The Education Magazine
October 27, 2026
DePaul University’s Law College renamed to honor alumni Robert and Joan Clifford, whose $30 million donation will lead to the law school being named the Robert A. Clifford College of Law. Announced on October 26, 2026, DePaul University’s $30 million gift will establish scholarships, faculty fellowships, and a new trial advocacy center while supporting other priorities at the Chicago-based law school. The renaming recognizes Robert Clifford’s connection to the university and the couple’s longstanding support for legal education.
DePaul University alumnus Robert Clifford is a Chicago trial attorney and the founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices, a firm specializing in personal injury and wrongful death litigation. He earned his undergraduate business degree from DePaul in 1973 and his law degree in 1976. Joan Clifford graduated from the university’s College of Education in 1972.
Why Is DePaul University’s Law College Renamed After Robert A. Clifford?
DePaul University’s Law College was renamed after Robert A. Clifford in recognition of the couple’s $30 million gift and their longstanding relationship with the institution. Clifford is a DePaul Life Trustee and is celebrating his 50th reunion with College of Law classmates in October 2026.
The couple’s earlier contributions to legal education and civil justice scholarship led to the DePaul University’s Law College name change.
Clifford said,
“I am a proud alumnus of the law school and felt this was a way to give back to an institution that has given me so much.”
DePaul President Robert L. Manuel said the donation of Robert and Joan Clifford builds on the law school’s history and strengthens its role in preparing lawyers to serve their communities and advance justice.
How Will DePaul University’s $30 Million Gift Be Used?
DePaul University’s $30 million gift will support students, faculty research, practical legal training, and the law school’s wider academic priorities. The university has outlined several initiatives under the gift.
- Clifford Excellence Scholarships: These will provide financial support to high-achieving law students who demonstrate integrity, compassion, service, and ethics.
- Clifford Distinguished Faculty Fellows: This three-year program will fund faculty research and scholarship. Fellows will also host small academic symposia to encourage discussion with legal and academic communities.
- Robert A. Clifford Trial Advocacy, Litigation, and Negotiation Center: The new center will provide skills-based training, support participation in national mock trial and negotiation competitions, and create opportunities for alumni to mentor students.
- Robert A. Clifford College of Law Endowment: The endowment will support the new programs, the Clifford Symposium on Tort Law & Social Policy, technology upgrades, new program development, and other faculty and student priorities.
DePaul University’s $30 million gift will support several areas of DePaul’s College of Law. Scholarship funding will help students pay for their legal education, while faculty fellowships will support legal research and academic work. The planned center for trial advocacy, litigation, and negotiation will also focus on developing students’ practical skills in courtroom advocacy and legal negotiations.
How Does DePaul University’s $30 million gift Build on the Cliffords’ Earlier Contributions?
DePaul University’s $30 million gift expands a relationship that has supported legal scholarship at the university for decades. In 1992, DePaul established the Robert A. Clifford Chair for Tort Law & Social Policy, its first endowed chair. The Clifford Symposium on Tort Law & Social Policy followed in 1995, bringing scholars and practitioners together to discuss tort law and civil justice.
DePaul University also runs the Clifford Scholar-in-Residence Program, now in its sixth year. It brings an emerging civil justice scholar to the law school for a workshop and public address, encouraging debate on issues affecting consumers.
The latest donation of $30 million from Robert and Joan Clifford will strengthen these existing programs while adding resources for students, faculty, and professional development. It also supports DePaul’s broader Mission: Forward campaign, which aims to raise $650 million for academic innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and purpose-driven education across the university.
What Are The Effects on Students After DePaul University’s Law College Renamed?
DePaul University’s Law College renamed, as Robert A. Clifford gifted $30 million to the institution that will support scholarships, faculty fellowships, and a new center for trial advocacy, litigation, and negotiation. The Scholarships can help students manage the cost of legal education, while the new center is intended to strengthen practical skills in advocacy and negotiation.
DePaul University’s faculty fellowships will also support the law school’s academic work. Together, these initiatives connect DePaul University’s Law College name change with investments in students’ education and professional preparation.
Robert A. Clifford’s $30 million gift to the DePaul University of Law College therefore marks both a recognition of Robert and Joan Clifford’s relationship with the university and an investment in the next generation of legal professionals.
