Dean's Message
If you graduated from, attended or even visited the University of Michigan Law School, you know about William W. Cook (1858-1930). We have Cook to thank for the generous gift that built our magnificent Law Quadrangle and established an endowment to support legal research. Through such farsighted philanthropy, a single individual helped propel Michigan into the ranks of top law schools worldwide, where the School has remained ever since.
In our current campaign, we’ve made a commitment to sustaining and enhancing that reputation as we get set to begin our second 150 years of Michigan Law’s excellence in legal education. And that’s precisely why we’re asking alumni and friends to build on William Cook’s passionate commitment and visionary philanthropy by giving to one or more of these critical areas of support:
- Expansion of our facilities to meet the needs of a 21st century legal education. Highlights include additional small classrooms and seminar rooms, new space for our clinical programs, and a central gathering place for students. These needs reflect the dynamic, interactive spirit of today’s Michigan Law training.
- Endow several new professorships as well as other funds that will help Michigan Law recruit and retain top faculty – a fundamental necessity for us to remain among the world’s best law schools.
- Raise additional funds for endowed student support, so that we can recruit the students who will best thrive at Michigan Law and ensure that each of those students who belongs here can afford the opportunity.
- Increased participation in giving to the Law School Fund, the oldest annual fund at the University of Michigan. Unrestricted funds help Michigan Law respond quickly to new opportunities, strengthen existing programs and develop new ones, and support student and faculty initiatives.
I deeply appreciate your support and welcome your ideas and questions as we move forward through the campaign.
Evan H. Caminker
Dean