The mission of the Dames Foundation is to expand, through philanthropy, the professional development, public policy, and educational work of the Virginia Women Attorneys Association (the “VWAA”).

Our vision is to create forums for public policy discussions in order to promote excellence and equality in the practice of law.

Origins

From Maryse Allen, who first proposed the idea for this foundation in 2013: “The idea for a Virginia Women Attorneys Association related foundation grew out of the realization that the VWAA was full of successful and generous members who would likely support a foundation to provide a steady source of funding for our programs and initiatives. We have always held educational programs, CLEs, receptions, and conferences for which we must fundraise. The foundation was a dream of what it would be like if the majority of the funds were already available to us and we could focus more on presenting great events, rather than on finding sponsors for those events. Furthermore, a charitable foundation would enable us to move beyond presenting events and fund law school scholarships, donate to women’s shelters, and support other worthy causes. That this dream shared in 2013 is coming to fruition through the persistence of this year’s VWAA Board is a testament to the determination and spirit of this admirable group of which I am proud to be a member.”

For more information about the Virginia Women Attorneys Association (VWAA), please visit their website here: http://www.vwaa.org/

The Dames Foundation