FORWARD: Campaign for the Fordham Law Experience typographic slogan

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

FACULTY ARE THE FOUNDATION

A FOCUS ON FACULTY FUNDING

Fordham Law’s FORWARD campaign continues to raise the philanthropic support needed to enhance students’ experiences, education, and engagement. Thanks to the Law School community’s future-focused philanthropy, students are realizing the transformative potential of a legal education through the work of Fordham Law faculty and staff.
By Erin DeGregorio

F

aculty are the heartbeat of Fordham Law. They share ideas freely, collaborate with one another and with students on key areas of the law, and foster open academic discourse that transforms students into the legal leaders of tomorrow.

One key goal of Fordham Law’s FORWARD campaign has been to raise philanthropic support that advances faculty members’ scholarly endeavors—which, in turn, aids students in their education, research initiatives, and post-graduate experiential learning opportunities. Students have the opportunity to build their résumés and network as research assistants—not to mention maintain lifelong relationships with their mentors after graduation.

“By supporting the faculty, donors ensure that we can provide the highest-quality teaching and ensure a first-rate experience for our students both in and out of class,” said Joseph Landau, associate dean for academic affairs. “We are fortunate to have a faculty that cares deeply about good teaching.”

Incentives for Excellence

A portrait headshot photograph of Bennett Capers grinning in his see-through prescription glasses and grey business suit with a multi-colored (baby blue and green striped) button-up dress shirt underneath within an outside setting

Endowed faculty chairs that have been established in key scholarship areas allow students to learn from the best in the field, including Professor Bennett Capers. An authority on issues at the intersection of race, gender, technology, and criminal justice, Capers was named the John D. Feerick Research Chair in August 2022. (Read more on p. 55.)

“There’s something special about holding a chair named in honor of a colleague [Dean Emeritus John Feerick ’61] whose office isn’t far from mine and who I see almost daily at school,” said Capers. “In a way, I feel as if I’m not just representing myself in my scholarship, teaching, and service, but also representing John. They’re big shoes to fill.”

Chairs reflect not only the recipient’s academic achievements, but also Fordham Law’s prominent place in the field of legal education. They help to attract and retain influential teachers and scholars—which helps the Law School attract top students. “I’m also interested in doing what I can to encourage others to endow chairs,” said Capers. “It’s one of the most important contributions someone can make to ensure the continued success of Fordham Law School.”

A portrait headshot photograph of Conrad "Connie" Voldstead smiling in a black business suit with a white button-up dress shirt and multi-colored style tie (dark blue and white) as part of his left eye temple area plus cheek is slightly burned resembling a scar
Conrad “Connie” Voldstad ’82— former CEO of International Swaps and Derivatives Association, who also held senior management positions at Merrill Lynch and JPMorgan—has supported numerous initiatives under the leaderships of Deans Matthew Diller, Michael M. Martin, and William M. Treanor, including the Dean’s Annual Fund and endowed scholarships. Most recently, Voldstad helped to initiate an endowed faculty fund in honor of Father Joseph M. McShane, S.J., who retired as university president in June 2022. Through his family, Father McShane was connected to the Law School long before leading the University; his father Owen P. McShane and younger brother Thomas A. McShane graduated from Fordham Law in 1940 and 1982, respectively. During his presidency, his niece Sarah C. McShane also received her J.D. in 2021.

Voldstad recalled the support Father McShane showed the Law School following the financial crisis of 2008, the optimism he exuded ahead of the construction of the new Law School building in 2014, and his overall commitment to the Law School’s growth throughout his 19-year presidency. “I remember Father McShane once saying that the Law School was the ‘crown jewel of Fordham University,’” said Voldstad. “The Law School can only be that if it has the best faculty in the whole University.”

Voldstad hopes this endowed faculty fund will aid faculty objectives, while tangentially cementing Father McShane’s legacy.

“I wanted to continue to support the Law School, and the one thing my family and I hadn’t yet done was help the faculty,” he added. “I hope that this fund indicates, at the very least, how my family feels about Fordham and its importance to us, as well as the impact the faculty and Father McShane have had on me.”

A Lifelong Impact

A portrait headshot photograph of Michael Carlinksy grinning in a dark navy blue business suit and powder blue button-up dress shirt
Michael Carlinksy
A portrait headshot photograph of Bill Urquhart smiling in a light blue button-up dress shirt with both arm sleeves rolled up and a watch on his left arm as he leans on the edge of a window indoors
The late Bill Urquhart FCRH ’69, LAW ’77
Although Michael Carlinsky, managing partner of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and father of 2022 alumnus Dillon Carlin, did not attend Fordham Law, he believes lawyers have a responsibility to give back to the next generation. Inspired by his educational experiences and in memory of his late colleague A. William “Bill” Urquhart FCRH ’69, LAW ’77, who was a partner at Quinn Emanuel, Carlinsky established an endowed scholarship fund for Fordham Law during the campaign and committed seed funding to launch the Dean’s Research Scholars Fund, an instrumental initiative in advancing faculty members’ scholarly endeavors.

“I remember fondly when Bill and I would do OCI together in the Law School’s classrooms,” said Carlinsky. “There’s a part of me that feels a sense of loyalty to Fordham Law because of my love and admiration for Bill.

“I also remember how my favorite law professors gave me confidence by helping me understand a particular subject in an interesting, engaging way,” Carlinsky added. “I think any law school needs to make sure it’s continuing to strive to both recruit and retain the very best—not just academically, but from a personality standpoint too. It’s a great opportunity for the Law School to continue to improve its profile and to attract and retain great faculty, which then translates into attracting the best law school candidates who want to be engaged and have amazing opportunities.”

Faculty research support, provided by initiatives like the Dean’s Research Scholars Fund, plays an instrumental role in ensuring Fordham Law’s prominent place in legal education. “We are an unparalleled faculty, with expertise in a range of fields, from business law to international law, constitutional law and legal theory, intellectual property and information law—the list goes on,” said Landau. “Fundraising accelerates the Law School’s ability to promote our groundbreaking research, both internally and externally. It creates more opportunities to intervene in scholarly discussions locally, nationally, and globally. And it influences the classroom, where we bring our research to bear on what we teach our students.”

Digital gradient spectrum banner of a blue/turquoise color

TO LEARN MORE about how you can contribute to the endowed faculty fund in Father McShane’s name or how to create a new endowed faculty chair, please contact Brian S. Lenker, senior executive director of development and campaign director, at blenker@fordham.edu or 212-636-6569.

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