Northwestern University School of Law receives $15 million gift
Northwestern University School of Law has received a $15 million gift from university trustee and law school alumnus Neil Bluhm and his family’s charitable foundation.
The gift, the biggest ever given to the law school, is part of a $25 million gift to the university, according to this press release.
Bluhm, president of JMB Realty Corp., is a 1962 graduate of the law school and a longtime benefactor of the university. He asked that his gift be allocated in ways that would help law school dean Daniel Rodriguez accomplish his key objectives.
“I am extremely pleased to support Northwestern University and the law school with this commitment,” he said in a prepared statement. “And I am especially proud to assist with the important work of the law school. I am inspired by the vision {of Rodriguez} and his goals for the law school’s mission and future.”
The largest portion of the gift—$6 million—will be used to support need-based financial aid and other key initiatives. Another $5 million will be used to help graduates who accept public service and government jobs repay their law school loans. The Bluhm Legal Clinic, which has already received $7 million in support from Bluhm, will receive $3 million more to strengthen its endowment and enhance clinical education programs.
Rodriguez said the gift will enable the law school to temper financial burdens on students, advance the work of the legal clinic and pursue “strategic initiatives” to strengthen the impact and reputation of the school.
