Pub. 7 2018 Issue 3

l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s 22 INTRODUCING THE IOLTA PARTNERS IN JUSTICE PROGRAM By Anne Woods, IOLTA State Director, Kansas Bar Foundation L ast year, the Kansas Bar Foundation IOLTA Committee and the Kansas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees committed to establishing a Partners in Justice program to encourage financial institutions to further embrace the purpose of IOLTA by agreeing to pay supportive interest rates. The KBF Partners in Justice program guidelines require financial institutions to pay at least 70% of the maximum value of the Federal Funds Target Rate range (with a minimum of 0.7%) on all IOLTA deposits. In support of IOLTA’s charitable purpose, most banks throughout the U.S. routinely waive fees on IOLTA accounts. The Partners in Justice program requires partners to waive fees. CoreFirst Bank & Trust has made that commitment. “The Kansas Bar Foundation is proud to help fund some of the otherwise unmet legal needs that occur each year across Kansas,” stated Scott Hill, IOLTA Committee Chair, who has Hon. Evelyn Z. Wilson, President, Kansas Bar Foundation and Kurt Kuta, President and CEO, CoreFirst Bank & Trust, launch the new Partners in Justice program for IOLTA. been instrumental in developing the Partners in Justice program. “With the efforts of our banking partners such as CoreFirst which has accepted the challenge to serve as the Foundation’s first Partner in Justice, we will be able to make a much more sizeable difference in the years to come.” CoreFirst Bank & Trust is a long- time IOLTA partner and embraced the opportunity. “CoreFirst Bank & Trust has participated in the IOLTA program since 1985. We proudly support the Kansas Bar Foundation’s mission of awarding grants to organizations that provide justice and legal education. The Partners in Justice program gives us the ability to provide extra funding so families in need can get the judicial access and support they deserve and don’t always receive,” stated Kurt Kuta, President & CEO, CoreFirst Bank & Trust. The Partners in Justice program provides banks with an opportunity to attract high-value clients through free marketing provided by the Kansas Bar Foundation while at the same time making a difference in Kansas communities. Banks and the Kansas Bar Foundation have similar goals in funding programs that make a difference. In 2018, the following Kansas organizations received IOLTA funding: 2018 Grants Kansas Legal Services Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas Kansas CASA National Institute for Trial Advocacy Law Wise-KBA Law Related Education Committee El Centro Wichita Family Crisis Center The Kansas Bar Foundation will provide participating banks information to use for Community Reinvestment Act purposes. The documentation will detail the purpose of the shared goals between IOLTA and CRA, the distribution of IOLTA funds and the total dollar amount invested by the Partners in Justice bank. To learn more about the Partners in Justice program, please contact Anne Woods, IOLTA State Director, at 785-861-8838 or awoods@ksbar.org. . “With the efforts of our banking partners such as CoreFirst which has accepted the challenge to serve as the Foundation’s first Partner in Justice, we will be able to make a much more sizeable difference in the years to come.”