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FDCC PILLARS
Making a Real Difference
The FDCC Foundation at Work
by Elizabeth Lorell
All FDCC members
are also members
of the FDCC
Foundation. Since
its inception, the
Foundation has been
Elizabeth Lorell
fulfilling its mission to
promote civil justice,
encourage and foster continuing
education and sponsoring projects,
programs and other endeavors to
enhance FDCC membership. In
particular, the Foundation supports
the FDCC by providing seed money
for projects of the Federation that
enhance the educational well-being
of not only FDCC members but the
defense bar at large.
Over the past year, and through
your generous donations and
our programs, the Foundation
has raised north of $80,000 and
expended those same amounts on
such programs as Ladder Down,
our FDCC Winter and Summer
Barb Currie
Meeting CLE Programs, donations
to the National Foundation for
Judicial Excellence (“NJFE”)
and the Foundation scholarship
programs. Because of the success of
our past Silent Auctions, we will be
holding a Silent Auction at the 2026
Winter Meeting in Scottsdale—but
we need your support to carry
forward the Foundation’s long-
standing tradition of providing
essential resources through
fundraising. We are asking our
members to donate an item or
a gift card, or to join forces with
your FDCC friends to donate a gift.
Some ideas for a donation include
a stay at a vacation home, designer
accessories, a bottle of wine, tickets
for a special concert or sporting
event or a special experience
(i.e., a boat ride, vineyard tour, or
a chef’s dinner). Currently, our
donations include a $500 gift card;
a one-week stay in a beautiful
6-bedroom, classic Maine home
in Blue Hill; and a Louis Vuitton
Neverfull ladies handbag! Be
creative and make a difference by
reaching out to our Foundation
Silent Auction Organizers to
make your donations: Jeff Van
Volkenberg, jdvanvolkenburg@
vv-wvlaw.com; Aubrey Noltemeyer,
anoltemeyer@k-glaw.com; Amy
Miletich, AMiletich@miletichpc.
com; or Tiffany Alexander, tiffany.
alexander@nelsonmullins.com.
“Giving is not just
about making a
donation,
it is about making
a difference”
Kathy Calvin
38 February 2026 | Federation Flyer www.thefederation.org