MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE
$50 – Helps provide free legal guidance to 2 clients at the monthly Roxbury Park Legal Clinic
$100– Helps provide 3 hours of Modest Means Legal Assistance to moderate income families in LA
$250 – Helps fund 6 months for an intern working on the Rule of Law Writing Competition
$500 – Helps divert 3 high school students from the criminal justice system through Teen Court
$1,000 – Helps Law Students who demonstrate a commitment to legal public service
Beverly Hills Bar Foundation
Founded in 1970, the Beverly Hills Bar Foundation is an IRC 501(c)(3) public entity and the charitable affiliate of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, receiving generous financial and volunteer support from Association members and friends.
The Foundation has enriched the legal profession by encouraging and supporting its alumni of prominent recipients of law school scholarships. The Foundation is proud that many of its scholarship recipients have distinguished themselves as prominent lawyers, judges, legislators and community leaders.
The Foundation has enhanced the community by funding a number of nationally recognized and emulated legal literacy and preventive law programs as well as community service projects that educate and assist youth, adults and seniors. The Foundation is also proud of its efforts in co-founding of Public Counsel, conceived by the Beverly Hills Bar Association more than 40 years ago and now the nation’s largest pro bono law firm. The Foundation, the Association, and Public Counsel share a deep commitment to helping others through volunteer service, a cornerstone of the Foundation’s tradition of excellence.
Providing grants to fund law school scholarships and law-related education and community service programs since 1970, the Beverly Hills Bar Foundation awards scholarships to academically qualified, economically disadvantaged law students who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to public service and are attending the top-ranked, ABA-accredited UCLA School of Law, USC Gould School of Law, Loyola Law School, Pepperdine University School of Law and Southwestern Law School
- Scholarship awards are presented to law students at the Annual Supreme Court Luncheon, which since 1954 has honored the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of California
- Past scholarship recipients have distinguished themselves as prominent lawyers, judges, legislators, and community leaders
A pro bono community service of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers, volunteer attorneys provide free legal guidance to the public on the first Saturday of each month at Roxbury Park on any legal matter or concern. Launched in 1993 by Barrister leaders Christopher Bradford and Richard Kaplan, the young lawyers of the BHBA have been assisting anyone with a legal question or issue for over 25 years and continue to commit to this social justice program year in and year out.
Today, many of Los Angeles County’s hardworking residents, living off moderate incomes, face a major dilemma. When a legal problem arises, they are caught between ineligibility for pro bono support and the inability to pay regular rates for private practicing attorneys. However, quality and affordable legal support services can now be a reality for moderate-income people—thanks to the Beverly Hills Bar Association’s Modest Means Program.
The Modest Means Program refers qualified persons to its panel of member attorneys. The attorneys agree to charge reduced hourly rates and a reduced retainer fee. The panel attorneys cap their fees between $50.00 – $300.00 per hour*. Retainer fees range from $500.00 – $1500.00*. The initial 30-minute consultation is free.
Eligibility for the program is based on the individual’s gross monthly income and the number of individuals in his/her household. Modest Means is neither a legal aid program nor a free service. Interested clients must have a case in Los Angeles County but need not reside in the county.
* Hourly rate and retainer amount are determined by individual’s income qualifications or tier level.
Encouraging law students to integrate Rule of Law concepts into their writings, the Rule of Law Writing Competition awards annual financial prizes for written submissions from law school students. Papers may be on any topic directly discussing an aspect of the Rule of Law, demonstrating how the Rule of Law affected the topic, defining the Rule of Law, criticizing the Rule of Law, or demonstrating the economic social or political effects of the Rule of Law
As Justice Anthony Kennedy said about The Rule of Law: “I want lawyers to be once again advocates for the Rule of Law. And this involves a reassessment by lawyers of very fundamental principles of democracy and of our culture and of our history, and freedom. So, I think of this in part as a way to re-energize the Bar so that the Bar can reaffirm and rededicate itself to these first principles…”
Your participation in this competition is an important step in that direction. For more information contact Kenneth Petrulis: kenneth.petrulis [at] verizon.net
Scholarship Program
The Beverly Hills Bar Foundation Scholarship Program
Since 1970, the Beverly Hills Bar Foundation has awarded scholarships to academically qualified, economically disadvantaged law students who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to public service law and who attend UCLA School of Law, USC Gould School of Law, Loyola Law School, Pepperdine University School of Law & Southwestern Law School.
Since 1970, over a $975,000 in scholarship funds have been awarded to law students who have demonstrated their dedication to public interest law throughout their education, some from high school, through college and continuing on in law school. Almost all of the scholarship recipients have overcome immense hardships and come from minority backgrounds.
Their stories are as motivating as they are inspirational. Scroll down to watch their video interviews.
2020 Scholarship Winners
2019 Scholarship Winners
2018 Scholarship Winners
2017 Scholarship Winners
MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE
$50 – Helps provide free legal guidance to 2 clients at the monthly Roxbury Park Legal Clinic
$100– Helps provide 3 hours of Modest Means Legal Assistance to moderate income families in LA
$250 – Helps fund 6 months for an intern working on the Rule of Law Writing Competition
$500 – Helps divert 3 high school students from the criminal justice system through Teen Court
$1,000 – Helps Law Students who demonstrate a commitment to legal public service
Rule of Law Writing Competition
The Rule of Law Writing Competition
Historically, the Beverly Hills Bar Association and Bar Foundation and have been closely tied to Rule of Law issues. The Beverly Hills Bar Foundation’s Annual Rule of Law Competition traditionally culminates at the Bar’s Annual Supreme Court Luncheon with the awarding of a $2,500 prize to the winning law student, plus honorable mention prizes.
This competition encourages law students to integrate Rule of Law concepts into their writings. Papers may be on any topic either directly discussing an aspect of the Rule of Law, demonstrating how the Rule of Law affected the topic, defining the Rule of Law, criticizing the Rule of Law, or demonstrating the economic social or political effects of the Rule of Law.
UPDATE: The Beverly Hills Bar’s 66th Annual Supreme Court Luncheon 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I want lawyers to be once again advocates for the Rule of Law. And this involves a reassessment by lawyers of very fundamental principles of democracy and of our culture and of our history, and freedom. So, I think of this in part as a way to re-energize the Bar so that the Bar can reaffirm and rededicate itself to these first principles…
Justice Anthony Kennedy
Your participation in this competition is an important step in that direction.
For more information contact Kenneth Petrulis.
Timeline
September 2020
Formation Meeting/ Committee FormsNovember 1, 2020
Entries OpenFebruary 1, 2021
Entries Close Judging of Entries BeginMarch 1, 2021
Winners Announced Invitations to Supreme Court Luncheon SentJune 2, 2021
Awards Presentation at the 66th Annual Supreme Court Luncheon Rule of Law
Instructions
Step 1
Review the RulesStep 4
2020 Winner
Kayley Berger
2019 Winner
Cameron Sheldon
2019 Winner
Elica Zadeh
2019 Winner
Danielle Kassatly
About the Rule of Law Writing Competition
The Rule of Law is not well defined. It needs to be. The lack of a definition lends to its use as an epithet for whatever the speaker wants it to mean. It also inhibits the study of the rule of Law, its aspects and its effects. Study will test and refine the rule. Study will allow predictions of its effects to be tested. Assuming its benefits can be predicted and verified the Rule of Law will be validated as the fundamental value which sets one nation above another in its recognition of both human rights and economic success.
A fair justice system founded in tolerance and integrity guarantees the rights of individuals against the government, the powerful, and the many. The Rule of Law provides that tolerance and integrity. It gives respect to both personal rights and property rights. Because these rights are the primary incentive for achievement, they bring to the nations that follow the Rule of Law economic and political success as well.
Essential Elements of the Rule of Law Process The Rule of Law is a process consisting of five essential elements:
- Fair Access. The justice system is reasonably open and available to all, and does not impose oppressive burdens on the participants;
- Fair courts. The courts exhibit tolerance and integrity. They are competent, and efficient. Judges are impartial and independent, randomly assigned, and not subject to political influence or manipulation
- Fair Laws. The laws are public, clear and reasonable when applied to human experience;
- Fair Administration. The administrative branch, prosecutors, and police, are reasonably fair, competent, and efficient; and
- All are subject to the law. Government officials including the President, Supreme Court and the Congress, consent to being subject to the law. The Rule of Law process depends on the constant application of tolerance and integrity through a political system founded on these five necessary elements. Each country implementing the Rule of Law will produce its own legislation, administrative methods and judicial decisions. Each system while based upon the same five elements will be formed to the particular time, culture and circumstance where it is implemented. By fostering and promoting the process which is the Rule of Law, no matter what the place or time, all societies can benefit from its implementation.
Some challenge the Rule of Law as peculiar to the Western world or not suitable to all cultures. Some see the current success of the nations which follow the Rule of Law as chance, good fortune or a mere shifting in the vagaries of history. If the process (the Rule of Law) has inherent value, it should be possible to show a direct relationship between the integrity with which a nation enforces the Rule of Law and the success, economic and otherwise, of that nation. For example, one might predict a correlation between the number of attorneys in a country and that country”s economic standing. The extent of the independence of the judiciary or of individual rights could also be tested to see whether they correlate to economic success.
© Kenneth G. Petrulis
MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE
$50 – Helps provide free legal guidance to 2 clients at the monthly Roxbury Park Legal Clinic
$100– Helps provide 3 hours of Modest Means Legal Assistance to moderate income families in LA
$250 – Helps fund 6 months for an intern working on the Rule of Law Writing Competition
$500 – Helps divert 3 high school students from the criminal justice system through Teen Court
$1,000 – Helps Law Students who demonstrate a commitment to legal public service