William R. Jentes, ’56
Bill Jentes, ’56, one of the Law School’s long-time supporters, has recently made a gift of $1.5 million to the building fund to help in the construction of much-needed new classrooms, expanded legal clinic facilities, and gathering space for students. His gift is motivated by the desire to help the Law School with its highest philanthropic priority.
“The new academic building and Commons are beautiful, highly functional spaces that will con-siderably enhance Michigan Law’s ability to fulfill its mission of first-rate teaching and scholarship,” says Jentes. “I have always appreciated the superlative education I received at Michigan, and I’m pleased to help make this historic project a reality.”
The new commitment by Jentes continues his dedi-cation as one of the Law School’s most engaged graduates. In 1989 he created the Jentes Scholars Program, which has awarded full scholarships to nine students annually on the basis of undergraduate achievement and potential to excel at Michigan Law.
In addition, he has frequently taught a seminar at Michigan on complex litigation, his specialty at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, where he practiced for nearly four decades, and where he acted as lead trial and appellate counsel in many of the firm’s most significant cases. Jentes now serves as an independent arbitrator and mediator of major domestic and international commercial disputes.