Making a Gift

To make a gift via credit card on-line, please visit the University Development Office's web site or, you may mail your contributions to:

Notre Dame Law School
1100 Grace Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Please indicate clearly either on your check, on a note enclosed with your check, or in the comment section of the online form whether the gift is unrestricted to the Law School or restricted to a particular fund.

For more information on giving to the Notre Dame Law School, please contact the Law School Advancement Office at (574) 631-2768 or lawschoolannualfund@nd.edu.

Order of St. Thomas More

Founded in 1869, the Notre Dame Law School is the oldest Catholic law school in the United States. It draws its inspiration from two ancient traditions: the English and American tradition of common law based in court decisions, customs and common usages; and the Catholic tradition of Sir Thomas More, who valued his integrity more than life itself and who was executed for being more loyal to conscience than to king.

We believe the two traditions complement each other and that the Catholic orientation adds value and richness to the study of law. It also helps to position, historically, the roots of our legal system, planted several centuries ago during a time when all major European universities were Catholic and the Church provided intellectual leadership for the entire western world.

In a community where people of every kind of opinion are welcomed and valued for the different contributions they have to make, the exact significance of the Law School's religious orientation is difficult to state and, in some ways, is controversial. Nevertheless, it is a tradition that recognizes the importance of religious and moral values and is unapologetic about bringing such values to bear upon daily life and upon the study and interpretation of law.

The Notre Dame Law School established this leadership giving society in 1982 in honor of a truly Catholic lawyer to honor those individuals who, in a significant way, support the ideals of the Law School: providing an education based in English and American common law and in Catholic intellectual tradition; forming competent and compassionate Notre Dame Lawyers who engage in their practice of law as God's good servants first; and conducting the highest levels of scholarship of national and international significance.

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Members of the Order of St. Thomas More annually contribute $1,000 to the Law School. As membership in the Order grows, its impact grows proportionately. Members take pride in knowing that they have directly supported priorities that have had helped the Law School achieve particular successes such as attracting high-quality students, developing an internationally recognized faculty and furthering scholarship in areas of interest to practitioners and legal scholars.

Gifts may be unrestricted, or may be designated by the donor to support specific needs within the Law School including:

• General Law School Fund (unrestricted, dean's discretionary fund)
• General Fellowship Fund (expendable)
• Special Fellowship Funds (endowed or expendable, new or previously established fund)
• Kresge Law Library
• Loan Forgiveness Endowment

Gifts need not be designated to one fund or given at one time. Any benefactor who gives a total of $1,000 to the Law School over the course of one calendar year is considered a member of the Order of St. Thomas More.

Members of the Order receive the following benefits, which mirror those provided to members of the University's Sorin Society, but which also include some unique benefits for Law School benefactors:

• Notre Dame Lawyer magazine, which features people and programs of the Law School, for anyone not currently on the magazine's mailing list;
• President's Newsletter, published monthly during the academic year;
• Notre Dame magazine, the University's award-winning magazine, which features news about the University and articles with a strong intellectual focus;
• priority when enrolling in Continuing Legal Education courses offered by the Law School;
• honorary membership in the University Club, a private dining facility located on campus; and
• a memento symbolizing membership in the Order of St. Thomas More. 
• ticket assistance for home football games.

Of course, members also benefit from the satisfaction of knowing that these significant gifts directly assist the Notre Dame Law School in achieving its highest aspirations.

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or to request additional information, please contact:
Jill Donnelly
Executive Director, Order of St. Thomas More
1100 Grace Hall
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5612
(574) 631-2998
(574) 631-8325 fax
Jill.E.Donnelly.18@nd.edu

To make a gift via credit card on-line, please visit the University Development Office's web site.

You may also mail your contributions to:

Order of St. Thomas More
Notre Dame Law School
P.O. Box 519
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Please indicate clearly either on your check, on a note enclosed with your check, or in the comment section of the online form whether the gift is unrestricted to the Law School or restricted to a particular fund.

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St. Thomas More, the patron saint of Notre Dame Lawyers and university students, held various positions in the government of England during the reign of King Henry VIII. A devoted husband father of four children, he was a deeply religious man who lived an austere life. He was renowned throughout England and beyond for his wit and brilliance.

While Lord Chancellor of England, Thomas came into conflict with King Henry VIII. He could not agree that it was lawful for the king to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Moreover, as a devout Roman Catholic, Thomas refused to take an oath that required acceptance of the king as supreme head of the Church of England.

As a consequence, Thomas was imprisoned in the tower of London, tried for treason and beheaded. In his final words from the scaffold, he affirmed that he died Athe king's good servant, but God's first.

Canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935. Feast Day: June 22.

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Law School Annual Fund

Contributions to the Law School Annual Fund significantly affect the quality of the education we provide at the Notre Dame Law School. Unrestricted gifts support the Law School's most pressing needs Currently, expendable financial aid. Gifts to the Law School General Fellowship Fund are expended annually in the form of fellowships to deserving students. Restricted gifts to endowed funds such as special fellowships or library collection maintenance ensure the long-term financial stability of the Law School and its various programs.

Gifts of $1,000 or more to the Law School Annual Fund in any one calendar year qualify the donor for membership in the Order of St. Thomas More.

For more information on contributing to the Law School Annual Fund, please contact:
Jill E. Donnelly
Director, Law School Annual Fund
1100 Grace Hall
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5612
(574) 631-2998
(574) 631-8325 fax
lawschoolannualfund@nd.edu

To make a gift via credit card on-line, please visit the University Development Office's web site.

Or, you may mail your contribution directly to:

Law School Annual Fund
Notre Dame Law School
P.O. Box 519
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Please indicate clearly either on your check, on a note enclosed with your check, or in the comment section of the online form whether the gift is unrestricted to the Law School or restricted to a particular fund.

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Other Gift Information

The Law School maintains nearly 100 endowed fellowship funds in addition to the Law School General Fellowship Fund, which is expended annually to support deserving students, and the Law School Endowed Fellowship Fund, which ensures the long-term financial stability of fellowship assistance to law students.

Benefactors are welcome to contribute to either the General (expendable) fund, the Endowed Fund or any of the special fellowship funds including those established in honor of members of the Law School faculty and administration:

Reverend Michael D. McCafferty, C.S.C., Law Fellowship, established in 1987 by his family, colleagues and former students. Father McCafferty was a member of the NDLS Class of 1973, member of the NDLS faculty from 1978 until his death in 1987, and assistant dean from 1979 to 1981. Awarded to law students who exhibit the same dedication to integrating faith with the practice of law as demonstrated by Fr. McCafferty during his short life. Members of the NDLS Classes of 1979 through 1989 have made special commitments to this fund as part of their annual giving.

Captain William O. McLean Law Fellowship, established in 1994 to honor Captain McLean, assistant dean of the Law School from 1975 to 1994, for his broad range of service to students and in recognition of his contributions to the Notre Dame Tax and Estate Planning Institute. Awarded to law students who exhibit strong academic and personal credentials, along with financial need, with consideration given to students who have served in the U.S. armed forces

Professor Edward J. Murphy Law Fellowship, established in 1996 by his family and colleagues. Professor Edward J. Murphy served with distinction on the NDLS faculty for over 40 years. Members of the NDLS Class of 1972 made a significant commitment to this fund on the occasion of their 25^th reunion in 1997.

Dean Joseph A. O'Meara Law Fellowship, established by his former students and colleagues to honor the former dean of the Notre Dame Law School, who served from 1952 until 1968.

 

Other fellowships may be particularly significant to members of particular NDLS classes:

Members of the Class of 1959 established the Class of 1959 Memorial Law Fellowship in 1990 to honor deceased classmates.

Members of the Class of 1968 established the Class of 1968 Memorial Law Fellowship in 1998 to honor deceased classmates on the occasion of their 30^th reunion.

Members of the Class of 1975 regularly contribute to the Peter A.R. Lardy Memorial Law Fellowship, established by his colleagues and classmates as a tribute to his courage, love and understanding toward others. A committee of members of the Class of 1975 selects a second- or third-year student for the award.

Members of the Class of 1980 may wish to contribute to either of two fellowships in honor of deceased classmates who participated in the second-year program at the Notre Dame London Law Centre: the Harry Bainbridge Memorial Fellowship, which honors a classmate who died in the Pan Am Flight 103 explosion over Lockerbie Scotland, and the John Bruce Dodds Memorial Law Fellowship, which honors a classmate who persevered through law school despite cancer and the amputation of his leg but who died shortly after beginning his law practice in Houston. Both fellowships are awarded to students studying in the second-year program at the Notre Dame London Law Centre.

Members of the Class of 1981 may wish to contribute to the Kim Conness Memorial Law Fellowship, which is awarded to a third-year student who excelled in the second-year program at the Notre Dame London Law Centre, upon the recommendation of the program director.

Members of the Class of 1997 may wish to contribute to the Joseph Ciraolo Memorial Fellowship established by his parents in honor of their classmate who died from a congenital disorder just two weeks before graduation. Preference is given, first, to students from his undergraduate institution, Canisius College, and second, to students from the Buffalo, New York area.

 

Benefactors may also establish fellowships to honor individuals or causes with personal significance. Such fellowships may be expendable or endowed, at the discretion of the benefactor. For more information on establishing a fellowship, please contact Glenn Rosswurm in the Law School Advancement Office at (574) 631-7609 or rosswurm.3@nd.edu.

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The gift must be made between January 1 and December 31 of the current year to make an
alumnus eligible for the following year’s lottery.

Any gift to the Law School, whether to the Law School Annual Fund, as a payment against a previous
commitment, or as a restricted gift– e.g., a scholarship/fellowship program or library endowment – is credited toward eligibility. Corporate matching gifts do NOT count toward eligibility.

Ticket applications are mailed each year by the Football Ticket Office in April and have a mid-May deadline. Current year graduates automatically qualify for the applications (i.e. 2007 graduates receive 2007 football ticket applications), whereas all other graduates are bound by the gift requirements of the football ticket policy. The Senior Alumni Game and Parent’s Game guarantees remain the same.

The national Alumni Association Board of Directors sets the minimum contribution required by alumni to qualify for the alumni football ticket lottery.

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