PUBLISHED:October 10, 2011

Alemán '78 gift launches Barrister Donor Society challenge

Jaime Alemán ’78, former Ambassador of Panama to the United States and lifetime member of the Duke Law Board of Visitors, has donated $100,000 to fund the Alemán Matching Challenge Initiative, which encourages alumni to become members of the Barrister Donor Society with a gift to the Annual Fund. The challenge fund provides a dollar-for-dollar match for every Barrister-level gift made to the Annual Fund by a graduate who did not make a gift of that level last year.

“Duke Law School has been a conduit through which I’ve gained so many meaningful relationships that have helped me succeed in life and business. And, therefore, I believe that supporting the Annual Fund and being a Barrister is one of the surest ways to enable future generations of Duke Law students to enjoy the same privilege,” Alemán said.

The Duke Law Barrister Donor Society is a network of alumni and peers that shapes the future of Duke Law. Each year, Barrister membership contributions form the foundation of the Law School’s Annual Fund, accounting for more than 70 percent of annual fund dollars. These leadership gifts allow Dean David F. Levi to respond quickly to emerging – and vital – needs within the School.
Support to the Annual Fund provides the school the ability to award scholarships to deserving students; attract and maintain an outstanding faculty by supporting their teaching and research efforts; enrich all academic and clinical programs; and, generally, strengthen its reputation. The Annual Fund remains a critical component in supporting the Law School’s new curricular and programmatic initiatives while also funding its most pressing needs.

Barrister membership begins at $2,500, while recent graduates of 1-5 years, judges, educators, and those who work for the government or in public service are members at $1,000 annually. To ensure matching funds remain available, make your gift soon and double the impact of your support. Gifts can be made online at www.gifts.duke.edu/law, over the phone at 888-LAW-ALUM, or by sending a check to: Duke Law Annual Fund, Box 90389, Durham, NC 27708. Please contact Jean Brooks, director of annual giving, at 919-613-7015 or brooks@law.duke.edu with any questions.