Celebrating Our Bar Foundations and Honoring Visionary Leaders
This month, the National Conference of Bar Foundations (NCBF) extends heartfelt gratitude to all bar foundations for their tireless dedication to advancing access to justice and strengthening our communities. Your collective efforts embody the spirit of collaboration and service that drives NCBF’s mission. In this special August spotlight, we are proud to celebrate our 2025 award winners and past presidents, whose extraordinary leadership and innovative initiatives have made a lasting impact on our organization and the legal profession.
2025 Partnership for Success Award: DC Bar Foundation
The DC Bar Foundation is honored with the 2025 Partnership for Success Award for their transformative initiative, the DC Resource Bridge (DCRB), a coordinated intake and referral system designed to expand access to justice for low-income residents of the District of Columbia. This innovative program creates a single point of entry into the civil legal aid system, addressing challenges faced by individuals navigating complex legal issues such as eviction, child custody, domestic violence, or wage theft. With over 50 legal service providers in the area, the DCRB ensures residents tell their stories just once to trained, compassionate Navigators, who connect them directly to an appropriate provider based on capacity, expertise, and eligibility. Developed through four years of collaborative design, pilot testing, and a soon-to-be-completed full launch, the DCRB reflects the DC Bar Foundation’s commitment to partnership. Working with legal aid providers, the DC Bar, the Access to Justice Commission, and leaders in the philanthropic and judicial sectors, the DC Bar Foundation has built a responsive and inclusive system. A critical milestone was their collaboration with the Neighborhood Legal Services Program to secure a Technology Initiative Grant from the Legal Services Corporation, which supported the DCRB’s technology infrastructure. The DCRB’s efficient workflows and potential to transform access to justice make it a model for bar foundation initiatives. We congratulate Kirra Jarratt, CEO of the DC Bar Foundation, and her team for this groundbreaking achievement.
2025 Excellence Award: Caryn McNeill & Mark Holt
The 2025 Excellence Award, established in 2015 to recognize outstanding contributions to law-related philanthropy, is proudly presented to Caryn McNeill and Mark Holt, past presidents of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) and NCBF, and co-chairs of the NCBF Open Door Fund Campaign. Their visionary leadership led to the successful raising of $1 million to endow the NCBF Open Door Fund, which supports the Open Door Fellowship, a program dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. From 2023 to 2024, Caryn and Mark spearheaded the largest fundraising initiative since NCBF’s 1999 capital campaign. Their efforts began with direct outreach, traveling across North Carolina to engage law firms, legal organizations, and individuals, securing $700,000 in lead gifts and pledges by the June 2024 Annual Meeting. They introduced a pioneering $100,000 NCBA/NCBF Presidents’ Challenge, a pooled gift from past and current presidents, and mobilized a dedicated group of Open Door Ambassadors to secure the final, critical funds. Under their leadership, NCBF reached its $1 million goal in April 2025, ensuring the Open Door Fellowship will support aspiring lawyers for generations. The NCBA and NCBF leadership have hailed this as an incredible achievement, made possible by Caryn and Mark’s vision and guidance. We celebrate their transformative impact and invite them to share more about the Open Door Fellowship.
Honoring Our Outgoing and Past Presidents: Beth McElroy & Baillie Milliken
We extend our deepest appreciation to Beth McElroy (President, 2023–24) and Baillie Milliken (President, 2024–25) for their exemplary leadership and service to NCBF. Their strategic vision and commitment to collaboration have strengthened our organization and advanced our mission of fostering justice and equity. Their legacies will continue to inspire NCBF’s work and our broader community.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Mary Groth
We are honored to present the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to Mary Groth, whose profound dedication has shaped NCBF’s mission. Mary’s leadership, passion, and commitment to justice have left an enduring mark on our organization and the communities we serve. As we celebrate her legacy, we echo the sentiment: “Your dedication has profoundly shaped NCBF’s mission.”
A Collective Thank You
As we honor these remarkable individuals and organizations, we also celebrate the broader Bar Foundation community for your unwavering commitment to justice. Together, we are building a more equitable future, and your service is the heart of this mission. Thank you to all our members, award winners, and leaders for driving NCBF’s vision forward.Interested in learning more about NCBF’s programs or how to get involved? Visit our website at ncbf.org or contact us at info@ncbf.org.