Ways to Give

The invitation to membership in the Fellows Program is a honor which recognizes lawyers whose public and private careers demonstrate outstanding legal abilities and a devotion to their communities.  When new Fellows are nominated, we look for attorneys whose careers have demonstrated the highest standards and who appreciate the values supported by the Foundation.   The Fellows Program was established in 1983, and became the membership body of the Lawyers Foundation in 1996.  Fellows are nominated throughout the year and invitations go out in September.  Invitations are accepted with a pledge of $1250., which may be paid in one sum, or spread out over 5 years. 

Once a Fellow has paid his or her initial pledge, he or she may continue to contribute by becoming a Sustaining Fellow. 

The Fellows Program was created with the vision of being a voluntary group of outstanding legal professionals who administer funds that foster among the members of the Bar the principles of duty and service to the public, improve the administration of justice and advance the science of law.

Membership in the Fellows Program is limited to three percent of the membership of the State Bar of Georgia. Fellows are selected from among the membership of the State Bar of Georgia whose public and private careers demonstrate outstanding legal abilities and a devotion to their communities.

The Fellow Nomination Form is available online at www.gabar.org.   

Interested parties can also contact The Lawyers Foundation at 104 Marietta Street, NW, Suite 630, Atlanta, GA  30303 or lfg_lauren@bellsouth.net or 404-659-6867 for more information. 

Legacy
Please remember that you can provide for the foundation through a bequest.   A planned gift allows you to have an even greater impact than through your previous gifts.

Gifts of Stock
Stocks and bonds that have increased in value are an excellent vehicle for charitable gifts to the Lawyers Foundation. If the stocks and bonds have been held long term (as determined by law in effect at the time of the gift), often, it is more advantageous to the donor to give these securities directly rather than to sell them and give the proceeds from the sale.  By making a gift of the appreciated securities themselves, donors may completely avoid the capital gains tax, allowing the gift to be made at a significantly lower cost while receiving a deduction for the full current fair market value.

Gift of stock may be made to the Lawyers Foundation in two ways:

Donor may issue a stock certificate in the foundation's name and give it directly to the foundation. 

OR

Donor may deposit the stock directly into the foundation's SunTrust account.

Sponsorship
An individual or corporation may sponsor a variety of activities for the Foundation.  Several events are held throughout the year.  These events may be sponsored by one or more contributors, and such contributor will be acknowledged in any signage at the event, as well as the announcements of the event.  Further acknowledgement will be provided in the Annual Report of the Foundation. 

Contributing supporter
Any individual or company may donate to the Foundation and receive a tax deduction for their contribution.  They will be listed in the annual report as a contributing supporter.

By becoming a contributing member of the Lawyers Foundation, you will further the principle that this is an honorable profession which strives to uphold the principles of duty and service to the public.  You will further those principles by improving the administration of justice and advancing the science of law.  Educating the public about the law and lawyers, attracting a high caliber of individual through the mock trial program and scholarships, encouraging pro bono and selfless acts by attorneys will all go towards improving the lives of all Georgians. 

A question that I am asked often is:  why should I give money to the LFG.  Why shouldn't I just give directly to the organizations or programs I want to support.  My answer to that question is threefold. One:  Power in numbers.  One $100 check from you to a Program is going to help a little.  A $10,000 check from the LFG to the same Program will help a lot, and will enable the Program to make a far greater effort towards fulfilling it's stated mission, and will save them countless hours otherwise devoted to fundraising.  Two:  No-one should give to a charity that they have not investigated.  You can be sure that any program which received funds from the LFG will have been thoroughly researched by the LFG and meets all criteria of economy, efficiency and purpose.  Three, the LFG is in a position to fund particular projects that meet our criteria and that have not been reached by another nonprofit.

The LFG will enter the next millenium prepared to advance  the integrity of our profession by raising funds which will be used to improve the administration of justice, advance the science of law and most of all, uphold the principles of duty and service to the public.  You can be a part of this mission with your donation. 

Memorials and Tributes
The Lawyers Foundation of Georgia's Memorials and Tributes Program is offered as a unique way to honor and remember a Georgia lawyers, his or her spouse, child or friend who has died.  It is also a wonderful way to honor an individual or firm for reaching a particular milestone, such as making partner, retiring, or a significant anniversary. 

Once a gift is received, a written acknowledgement is sent to the contributor as well as the surviving spouse or other family member, and the Georgia Bar Journal. 

Cy PRES AWARDS

Cy Pres Awards are gifts to nonprofits from the funds left over in a class action suit after all parties have received theirportion.  Often, there is a substantial sum left that would not be feasible to distribute to the parties.  There is a considerable line of cases throughout the country that states that the best use of these funds is to distribute them to nonprofits that benefit society in general. Many courts have held that distribution to law related nonprofits such as the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia is appropriate, and the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia has received a number of Cy Pres Awards.  Please contact the Foundation at 404-659-6867. Lfg_lauren@bellsouth.net, or 104 Marietta St., NW, Suite 630, Atlanta, GA  30303 for more information.

"The Charity of Choice for Georgia Lawyers."