FIU’s College of Law is excited to announce receiving an extraordinary planned gift of $1,400,000 from an anonymous donor whose generosity will have a transformative impact on the College and, most importantly, the students it serves. This remarkable contribution reflects the donor’s deep commitment to legal education and their profound belief in the vital role that well-trained lawyers play in society.
This unprecedented gift will allow the College of Law to pursue its strategic initiatives, including expanded scholarship support for deserving law students. College of Law Interim Dean Michelle Mason shared that “this generous planned gift will ensure aspiring lawyers of the future will be able to pursue a legal career without the worry of finding enough financial aid for attendance and of graduating with the burden of excessive student loans. It allows students’ drive and talent to take center stage.”
The donor's generosity comes at a pivotal moment for the College as it continues to meet the evolving needs of the legal profession to ensure that outstanding legal education remains accessible. While the College cannot publicly thank its benefactor by name, the College and FIU are profoundly moved by their commitment to students and the transformative impact on our institution.
Though the donor has chosen to remain anonymous, their impact through this planned gift will be felt for generations to come as the College works to expand opportunities for its students, enhance its academic programs, and strengthen its ability to serve the broader legal community.
Planned giving allows a donor to work philanthropy into their financial planning by designating a beneficiary like FIU into their will, life insurance, retirement accounts, and other ways.
“Planned giving allows anyone who wants to contribute to the future good to do so. This kind of philanthropy allows stability and growth to coexist; it enables the College of Law, in this case, to grow and flourish. The donor knows they are supporting future generations in a cause important to them while establishing their legacy of giving,” said Kenneth Hall, Senior Vice President of University Advancement and Chief Executive Officer at the FIU Foundation. “Through planned giving—also called legacy giving—we can all be a part of securing the future of FIU and its upward, positive growth.”
The FIU College of Law has seen exponential growth and recognition in just the past few years. Its graduates show significantly higher bar passage rates, consistently surpassing the state average. Since 2015, the College’s cumulative first-time bar passage rate has ranked No. 1 in Florida. Of the nearly 1,500 law graduates who have taken the exam, 88% passed on their first attempt, with 89% passing the July 2025 Florida bar exam. The prestigious U.S. News & World Report rankings (2025) place the College within the top 100 best in the nation, top 50 best public law school, top 50 best in international law, and the No. 23 best part-time law program, the last being a popular option for working professionals.
Donor support also plays a role in the university’s rankings; for example, scholarships such as these help keep students in school and increase graduation rates, a key factor considered in rankings and additional funding.
The entire College of Law community is deeply grateful for this vote of confidence in its mission and vision for the future. FIU law students of the future will benefit immensely from the anonymous donor whose desire to help may make the ultimate difference for students working to enter our legal system.