Baylor Law Celebrates Exceeding Its Campaign Goal

WACO, Texas -

Baylor Law celebrates its achievement of exceeding its $50M Give Light fundraising goal through the generosity of Baylor Law alumni and friends. Baylor Law’s Give Light priorities included opportunities that expand areas of existing excellence and pursue new areas of strategic importance with the support of growing endowment resources.

While Baylor Law’s Give Light campaign has been a success due to a swell of support from its alumni and friends, the gift that pushed the Law School over its goal is a notable one. Dallas attorney James Stanton (JD ’02) established the Gerald Reading Powell Chair in Advocacy to honor his mentor, Professor Jerry Powell, long-time Practice Court Program Director, who retired from teaching Practice Court after 35 years and was presented with the honor of 2021 Baylor Lawyer of the Year.

“Baylor Law is continually blessed by the philanthropic motivations of its alumni to support our distinctive approach to legal education,” Baylor Law Dean Brad Toben stated. “At a time when our nation needs the rule of law and our justice system to address complex issues in the public square and in the private sector, Baylor Law continues to prepare Baylor Lawyers to meet these needs through the generous support of our donors.”

While not an exhaustive list, some of the critical endowment support has included gifts establishing two Chairs, one in Advocacy and one in Business and Transactional Law, planned gifts totaling over $20M, capital improvements in the Courtyard, Courtrooms, and Clinics, significant growth in the Legal Writing program, funds for Business and Transactional Law initiatives, inaugural funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, inaugural funding of the St Andrews Study Abroad program, and establishment of many new student scholarships.

“Baylor Law’s announcement of successfully meeting its Give Light Campaign is a celebration of gratitude to the donors, faculty, and staff who are critical to the success of the Law School and its continued tradition of excellence,” stated Stephanie Mabry, director of development for Baylor Law. 
 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ed Nelson, Director of Marketing & Communications
EMAIL: Ed_Nelson@Baylor.edu 
PHONE: 254-710-6681
 

ABOUT BAYLOR LAW 
Established in 1857, Baylor Law was one of the first law schools in Texas and one of the first west of the Mississippi River. Today, the school has more than 7,600 living alumni. Accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of American Law Schools, Baylor Law has a record of producing outstanding lawyers, many of whom decide upon a career in public service. Baylor Law boasts among its notable alumni two governors, members or former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, two former directors of the FBI, U.S. ambassadors, federal judges, justices of the Texas Supreme Court, and members of the Texas Legislature. In its law specialties rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program as among the best in the nation at No. 2. The National Jurist ranks Baylor Law as one of the “Best School for Practical Training” and No. 4 in the nation in its most recent “Best Law School Facilities” listing. Business Insider places Baylor Law among the top 50 law schools in the nation. Baylor Law School received the 2015 American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award, making it only the third law school in the nation to be honored with the award since its inception in 1984. Learn more at baylor.edu/law

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more at baylor.edu