Brooklyn Law School Celebrates Back-to-Back Record Fundraising Years
For the second consecutive year, Brooklyn Law School has reached new heights in philanthropic support.
Fueled by bold leadership, an energized alumni community, and growing excitement about Boldly Brooklyn—the first comprehensive fundraising campaign in the Law School's 125-year history—Brooklyn Law School achieved back-to-back years of historic philanthropic support and is entering its next chapter with unprecedented momentum.
During Fiscal Year 2026 (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026), Brooklyn Law School secured more than $9.3 million in philanthropic commitments, surpassing the previous fundraising record of $8.4 million, set in 2005 when funds were raised to build Feil Hall, the Law School’s 22-story residence hall.
A Historic Year of Philanthropic Momentum
The achievement follows another landmark year. During Fiscal Year 2025, Brooklyn Law School received the largest single gift in its history, a transformative $12 million estate gift from alumnus Sheridan Albert.
In addition to this historic gift, Brooklyn Law School raised $5.9 million in philanthropic commitments in FY25, which by itself would have been the third-highest annual fundraising total in the Law School's history and the strongest fundraising year since 2014.
In recognition of Albert's generosity and enduring commitment to future generations of students, Brooklyn Law School relaunched its planned giving program as the Sheridan Albert Legacy Society, honoring alumni and friends who choose to make a lasting impact through estate and deferred gifts.
Together, these back-to-back milestone years demonstrate the confidence that alumni, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends have in Brooklyn Law School's mission, leadership, and future.
Building a Stronger Advancement Operation
The FY26 record was driven by a dramatic increase in major gifts of $100,000 or more, along with a more strategic and donor-centered approach to philanthropy. During the year, Brooklyn Law School received 13 gifts of $100,000 or more—more than doubling the number of major gifts compared with the previous year.
The momentum reflects a strategic transformation of Brooklyn Law School's Advancement operation under the leadership of Dean David D. Meyer and Chief Advancement Officer Robert Fairfield.
"Brooklyn Law School has always had an extraordinary community of alumni and friends who cared deeply about this institution," Meyer said. "Over the past two years, we’ve built an Advancement operation that matched their passion and Brooklyn Law School's ambitions.”
"One of the most important decisions we made was bringing Robert Fairfield to Brooklyn Law School as Chief Advancement Officer,” Meyer continued. “Rob has built an outstanding team, professionalized our fundraising operation, and brought new energy and ambition to our engagement with alumni and friends."
Since joining Brooklyn Law School in April 2025, Fairfield has restructured the Advancement Office, recruited new team members for key positions, expanded fundraising capacity, and strengthened relationships with alumni, trustees, and friends of the Law School.
"Brooklyn Law School has something truly special—a community that believes in this institution and wants to see it thrive," Fairfield said. "Our alumni are deeply proud of the Law School and passionate about its success. They understand the impact a Brooklyn Law School education has on students' lives and careers, and they want to help ensure that future generations have the same opportunities."
Fairfield said the success of the last two years reflects an alumni community that has stepped forward with a shared spirit of partnership and a simple question: "How can I help?"
Alumni Answer the Call to Build the Future
Friends and family of Brooklyn Law School have rallied around the nucleus phase of Boldly Brooklyn, the first comprehensive campaign in the institution's history. Since July 1, 2023, the campaign has secured over $34 million in philanthropic commitments to advance student success, strengthen faculty excellence, and renew the campus.
Campaign support is helping Brooklyn Law School invest in scholarships, recruit and retain outstanding faculty, strengthen academic programs, enhance experiential learning, and improve the campus environment for students today and for generations to come.
Campaign leadership from Brooklyn Law School's Board of Trustees has helped fuel this momentum. Trustees Sasha Linney '11, Howard Hershenhorn '89, Jeffrey T. Scott '96, and Tyler Korff '12 have made significant campaign commitments while inspiring fellow alumni and friends to invest in the Law School's future.
Boldly Brooklyn Enters Its Next Phase
A successful nucleus phase led the Brooklyn Law School Board of Trustees to unanimously approve the public launch of the Boldly Brooklyn campaign, which will officially begin with a 125th Anniversary Celebration and Campaign Launch Party in early November at the Brooklyn Museum.
Celebrating the quasquicentennial, however, will begin even earlier with Reunion Weekend, Oct. 1–3, when alumni from across generations return to campus to reconnect, celebrate milestone reunions, and commemorate Brooklyn Law School's 125th anniversary.
Those who want to invest in the people, programs, and places that will define the Law School’s next 125 years are invited to contact the Office of Advancement at giving@brooklaw.edu.
About Boldly Brooklyn
For 125 years, Brooklyn Law School has prepared lawyers to make a difference—in courtrooms, communities, companies, and public service. Boldly Brooklyn is our opportunity to build on that legacy and invest in the Law School’s future.
The Law School’s first comprehensive campaign has a $50 million goal and will advance three priorities that are central to the Law School’s continued rise:
Student Experience
Expanding scholarship support to make a Brooklyn Law education accessible to more students, while providing the programs and resources they need to succeed in the classroom, launch their careers, and thrive throughout their lives.
Faculty Excellence
Supporting the world-class faculty whose teaching, scholarship, mentorship, and leadership prepare the next generation of legal leaders and advance.
Campus Renewal
Transforming the Law School’s historic home at 250 Joralemon St.—which has been at the heart of the Brooklyn Law School community since 1969—to better support teaching, learning, collaboration, and the student experience.
Boldly Brooklyn is already making a difference—supporting increased scholarship funding, a holistic bar preparation program, faculty chairs and professorships, new Centers and Institutes, strengthened clinics, and a new fitness center in Feil Hall.
And the best is yet to come.
Together, alumni, friends, trustees, faculty, staff, students, and the entire Brooklyn Law School community are helping shape the next chapter of a Law School defined by ambition, innovation, and excellence.