University of California, Irvine, on Monday said that Donald Bren, chairman of The Irvine Company, gave a $20 million gift to its law school, which now will bear his name.
The gift, one of two $20 million donations the school received last week, will establish an endowment that will help UC Irvine recruit and hire a dean and other staff.
UCI will name the school the Donald Bren School of Law in honor of the gift.
“My hope is that this school will educate a new generation of talented students in both law and other important interdisciplinary studies and produce well-rounded and highly qualified professionals and leaders,” Bren said in a statement.
“This gift provides tremendous momentum for our new law school,” said Chancellor Michael V. Drake in a statement.
The law school is scheduled to open in fall 2009. It will offer several degrees, including a Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, Doctor of the Science of Law as well as other programs that will integrate law with technology, social policy, international business and healthcare.
Bren has a history of supporting UCI and has donated over $60 million to the school.
