Christian & Small is proud to partner with the Birmingham Bar Foundation as a sponsor of its Rock the Bar 2017 fundraiser. The event will feature a live band, a silent auction, drinks and heavy hors d’oeurves, and will take place at The Haven (2515 6th Ave. South) on Thursday, May 11, at 5 p.m. General admission tickets are available for $50, and law students pay only $30; purchases can be made online at rockthebar.swellgives.com.
The Birmingham Bar Foundation unifies the philanthropic and educational efforts of the Birmingham Bar Association for the betterment of our community and the promotion of justice. The Foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that have a legal or civic focus in the work that they do. Some of the Foundation’s grantees have included the Vulcan Park & Museum’s annual teacher symposium on civic education, the Boys and Girl’s Clubs of Central Alabama, and the Legal Aid Society of Birmingham.
Other civic programming made possible by the Birmingham Bar Foundation include:
- Appellate Courts Oral Argument Program – Each year, the Alabama Appellate Courts hear cases in Birmingham, and the Foundation invites area high schools, colleges and law schools to the presentations. More than 1,100 students attend Oral Arguments each year to learn more about the justice system and appellate court procedure. To prepare students for this event, attorney volunteers visit schools to teach students about the judicial system as well as give an overview of the cases that will be presented. The Foundation also offers grants to schools to assist with bus transportation costs related to this event.
- Resolve-2-Solve – Resolve-2-Solve is a conflict resolution/peer mediation program developed by the Foundation to teach students positive skills. Using curriculum developed by the Foundation, this program is offered to students at Tarrant High School and Huffman High School. Attorney volunteers give of their time, talent and expertise to give students the necessary tools they need to handle conflict effectively with peers and adults; to help students better control their impulses and hone social skills; and to decrease the number of discipline infractions in schools.
- Mock Trial Club – The Foundation also offers an after-school Mock Trial Club in partnership with the Birmingham Public Library and the Federal Public Defenders Office of the Northern District of Alabama. Youth in grades 5 through 12 learn about the courtroom, how to create opening and closing arguments, how to interrogate witnesses, and much more. Students are mentored by local attorneys who provide an immersive experience.
To learn more about the Birmingham Bar Foundation and the many ways it supports the Birmingham community, visit its website at www.bbfound.org or contact the Foundation’s Executive Director Nikki Tucker Thomas at bbfound@bellsouth.net or at 205-251-2231.