Cancellation of Annual VelanDale Scholarship Dinner

The Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers’ (WAAL) Board of Directors has made the decision to cancel this year’s 30th Annual VelanDale Scholarship Dinner, originally scheduled for September 17, 2020. After careful consideration and out of an abundance of caution for our guests’ health and safety, we are cancelling the scholarship dinner based on the ongoing uncertainty surrounding large gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We take our responsibility to honor Vel and Dale Phillips, and the Black legal community very seriously and want to properly recognize the commemorative year of scholarship dinner in a celebratory manner. To that end, we will celebrate the 30th Annual VelanDale Scholarship Dinner in September 2021.

Although we are unable to physically gather in celebration of our students and lawyers, WAAL remains committed to supporting our members. WAAL will award four law students with the 2020 WAAL scholarship awards. Additionally, we are accepting nominations for the 2020 WAAL Attorney of the Year Award. Nominations can be submitted online HERE by July 6, 2020. We will announce and recognize award recipients in an upcoming newsletter and on social media. We will also formally celebrate them at next year’s celebration.

As we continue to face a challenging and unprecedented summer and fall, we sincerely appreciate the demonstrated support of WAAL and our mission.

If you'd like to donate to the WAAL Educational Foundation, please click here.