October 9, 2025
The freedoms we enjoy depend in large part on the rule of law and the ability of independent courts to uphold that principle. In turn, the courts depend upon the adversarial process to provide needed legal redress. Without skilled and educated attorneys representing their clients’ best interests, framing appropriate arguments and abiding court rules, access to justice and the preservation of the rule of law are in jeopardy.
The New Hampshire Bar Foundation (the Foundation) administers the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program pursuant to Rule 50 of the New Hampshire Supreme Court Rules. In its administration of IOLTA and as the philanthropic arm of the New Hampshire Bar Association, the Bar Foundation has been working hard to preserve access to lawyers who can assist the disadvantaged with their life-altering legal problems. It has also renewed its efforts to educate the public regarding the role of the courts and the judicial system generally.
We are seeking the support of long-term friends and encouraging new supporters to discover the many ways the Foundation is helping within your community. We are looking for your support to fund the following ongoing and new initiatives:
- Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
- New Hampshire High School Civics Essay Contest
- Law School for the New Hampshire Legislature
- Learning Center at the New Hampshire Supreme Court
I encourage you to please read further about each of these initiatives. Now, more than ever, we need to put a spotlight on and encourage access to justice, the rule of law, and civics education.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely yours,
Scott Harris Esq., Chair
NH Bar Foundation
Board of Directors
Access to Justice
As the charitable arm of the New Hampshire Bar Association, the New Hampshire Bar Foundation (the Foundation) works to ensure that access to justice is more than an ideal. We do this by supporting civics education for children and adults and by providing local programs and organizations with much-needed funds to do great work in our communities. This is accomplished through a combination of grants from interest generated on IOLTA accounts and donations from individuals like you who understand that access to justice is a basic right for all citizens – not just those who can afford it.
Your donation directly impacts the lives of New Hampshire residents.
Your contributions, endowments and legacy gifts, combined with other fundraising efforts, help fund the Foundation’s much broader purpose to support equal access to justice and promote the rule of law. We accomplish this in a variety of ways.
Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
The Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) provides law school loan assistance, in the form of forgivable loans, to ensure the ability of New Hampshire civil legal aid organizations to recruit and maintain a workforce of qualified and dedicated staff attorneys. Your donation will help fund this crucial program.
High School Civics Essay Contest
This past year the Foundation sponsored its first high school civics essay contest. More than 120 juniors and seniors across the state participated in the contest, which asked students to consider the application of constitutional principles to their daily lives. The award ceremony was held at the New Hampshire Supreme Court with Chief Justice MacDonald speaking about the importance of civics education. The winning essays and pictures of the ceremony are available here. With your support we can make this civics engagement opportunity available to all juniors and seniors in our state for years to come.
Law School for the New Hampshire Legislature
To further the educational goals of its mission, the Foundation will offer an educational opportunity for the New Hampshire State Legislature later this year. The first offering will be a program focused on family law. We hope to make this an annual event and are seeking funding to ensure we can continue to offer this type of unique opportunity in the future.
Civics Learning Center at the New Hampshire Supreme Court
The Foundation is excited to announce its largest educational initiative: a civics learning center. The new learning center will include an interactive exhibit to engage students, while educating them about civics and the judicial process. Please support the Foundations’ efforts to make the new learning center a reality. Your contribution will help inspire the next generation of civics minded citizens within our state.
Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA)
The Foundation oversees the careful stewardship of the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA). This year we awarded a record-breaking $2.l million to support civil legal aid organizations in New Hampshire. The Foundation has built relationships with local banks and credit unions to negotiate higher interest rates on IOLTA trust accounts which generate additional revenue that can be awarded in grants each fiscal year. In the last 10 years alone IOLTA grants have made a difference in the lives of over 136,000 New Hampshire residents.