www.loubar.org 14 Louisville Bar Briefs THE LOUISVILLE BAR FOUNDATION LBF Elects Officers for 2026 Gregory T. Dutton is the incoming president for the Louisville Bar Foundation for 2026. Greg is an environmental and energy lawyer with FBT Gibbons LLP and co-leads the firm’s Renewables Energy Industry Team. Greg has represented heavy manufacturers and developers on environmental permitting and complex transactions involving contaminated property. His energy experience includes securing approval for Kentucky’s first solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project sited on a reclaimed coal mine, which was discussed at length in a New York Times cover story, development and permitting strategy for numerous data centers, state and local permit- ting of Kentucky’s first utility-scale wind project and permitting of Kentucky’s first two standalone BESS projects. Greg was recently shortlisted by the Financial Times for Innovative Lawyers North America 2025 as an Innovative Lawyer in Infrastructure. Other LBF Officers for 2026 include: Joseph C. Ventura, President-Elect; Nicole T. Cook, Vice President and Treasurer; Jennifer M. Barbour, Secretary; Sara V. Judd, Past President. In addition, three individuals will join the LBF Board of Directors: Hon. Yvette De La Guardia, Thomas R. Coffey and Chantell C. Foley. 2025 Grant Recipients Foundation’s grant awards in 2025 reach all corners of the community The Louisville Bar Foundation awarded five additional grants in the final quarter of 2025, bringing the total amount of funds awarded this year to $203,794. The Louisville Bar Foundation is the charitable giving arm of the Louisville Bar Associa- tion, and it makes grants to local not-for profit organizations for the delivery of legal services to the poor, improvement of the judiciary and law-related public education. Since its founding in 1982, the Foundation has distributed more than $3.9 million in grant funds. The Foundation is supported by charitable contributions from individual attorneys and law firms. KENTUCKY REFUGEE MINISTRIES Immigration Legal Services – $15,000 Kentucky Refugee Ministries provides legal services to immigrants who have resettled in the Louisville area. Many of these immigrants need to file applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for permanent residence status or for necessary identity and background documents. The grant provides partial fee subsidies for immigrants who cannot afford to pay the entire cost of preparing and filing these documents. The fee subsidies will also be used to assist refugees and asylees filing to bring spouses and children to the United States, or applying for employment authorization or travel documents. Additional grant funds will help with interpretation services. LA CASITA CENTER Legal Outreach and Clinic Services – $30,000 In addition to the numerous social, nutritional and cultural programs La Casita Center provides in the Latino immigrant community, it specifically conducts outreach to Latina women and families in need of legal services. Through its targeted outreach and legal clinics, participants receive help understanding the legal system, immigration issues, family law matters and other legal problems. LBF funds will support the Center’s targeted outreach to the Latino community and the development of a pro bono attorney panel to assist program participants in understanding legal problems and how to resolve them. LEGAL AID SOCIETY Bright Futures Legal Project – $10,000 Legal Aid Society’s Bright Futures Legal Project (BFLP) helps children in our service area living in poverty. By resolving legal problems that threaten a family’s housing, personal safety, job readiness and financial stability, Legal Aid Society ensures Kentucky’s children have the energy and room to prosper. A safe, stable, secure environment free of adverse childhood experiences ensures all children can thrive. Legal Aid’s attor- neys and paralegals serve more than 2,000 families with children each year. In 2024, the Brighter Futures Legal Project provided legal help to 2,153 Kentucky families, including 4,439 children. (Continued on next page) 2025: By the Numbers 2025 showed a record-breaking amount of grant funds awarded by the LBF in a single year: Number of firms and law departments that join as Foundation Partners with 100% participation. $30k + Total funds awarded in 2024 (previous record was $201,535 in 2024) Number of grants awarded to non-profits Amount of grant funds awarded to LBA for programmatic activities $203,794 17 $15,994 24 Amount in contributions to the endowment in 2025 made by Fellows’ Pledges and gifts from supportive lawyers and law firms. Thank you to the many individuals and organizations who have made this year a success. From our generous donors and dedicated Board of Directors to the grantees who do such inspiring work in the community—your contributions drive our accomplishments and show what an investment in justice can do. Thank you. Please support the LBF in 2026! When you renew your LBA dues, please click the Donations Button to contribute $45 as your investment in justice. Or visit https://www.loubar.org/lbf-charitable-donations/ today. 14
