Brill Chair Investiture

Chicago-Kent College of Law held the Brill Chair Investiture on Tuesday September 13th, honoring legal writing legend Ralph Brill.  

Chicago-Kent announced the public phase of its first campaign back in 2006 to raise $1.5 million to fund its first endowed chair.  More than 400 Chicago-Kent alumni and friends contributed $1.5 million to complete the campaign to fund the Ralph Brill Chair.  While they were waiting to hold the investiture ceremony, the school had its first Ralph Brill Distinguished Visitor, who was Terri LeClercq.  Click here to read an earlier post about that (and to see a lovely picture of Terri).

Adrian Walters will be the chair holder.  We hear that he's a lovely guy from Nottingham University in Great Britain, and that he has a terrific sense of humor, not too much different from Ralph.  And like Ralph, he's very much into students and quality teaching. 

Although Ralph didn't say a word during the ceremony, he was still the star of the show.  His mere presence ensures that Legal Writing takes the center stage.  It's awe-inspiring to watch how many people who come up to him to thank him for how he changed their lives and fought for the quality of their legal education.  Ralph, of course, fought to make sure that "his" chair didn't wind up in the hands of a traditional scholar, but went to a real teacher.  As many of you know, Ralph has been teaching for more than 50 years.  Over that time he has been a friend and mentor to so many of us.

Congratulations again Ralph and thank you for all of your support for legal writing.

Hat tip to Karin Mika

(mew)