Click a year to explore the Virginia Law Foundation’s history throughout the decades!
1974
March 4 — State Corporation Commission of Virginia issues charter to Virginia Bar Foundation which plans to serve as the vehicle for financing the acquisition of land and the construction of a bar center.
September — Nine Directors, all serving members of the Virginia State Bar (VSB) Council, meet for the first time and adopt bylaws incorporating that requirement. N. Samuel Clifton serves as the initial executive director, registered agent, and secretary/treasurer.
1976
The Foundation receives tax-exempt status from the IRS. The bylaws are amended to provide that only a majority of those elected as Directors must be VSB Council members.
1980
March — The VLF sponsors its first international trip as a fundraiser. Destination: Monte Carlo.
1981
September 10, 1981 — The Board of Directors votes to change the name of the corporation to Virginia Law Foundation. This signals a shift of focus from building a Bar headquarters in Richmond to a broader agenda of supporting access to justice, law-related education, and Rule of Law projects.
At the behest of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Bar Association (VBA), the VLF begins supervising the operations of Virginia CLE. They retain Peter Manson, who had been employed as the part-time director of CLE by the VSB/VBA Joint Committee, to serve in that capacity.
The VLF amends the bylaws to reflect that the VSB and VBA would each nominate six VLF Directors going forward.
1983
July 1, 1983 — The Supreme Court of Virginia approves a voluntary Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) program with the Virginia Law Foundation to administer interest monies received.
Upon Peter Manson’s retirement after 23 years at the helm of Virginia CLE (including the period of the Joint Committee on Continuing Legal Education), Kent Sinclair assumes position of Director of Virginia CLE.
1984
The VLF Board approves a program to nominate, screen, select, and induct exceptional citizen lawyers as Fellows of the VLF.
Virginia CLE accepts responsibility for presenting to Virginia lawyers a mandatory course on the Virginia State Bar’s new Code of Professional Responsibility.
With the Supreme Court of Virginia’s approval, the VLF approves a grant of $20,000 to the Criminal Law Section of the VSB to underwrite the cost of studying the Indigent Defense system in Virginia. This grant marks the start of VLF’s support of competent indigent defense as a component of its access to justice mission.
1986
In recognition of the increased demands for administration of the IOLTA program, the VLF Board approves creation of an Executive Committee and initiates a campaign to increase participation in the then still voluntary IOLTA program.
The Supreme Court of Virginia adopts mandatory Continuing Legal Education for Virginia lawyers, dramatically changing the demand for law-related courses and increasing competition among providers. Course attendance increases to approximately 12,000 annually from a typical level of 6,000–7,000.
1987
N. Samuel Clifton retires as the Executive Director of the VLF and the Virginia State Bar, and Sharon Brooks is named Foundation Coordinator after serving two years as office manager.
The VLF Board develops its first long-range strategic plan.
1988
Increased revenue realized by Virginia CLE from mandatory CLE prompts a fierce debate in the VSB Council regarding the future of CLE operation and use of CLE reserves.
1989
July 1, 1989 — The Virginia Supreme Court requires compliance with a new opt-out IOLTA program, which replaced the voluntary program and prompts pushback from many banking institutions.
In recognition of her increased responsibilities managing the IOLTA program, handling accounting for VLF investments, administering VLF grants, and coordinating the Fellows program, Sharon Brooks is promoted and named the first executive director of the Virginia Law Foundation.
1990
The VLF provides public service internship stipends to selected students at Virginia law schools for the first time.
Gary Wilbert becomes new CLE Director, coming from his previous position as Executive Director for the Wisconsin Division of Professional Education Systems.
Between 1990 and 1991, the VLF awards more than $1,500,000 in grants, including $950,000 to the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia.
1991
Anne Whittemore is elected as first woman President of the VLF.
1992
Thompson Siegel and Walmsley responds to the Foundation’s first request for proposals for an Investment Manager and is engaged as a financial advisor to the VLF.
1993
The VLF revises its bylaws to create a Fellows Council. Selected by the VLF Board, this separate governing group is tasked with engaging Fellows and leveraging their experience and knowledge.
June — The Supreme Court of Virginia adopts mandatory IOLTA effective October 1, 1993, and the VLF Board adds its first three lay members to the Board of Directors. This enhances its accountability to the public in view of the increased IOLTA revenue anticipated from the initiation of the mandatory IOLTA program.
1994
January — First legislative attempt to repeal mandatory IOLTA is narrowly defeated. This results in the Virginia General Assembly imposing significant restrictions on the VSB’s spending authority in retaliation for the VSB’s support of mandatory IOLTA.
The VLF’s Fellows Council makes its first Fellows Mentor assignments, which pairs lawyer applicants with Fellows to provide guidance to new lawyers in matters of professionalism, local practices, and procedures, and to foster collegiality among members of the bar.
1995
The second legislative attempt to repeal mandatory IOLTA succeeds, and the Virginia IOLTA program once again becomes an opt-out program with the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia replacing the VLF as the administrator of the interest monies generated.
1996
The VLF Board elects first African American President, F. Blair Wimbush.
1997
The Gardener DeMallie Award is created and presented to CLE Director Peter Manson.
1998
The VLF engages an additional investment manager, Lowe Brockenbrough and Tattersal, to advise regarding a portion of the equities held in the Foundation’s endowment accounts.
2000
The Foundation’s annual grants awarded rise to more than $500,000, evidencing a growth since the loss of IOLTA funds.
2001
The first testamentary gift to the VLF is made anonymously.
Virginia CLE rents a headquarters building in Charlottesville on Whitewood Road.
The VLF receives Grant Letters of Intent totaling more than $1,000,000.
2002
Robert Merrick becomes first non-lawyer President of the VLF.
2003
The VLF finalizes the purchase of its CLE property in Charlottesville.
The VLF administrative office moves to 700 E. Main Street as a sublease to Lawyers Helping Lawyers.
2004
The VLF highlights its 30th Anniversary with distribution of an information brochure describing its mission.
The VLF signs Memorandum of Understanding for $100,000 in funding of the Nuremberg Courtroom at the Virginia Holocaust Museum.
2005
The VLF Board hires its first Development Director, Thomas W. Payne, Jr., as an independent contractor.
2008
Mary Ann Delano becomes the first woman non-lawyer president of the Virginia Law Foundation.
2012
August 30 — Sharon Tatum resigns as Executive Director, a position she held since 1989.
The VLF names Ray White as Executive Director of Virginia CLE. He joins the organization from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy where he was Chief Operating Officer.
2013
Ray White becomes the Executive Director of the VLF.
December — Virginia Lawyer magazine highlights VLF’s upcoming 40th Anniversary.
2014
June — The VLF celebrates its 40th anniversary with a well-attended performance by Little Anthony (of Little Anthony and the Imperials) followed by a reception held in conjunction with the VSB Annual meeting in Virginia Beach.
September — Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Cynthia Kinser praises the VLF in open court for 40 years of philanthropy.
2015
In collaboration with the Virginia Bar Association, the Rule of Law Project, and Mt. Vernon, the VLF presents the inaugural Constitutional Law Institute.
2016
The VLF Board votes to approve the consolidation of operations for Virginia CLE and the Foundation.
The VLF and its educational division, Virginia CLE, work together with the Virginia Holocaust Museum to present an ethics program featuring John Dean and focusing on the history of Watergate.
The VLF hosts inaugural Fundraising Gala and Charity Golf Tournament benefiting Legal Aid Justice Center and Central Virginia Legal Aid Society.
2018
The VLF Board eliminates the process of securing Board director nominations from the Virginia State Bar and Virginia Bar Association in order to expand the pool of candidates.
The VLF joins forces with the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Access to Justice Commission to launch the Pro Bono Library, which provides free access to Virginia CLE’s online seminars and materials to pro bono volunteers. Explore the library.
2019
The VLF Board eliminates the process of securing Board director nominations from the Virginia State Bar and Virginia Bar Association in order to expand the pool of candidates.
The VLF joins forces with the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Access to Justice Commission to launch the Pro Bono Library, which provides free access to Virginia CLE’s online seminars and materials to pro bono volunteers. Explore the library.
2021
The VLF grants $50,000 to the Library of Virginia to support programs featuring the 50th Anniversary of the 1971 Virginia Constitutional Initiatives.
2022
The VLF opens the state-of-the-art Bobzien-Gaither Education Center in Glen Allen to respond to the increased demand for in-person seminars and quality broadcast of remote-learning options.
The VLF’s education division develops the Qualified Counselor/Master Counselor Designations Program, which allows attorneys who take sufficient hours and demonstrate expertise in discrete disciplines to obtain a certification of their excellence in practice areas.
June — The inaugural Civil Rights Law Institute takes place at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and is presented in partnership with the Virginia Bar Association, Old Dominion Bar Association, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
2023
September 28–30 — The VLF presents the inaugural Wellness Institute at The Barns at Wolf Trap, which centers around the theme of the healing power of music. With support from the Adam Roush Fund for Wellness, 31 attorneys and judges attend this multi-day program at no cost to explore practical solutions to help with professional and personal stress reduction.
October 19–20 — The Civil Rights Law Institute returns to Monticello to explore voting rights through thoughtful discourse.
2024
January 18 — The VLF welcomes 26 new Fellows and celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Fellows program. Learn more.
February — Virginia Lawyer features a special section dedicated to the Virginia Law Foundation’s 50th Anniversary and detailing the VLF’s commitment to access to justice, promotion of the Rule of Law, and provision of quality law-related education.
March 4 — The official 50th Anniversary of the Virginia Law Foundation
Want to see what other milestone occasions are ahead? Visit our event calendar for details.
2025
January — Brigadier General (Ret.) Alison Martin is hired as the new chief executive officer.
Summer — The VLF adds Tekoi L. Dent as chief financial officer and Karl Doss as vice president of CLE.
2026
March 5 — The VLF launches its original podcast — Just Virginia.
