DePaul Renames Law School Following $30 Million Gift
The investment targets expanded trial advocacy training and scholarships for the next generation of Chicago legal talent.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Philanthropy
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DePaul University is renaming its College of Law to the Robert A. Clifford College of Law following a $30 million donation from Robert and Joan Clifford. The gift is intended to expand student opportunities and elevate the profile of the institution through new training and faculty programs.
Why it matters
For legal operators in Chicago, this investment marks a significant expansion in local litigation-focused education and professional development. The gift bolsters trial advocacy resources and scholarship programs, signaling a shift in resources toward specialized skills training within the city's legal community.
The $30 million donation represents a major infusion into the university, which builds upon the firm's history of recovering over $5 billion in verdicts. The endowment will specifically support new fellowship and scholarship programs, though the total size of the law school's existing endowment is not disclosed.
The players
DePaul University
A major Chicago-based private research university that maintains a prominent College of Law.
Robert A. Clifford
A trial attorney who founded Clifford Law Offices in 1984 and serves as a Life Trustee for the university.
Clifford Law Offices
A Chicago-based personal injury and complex litigation firm known for high-value recoveries.
The details
The gift establishes the Robert A. Clifford Trial Advocacy, Litigation, and Negotiation Center to support skills-oriented training and mock trial competitions. Additionally, the university will create Clifford Excellence Scholarships for law students and fund Clifford Distinguished Faculty Fellows programs to encourage research. These initiatives aim to deepen practical legal preparation for students while increasing the school's faculty research output.
Timeline
1979: Robert Clifford began representing plane crash victims.
1984: Clifford Law Offices was founded.
2019: Litigation occurred regarding the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX8 crash.
October 2026: Robert Clifford celebrates his 50th law school reunion.
Market Landscape
This renaming reflects a broader trend of successful litigation firm principals investing in university-level training to define the next generation of legal talent. It mirrors the strategic pattern of large-scale naming rights deals used to enhance the academic profile and competitive standing of professional schools.
Local firms should track the release of new trial advocacy curricula and faculty-led research that may shift the baseline for graduate skill sets. Operators in the legal sector can monitor the impact on recruitment pipelines as the university integrates these new scholarship and fellowship initiatives.
The takeaway
This gift creates a new benchmark for specialized litigation training in Chicago, emphasizing the industry's focus on practical skill development. Firms should monitor for upcoming center-sponsored competitions and faculty research that may provide new recruitment or networking opportunities for practicing attorneys.
Further reading
For more on large-scale donor activity, visit the Philanthropy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
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