KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN BAR FOUNDATION
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation (KCMBF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and is the charitable arm of KCMBA.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Legal Connection: Military Matters
Legal Connection: Military Matters, one of KCMBF's three Legal Connection programs, provides access to legal services for service members and veterans.
Legal Connection: Domestic Violence Alliance
The Domestic Violence Alliance is an annual event held each October to promote advocacy for the victims of domestic violence. Under the leadership of KCMBF, various legal, social service, medical and law enforcement agencies across the Kansas City metropolitan area collaborate to plan, promote and attend the seminar aimed at providing essential interdisciplinary information, education and support to these crucial partners who support victims and work to eliminate domestic violence.
Legal Connection: Student Law Academy
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation (KCMBF), in partnership with local education non-profit organization The Partnership for Regional Education Preparation-Kansas City (PREP-KC), created Student Law Academy (SLA) in 2019. SLA aspires to serve as a future pipeline to diversify Kansas City's legal community.
Our mission is to provide under-served urban high school students, who would not otherwise have the opportunity, meaningful exposure to careers in the legal profession and a broad overview of the legal system.
SLA collaborates with local law firms, courts, and other legal entities to provide students with a dynamic, paid summer program. SLA works within PREP-KC's six school districts and three charter schools (Allen Village, Center, Independence, KCKPS, KCPS, Grandview, Guadalupe Centers, and Hickman) to select juniors and seniors in high school as SLA Scholars.
Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance (LEAP)
Lawyers Encouraging Academic Performance (LEAP) was created in 1994 as a not for profit Foundation to further, promote and expand upon existing community service of lawyers in Greater Kansas City with a specific focus upon initiatives intended to encourage young persons in their pursuit of an education.
LEAP is a unique, joint professional effort comprised of
Asian American Bar Association
Association of Corporate Counsel, Mid-America Chapter;
Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City
Eastern Jackson County Bar Association
Hispanic Bar Association
Jackson County Bar Association
KC LEGAL Bar Association
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Lawyers Association of Kansas City
Young Lawyers Section of the KCMBA
Young Lawyers Section of the Lawyers Association
Where we work
Awards
Philly Award 2021
Nonprofit Connect
Affiliations & memberships
National Conference of Bar Foundations 2019
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planHow we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Our Legal Connection: Domestic Violence Alliance serves various legal, social service, medical and law enforcement agencies across the Kansas City metropolitan area. Our Legal Connection: Military Matters serves veterans and service members. Our Legal Connection: Student Law Academy serves underserved urban high school students.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN BAR FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 12/20/2021
Jill Katz
Lauren Allen
Lauren Allen, LLC
Leon Verfeld
Versfeld & Hugo, LLC
Russell Jones, Jr.
Polsinelli PC
Anna Berman
Kutak Rock LLP
Kelisen Binder
The Binder Firm
Brandee Bower
Bower Law Firm
Abraham Kuhl
Law Office of Young, Kuhl & Frick, LLC
Jeffrey McCarther
United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri
Ronald Nguyen
The Law Office of Ronald Nguyen, LLC
Phyllis Norman
Norman & Graves, LLC
Jennifer Reagan
Reagan Law, LLC
David White
Foland, Wickens, Roper, Hofer & Crawford, PC
Scott Bethune
Davis Bethune & Jones, LLC
Kelly Campbell
Spencer Fane LLP
Mark Emison
Langdon & Emison, LLC
Michael George
Polsinelli PC
Nancy Kenner
Jay Daugherty Mediation & Arbitration
Meghan Litecky
Dysart Taylor Cotter McMonigle & Brumitt, P.C.
Elizabeth Lynch
Lynch Sharp & Associates, LLC
Marcus McLaughlin
McLaughlin Law Firm
Amy Coopman
Bridge Mediation, LLC
James Hobbs
Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C.
Anne Marchael
Anthony McDaniel
Guin Mundorf LLC
Elizabeth Murray
Baty Otto Coronado PC
Wes Shumate
Davis Bethune & Jones, LLC
Tamara Veit
McElligott, Ewan & Hall, PC
Gillian Wilcox
ACLU of Missouri
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data