Last Thursday, April 10, the Durham Bar Foundation hosted a fundraising event for our Adam Lischer Memorial Scholarship Award fund and other legal-industry philanthropic endeavors. Co-Chairpersons (and past DCBA presidents) Brandon Robinson and Catherine Pavur led a team which gathered *nineteen* sponsors across firms and individuals, 135 attendees, and a small-but-mighty silent auction.
While the final report is pending, we have been cleared by President Josh McIntyre to share that the Durham Bar Foundation's (First) Annual Benefit has raised over $21,000!
If you missed it and want to donate, we're still tallying and would love to take that number even higher, the donate link is at the top of this page!
Below we'll share our sponsors and link you over to some early-release photos from ZimZoom and Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine's Robert Friedman, with more photos on the way!
During the evening, we shared a video message from a few of our scholarship recipients which is also posted below.
2025 Foundation Benefit Photos
Adam Lischer Memorial Scholarship Recipient Video
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
The District Court Judges: Chief Clayton Jones, Doretta Walker, Amanda Maris, David Hall, Dorothy Mitchell, Kevin Jones, and Kendra Montgomery Blinn
Johnson & Groninger, PLLC
Manning Fulton & Skinner and its past DCBA presidents: Reich Welborn, Charlie Steel, Eugene Dauchert and Dieter Mauch
Bronze Sponsors
Chief Public Defender Dawn Baxton
Clerk of Superior Court Aminah Thompson
Kornbluth Ginsberg Law Group, P.A.
Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company
The McIntyre Family
Shannon A. Tucker
We're so excited to welcome you to Mystic Farm & Distillery for a night of entertainment, fellowship and fun.
The goal of this event is to raise funds for the Adam Lischer Memorial Scholarship Award and for community charitable causes that are approved by the board of the Durham Bar Foundation.
Our signature scholarship, the Adam Lischer Memorial Scholarship Award, is presented annually to Durham residents enrolled in our North Carolina law schools. Past recipients have gone on to work across the country, with several choosing to build their careers right here in Durham.
Of course, the Bar Foundation Benefit will include opportunities to sample the Mystic products -- bourbon whiskeys, vodka, gin, rum -- and also opportunities to bid on auction items while enjoying the society of your colleagues. Each ticket will include two drinks from the bar (including some non-alcoholic options), and we're serving a variety of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres.
Silent Auction Items are Rolling In!
A Staycation - a night at the Washington Duke Inn
DPAC Tickets - Beauty & The Beast
A Week-Long Ocean Isle Beach House Getaway
Concert Tickets to Tyler - the Creator at Lenovo Center
Dinner for 2 at Parizade Restaurant
Duke Basketball - Signed by Coach K
4 Passes to the University Club's Spring Wine Expo
2 tickets to UNC vs. TCU Football September 1
2009-2010 Duke Basketball Team Poster Signed by Team
Mystic Distillery Deluxe Tour for 4 Including Tastings
Ticket Pricing
General Attendance Tickets $150
Young Lawyers Tickets $100
Law Student/Intern/Firm Staff/Paralegal $60
Guest Tickets
We welcome your guests and invite you to bring your family member(s) and friends who are not attorneys. Guest tickets are purchased at the same rate as the member ticket to which they are connected.
Sponsorships
We also invite firms and individuals to take on sponsorship roles alongside us. Every sponsor dollar will be fully tax-deductible as the Foundation is our 501(c)3 entity. Sponsor categories and benefits are listed in the table below. Please reach out to Bonnie Biggs if you are interested in sponsoring the Benefit. Note: All levels have tickets included in the sponsorship.
Benefit Leadership Team
Co-Chairs: Past Presidents Brandon Robinson & Catherine Pavur
Committee Members
Donor Relations: Joshua McIntyre, Matthew Turpin & Carl Newman
Registration & Event Management: Abigail Holloway & Bonnie Biggs
Auction Acquisitions & Activities: Shannon Tucker, Daniel Ellison & Michael Kohagen
Volunteer Management / YLD: Daniel Mullins