By Daniel S. Robinson
Who’s ready to help raise money for Orange County legal charities by smacking a little ball 100 times across 6,500 yards of pristine Newport Coast hillside with your closest friends and colleagues? That’s right; it’s once again time for the OCBA Charitable Fund to host its Annual Kenneth Lae Charity Golf Tournament to raise money for deserving charities across Orange County.
This year’s tournament will be held on April 20th, 2023, at the stunning Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Beach, and it will be followed by a 5:00 p.m. reception for golfers and non-golfers alike. It promises to be a full day of fun in the sun, networking, and philanthropy.
As Immediate Past President of the Orange County Bar Association, it is my great pleasure to serve as the 2023 President of OCBA Charitable Fund, the giving arm of the Bar dedicated to supporting organizations making a positive impact for those in need. The Kenneth Lae Charity Golf Tournament is one of two main fundraisers put on by the Charitable Fund each year. The other is the Raise Your Glass Benefit, which will be held on August 17, 2023, at the Newport Beach Country Club (if you haven’t already signed up, RSVP asap because space is limited).
Thank You’s I want to start with a thank you to all of the law firms, corporate sponsors, and individual donors who’ve contributed to the OCBA Charitable Fund over the past year. We are so fortunate to have a legal community that comes together each year to provide meaningful support for our local charitable organizations.
A very big thanks also goes to the 2023 Golf Committee chairs Jim Pack of Fragomen, Joseph Chairez of Baker Hostetler, and Chris Ross of Knobbe Martens, as well as the committee members who helped make it a tremendous success this year: Ashleigh Aitken, Bill Artigliere, John Beckley, Cathrine Castaldi, Matt Fletcher, Kelly Galligan, Scott Garner, Dan Glassman, Eoin Kreditor, Teresa McQueen, Nikki Miliband, Sarah Nowels, and Beau Stockstill.
I also want to thank this year’s Raise Your Glass Committee chairs, Nikki Miliband, Christina Zabat-Fran, and Deirdre Kelly, and all of the 2023 Charitable Fund Board Members for their dedication and support of the Charitable Fund’s events this year.
Last, but certainly not least, I want to give a huge thank you to OCBA CEO Trudy Levindofske, Associate Executive Director Christine Wilbur, Director of Operations Dennis Slaughter, and all the other wonderful OCBA staff who’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make these events spectacular.
Support the Charitable Fund and Its Charities If you’re out there reading this and wondering, “why should I support the Charitable Fund or attend these events?” The answer is simple: because you care about Orange County and want to make sure you’re doing your part to help support those in need of legal services and resources.
Let me give you a recent example of the great work the Charitable Fund has accomplished. On February 9, 2023, former OCBA President and last year’s Charitable Fund President, Larisa Dinsmoor, presented $195,000 in grants to OC-based legal charities, including:
1. Collaborative Courts Foundation (Participant Assistant Project) – $11,000
2. Community Legal Aid SoCal (Consumer Defense Program) – $20,000
3. Constitutional Rights Foundation, OC (Civic Education Program) – $35,000
4. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) (Mentor-Advocate Program) – $5,000
5. Elder Law and Disability Rights Center (Shelter Residents Rights Advocacy) – $12,500
6. Human Options (Legal Advocacy Program) – $8,000
7. Laura’s House (Legal Advocacy Services for Domestic Violence Survivors) – $8,000
8. OC Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (anti-recidivism program) – $4,000
9. OC Justice Fund (Pro se deportation defense services) – $6,000
10. Project Youth (OCBF) (SHORTOP and STOP SHORT OF ADDICTION Programs helping underserved, at-risk youth and their families) – $7,500
11. Public Law Center (legal services to indigent community members) – $30,000
12. Radiant Futures (formerly WTLC) – $8,000
13. UC Irvine School of Law (Pre-law Outreach Program) – $7,500
14. UC Irvine School of Law (Saturday Academy of Law Program) – $7,500
15. Veterans Legal Institute (Virtual Pro Bono Veteran Legal Clinics) – $25,000
The Orange County Bar Association’s Charitable Fund is proud to support these groups and their vital work assisting underprivileged members of our community. The Annual Kenneth Lae Golf Tournament is a key fundraising tool to help these organizations support their programs.
The tournament is open to all members of the Orange County Bar Association as well as the wider Orange County legal community. Participants can register individually or as a team, with various sponsorship packages ranging from $500 to $12,000. Sponsors receive recognition through the tournament signage, promotional materials, and tournament emails. The tournament this year offers the opportunity to shoot a golf ball cannon—a launching device that can propel a golf ball over 350 yards. Another highlight is the silent auction, featuring a wide range of unique items and experiences such as vacations, sporting event tickets, and memorabilia. All profits from the event go toward benefiting the charities.
We are so fortunate to live and work in a legal community where so many lawyers graciously contribute their time and resources to make a difference in the lives of others. For those of you who are able to help support the Charitable Fund and its wonderful charities, I look forward to thanking you in person at Pelican Hill Golf Course on April 20th or at Newport Beach Country Club on August 17th.
Daniel S. Robinson is the Immediate Past President of the Orange County Bar Association, a former chair of the Charitable Fund Golf Committee, and a partner at Robinson Calcagnie, Inc. He can be reached at drobinson@robinsonfirm.com.