Jim Rogers calls it like he sees it.
 |
(from The Lawyer, Fall/Winter, 2006-07)
“This world has its share of problems,” says Jim Rogers. “And society’s so complicated now that if you don’t get world-class minds with a first-class education, we’re going to be buried under the weight.”
But the long-time philanthropist, media magnate, and chancellor of Nevada’s higher education system isn’t content to simply identify the dilemma. When Gonzaga University’s president, Father Spitzer, and Earl Martin, the School of Law’s new dean, visited Rogers in Las Vegas last year, he quickly saw an opportunity to effect real change. Then he did what he always does: he took action, devoting his considerable energy and resources to a remedy.
|
 |
“I think Gonzaga’s law school is a very good school. It has high academic standards and very fine faculty,” he says.
“I thought if I could help, it would be a good investment."
And invest he did, committing more than half a million dollars to establish the James E. Rogers Law Student Scholarship Initiative. Much of that contribution comes in the form of matching gifts, requiring the law school to find other donors equally dedicated to its mission.
|
 |
“I believe very strongly in public service,” he says, “and Gonzaga’s students are exceptionally caring.” He expects more than good intentions, of course. Through his recruiting scholarships, Rogers hopes to attract the best students and, he demands excellence. “People say we have too many lawyers. But the truth of the matter is we have too many mediocre lawyers,” he says. “We don’t have nearly enough really fine lawyers.”
|
 |
Dean Martin says Rogers is determined to change that.
“He’s very dynamic. He has a strong personality and an iintense interest in higher education in general and legal education in particular,” Martin says. “He really sees the money he contributes as an investment. And like any investor, he expects to see results.”
Those outcomes cover the entire gamut of legal education: an enhanced experience in school, a student body prepared to perform on the bar exam, and attorneys equipped for the job market.
“Accomplishments in all of those areas strengthen the reputation of the institution, which starts the cycle over again,” says Martin.
|
 |
RRogers, an attorney himself, sees that potential at Gonzaga. But he’s not limiting himself, either. He actively supports the law schools at the University of Southern California, the University of Idaho, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and his alma mater, the University of Arizona.
“It doesn’t take an awful lot of money to make a substantial change at a law school, because law schools are small,” Rogers says. “You need to see if the president and the dean are progressive and if they want to be competitive among law schools in the country. Then dump a hundred grand and you’ll make a big change.”
|
|
|
"It’s actually a little more complicated than that though. Rogers has high expectations — and he’s paying close attention.
"I’m very results-oriented. My feeling is, ‘I’m going to give you this money and I’d strongly suggest you use it well.’ ” By entrusting Gonzaga with his wealth — and holding the school to account — Rogers intends to bring about his vision for the future of the profession.
“I really believe in the law. I believe in the rule of law. I believe in lawyers,” he says. “They’re the problem solvers of the world.”
|
