Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is proud to announce the creation of the John Marshall Law School Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt foundation.
The mission and purposes of the John Marshall Law School Foundation, Inc. are to provide financial support, by means of funded scholarships and fundraising activities, to law students attending Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, who come from disadvantaged backgrounds or underserved communities, and who show promise of succeeding in law school and who otherwise would not have the financial means to fulfill their educational goals.
“The creation of the Foundation now gives us an important resource to assist in our mission of educating all students who we serve,” said Dean Jace C. Gatewood, “Including those from traditionally underserved communities whose financial, family, or professional responsibilities may make law school financially prohibitive.”
Atlanta’s John Marshall was founded as a non-profit institution in 1933 with a mission to provide members of underserved groups the opportunity to enter the legal profession and serve their own communities. In the 1990s, the Law School was acquired by a for-profit company and has operated as a “stand alone” for-profit entity since. In 2018, the Law School’s Board of Directors and faculty determined it was in the best interest of the institution and its students to return the Law School to its non-profit roots to better enhance its mission and the Law School’s contribution to the community. In 2019, the Law School took its first step to achieving that goal by requesting and receiving acquiescence from its accreditor, the American Bar Association, to convert to a non-profit institution. The Law School is currently in the process of seeking final approval from the Department of Education.
The Foundation was formed to support the efforts of the Law School in achieving its goals, and seeks to further the mission of the Law School by assisting the Law School in funding scholarships to qualified students based upon financial need to help fulfill their educational goals of becoming practicing attorneys.
Board Chair Michael C. Markovitz said, “I am proud of my twenty-five year affiliation with Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. First, helping the school secure financial stability and ABA accreditation, and now, with the assistance of our Board, the Dean, our administrative staff, and our friends in the community, returning the school to Atlanta as a non-profit asset. Our next challenge is to encourage philanthropic giving in furtherance of our long standing mission.”
The Law School is currently seeking the appointment of the Law School’s Chief Development Officer, who will be responsible for planning and implementing strategies to secure donors and contributions in support of the Law School and the Foundation, provide oversight of the fund development program, monitor development activities, and address issues that may hamper growth and success. Responsibilities will also include building lasting relationships with and providing services to its outstanding local and international alumni base.
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School looks forward to serving the Atlanta community for another 87 years and longer, and returning to its original non-profit status in 2020.