayla and her team for making the 2022 gala such a fun and memorable evening.
FELLOWSHIP DRIVE
It cannot be overstated that the Bar Foundation’s Fellows are the cornerstone of our organization. In this Annual Report, we are honored to welcome over 30 new Fellows to the Foundation. These generous individuals represent the best of our profession, and their commitment to the Foundation ensures its sustainability and future growth. Thank you to Fellowship Committee co-chairs, Karen Precella and Brittani Rollen for their leadership in identifying fellowship candidates and encouraging their participation. Additionally, in 2022, TCBA staff was busy reengaging Fellows whose fellowship commitments had lapsed either prior to or during the pandemic. Between the efforts of the Fellowship Committee and the TCBA staff, the Foundation generated over $38,000 in revenue from Fellowships in 2022.
ABOUT THE TARRANT COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION
It cannot be overstated that the Bar Foundation’s Fellows are the cornerstone of our organization. In this Annual Report, we are honored to welcome over 30 new Fellows to the Foundation. These generous individuals represent the best of our profession, and their commitment to the Foundation ensures its sustainability and future growth. Thank you to Fellowship Committee co-chairs, Karen Precella and Brittani Rollen for their leadership in identifying fellowship candidates and encouraging their participation. Additionally, in 2022, TCBA staff was busy reengaging Fellows whose fellowship commitments had lapsed either prior to or during the pandemic. Between the efforts of the Fellowship Committee and the TCBA staff, the Foundation generated over $38,000 in revenue from Fellowships in 2022.
Pro Bono and Community Service Programs Provided Directly by the Foundation
The Foundation is directly responsible for providing the following community programs:
• Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans – providing free legal assistance to veterans and spouses of deceased veterans through legal clinics and a network of pro bono lawyers and volunteers.
• LegalLine – offering free advice to Tarrant County residents twice a month through local volunteer attorneys.
• Tarrant County Volunteer Attorney Services – holding free legal clinics for Tarrant County residents on a variety of issues including family law, divorce, and wills and estates.
• People’s Law School – holding free legal seminars taught by local volunteer attorneys, judges, and professionals on common legal issues including family law, wills and estates, buying a home, property tax, consumer matters, and social security and Medicare.
• The Elder Handbook – providing information about legal issues that affect the elderly.
Community Programs that TCBF Collaborates with and Supports Financially
Additionally, the Foundation provides financial support to and collaborates with community groups and organizations including ACH Family and Child Services, Presbyterian Night Shelter, Gatehouse, Union Gospel of Tarrant County, Tarrant County Court Appointed Special Advocates Program (“CASA”), and Pathfinders’ Veteran Program.
THANK YOU
The Foundation’s work cannot be accomplished without your steadfast assistance and generous support. On behalf of the Board, I want to thank you for all you have done to make 2022 a year of renewal and growth. We look forward to working with our Tarrant County family to make 2023 another successful year.
K. Eaton, 2022 Chair Tarrant County Bar Foundation Rebecca
Wayne Ward
Lee F. Christie
Patricia Graham
