04/23/2026
On Monday morning, nearly 600 people gathered at the Grand America for the Justice Rising Breakfast, and we saw firsthand what Utah's legal community is capable of when it comes together.
Together, you raised $449,785 to support free civil legal help for low-income Utahns, with more donations still coming in.
That generosity matters more than ever right now, as our three partner organizations face a combined $1.2 million in federal funding cuts. And in the middle of all of it, we launched something new: the And Justice Forever Legacy Circle, our planned giving initiative designed to protect this work for generations to come.
Thank you to all our speakers.
–Mike Menssen of Mayer Brown, chair of the AJFA Leadership Committee, welcomed everyone and kept us on track.
–Retired Utah Supreme Court Justice John Pearce brought the kind of perspective that only comes from a career spent watching the courts up close.
–Anne Milne and Jody Burnett introduced And Justice Forever.
–Juliette White of Parsons Behle & Latimer delivered a heartfelt call to action.
–John Curtis, of Rocky Mountain Advisory, chair of AJFA’s Board of Trustees, wrapped up the morning with a thank you to our sponsors and supporters for caring about this work.
Thank you to our sponsors. This event would not have been possible without the generosity of so many organizations and friends who believe in our mission. We are deeply grateful to all of them.
–Utah Bar Family Law Section
–America First Credit Union
–Enbridge
–Energy Solutions
–Rocky Mountain Advisory
–Lone Peak Valuation Group
–Utah Bar Litigation Section
–Paralegal Division of the Utah State Bar
We're also grateful to our challenge sponsors, who matched donations up to $200,000.
–Florence J. Gillmor Foundation
–Evelyn Brown Lee & the James B. Lee Family
–Utah Bar Foundation
Finally, thank you to the breakfast planning committee who worked hard to make this a meaningful event.
–Chad Derum, of Manning Curtis Bradshaw & Bednar PLLC, Chair
–Mike Menssen of Mayer Brown
–Skyler Tanner of Parr Brown
–James D. Gilson of Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar
–Artemis Vamianakis of Fabian VanCott
–Ben Welch of Snell & Wilmer
–Karla Urie of Lokken & Putnam
With the funds raised, we will be able to provide safety from violence, end discrimination, stabilize families, and support vulnerable Utahns—including domestic violence survivors, older adults, and people with disabilities—as they navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives. THANK YOU!
