Kimball Anderson Establishes Public Interest Law Grant Program at the University of Illinois

CHICAGO — Winston & Strawn partner Kimball Anderson and his wife, Karen Anderson, have donated $250,000 to the University of Illinois College of Law to establish the Kimball R. and Karen Gatsis Anderson Public Interest Grant Program. 

The new Program will be used to support grants to graduates of the College of Law with a demonstrated commitment to public interest law, strong academic achievement in law school, and outstanding character and integrity. Kimball and Karen Anderson are 1977 graduates of the College and have each served on the College's Board of Visitors.  

"On behalf of our students and graduates, I wish to express my profound gratitude to Kimball and Karen for their commitment, vision, and generosity. Their inspirational gift advances two key aspects of our institutional mission: broadening professional opportunities for our graduates and serving the public interest," said Bruce Smith, the Dean of the University of Illinois College of Law.

"Karen and I decided to make this commitment to the College because we want to ensure that the substantial cost of higher education does not deter new lawyers from pursuing careers in the field of public interest law," noted Kimball Anderson. "We are delighted to simultaneously support the College and the public interest community."

This is the Andersons' second gift to the College's current $50 million Brilliant Futures Campaign, scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2011. In 2007, they donated $100,000 to fund substantial renovations to the College's trial courtroom.