In memory of Don Christensen, the “Godfather of Nevada Mock Trial,” the Nevada Bar Foundation created an Endowment providing a $1,000 college scholarship to a high school senior earning a “Best Attorney” or “Best Witness” designation at the annual high school mock trial state competition. Donations to support the Endowment for future years are encouraged at https://nevadabarfoundation.org/donate/.
Don Christensen was a stalwart proponent of high school mock trial and served as an attorney coach, alongside his friend Bob Eisenberg, for the Reno High School mock trial team since 1998, the first year that Nevada participated in the national high school mock trial championship. Their team won the first Nevada state competition that year and under their tutelage, Reno High won numerous regional competitions and three teams advanced to the national championships. Don continued to serve as a high school mock trial coach through the 2023 competition season. Don’s advocacy for high school mock trial extended beyond Nevada. In 2011, he was appointed to serve on the National High School Mock Trial Board, overseeing the national championship competition. And in 2018, Don persuaded the State Bar of Nevada and the Nevada Bar Foundation to bring the national championship to Reno, the Biggest Little City in the World. He passed away January 4, 2024.
Questions relating to the Endowment may be directed to Lisa McGrane at lisam@nvbar.org.
The Nevada Bar Foundation is responsible for the management of the statewide Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. We work with and thank the financial institutions who offer IOLTA accounts in Nevada. Interest earned on these accounts fund annual IOLTA grants that support civil legal needs services.
The NBF encourages the solicitation and acceptance of gifts for the purpose of furthering and fulfilling our charitable mission and has adopted a Gift Acceptance Policy to assist in charitable giving options.
In addition to supporting Nevadans through IOLTA grants, the Nevada Bar Foundation engages the legal community in fundraising efforts to support law related education and pro bono legal services. Donations to the NBF are accepted online and may be dedicated to support pro bono legal services or law related education; unrestricted donations are also appreciated.
The Nevada Bar Foundation supports the community, primarily through two annual grant programs. The IOLTA grant program provides funding for direct legal services and the Foundation Grant program awards funding for initiatives that promote legal education, spark youth interest in the law, support minority lawyers, and that promote delivery of legal services.