Vanderbilt Law School’s Firm Giving program is designed to give alumni at law firms and organizations an opportunity to connect with their alma mater, as well as to promote annual giving to the law school in a fun and competitive way. Employers with two or more VLS graduates are encouraged to participate in the program, led by one or more Firm Representatives. Within each firm or organization, our Firm Reps inspire their colleagues to join together and meet the 100% giving participation challenge during the law school’s fiscal year. Any gift or pledge payment made to the law school between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020 counts toward program totals.
In addition to the community created by the VLS alumni coming together for this cause, your firm receives recognition for the commitment to and support of the law school’s mission to provide a superior legal education. If you achieve a place on our Firm Giving Honor Roll, the firm will be recognized on signage displayed in the Office of Career Services and in the law school lobby during local events and Reunion festivities, where it will be seen by hundreds of Vanderbilt alumni, students and guests. The Honor Roll is also published in the Vanderbilt Law magazine, the Law@Vanderbilt e-newsletter and here on the Firm Giving program website. Firms that participate in on-campus interviews will also find their interview suites decorated to recognize the achievement of reaching 100% giving participation. This recognition demonstrates to current law students and other visiting firms the strong affinity and commitment to VLS held by your firm.
Not only will your gift provide financial support for important programs, but it also increases our overall alumni participation rate. Participation is more than a statistic; it is the primary measure of alumni support. By making a gift, you demonstrate the value you place on your legal education and connection to VLS. Participation rates are also viewed as a vote of alumni satisfaction and are often considered by potential major donors (including corporations and foundations) when making funding decisions. Firm Giving provides a fun and easy opportunity to make a difference and show your support of the law school.
Any gift or pledge payment to the law school made during the current fiscal year (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020) will count toward your participation in the Firm Giving program. This includes, but is not limited to:
Gifts made to other schools and programs at Vanderbilt (e.g., Arts & Science, Athletics, Alumni Association, Medical Center) are not credited to the Law School and therefore not factored into our alumni participation rate. They do not count towards your participation in the Firm Giving program.
If you’re not sure whether you’ve made a gift to the law school during the current fiscal year, please contact Sydney Talley in our Development & Alumni Relations office at (615) 322-0814 or sydney.talley@vanderbilt.edu.
Start by making a gift yourself. Then talk with your colleagues about the program and why you are participating. The primary reason people will choose to give is because they are asked by someone they know. You should also speak to your firm’s representative to see how you can best help them.
Firm Representatives are volunteers who inform and motivate their colleagues to make a gift to VLS. Typically, each spring we send the volunteer(s) information about the program, the number of alumni at their firm or company and information on how to get everyone involved. Once our campaign kicks off, the Participating Firms and Stats page is updated weekly with the currently alumni participation for each firm. Volunteers will also receive periodic detailed updates on the firm’s giving status from the Development & Alumni Relations staff.
The Firm Giving program is open to any firm, company or organization where two or more VLS alumni are employed. You can volunteer to serve as your employer’s representative by reaching out to Sydney Talley, associate director of volunteer outreach, at (615) 322-0814 or sydney.talley@vanderbilt.edu.
