Gift From The Duke Endowment Will Endow Law Professorships

Male and female student walking in front of a building

This is a summary of a story originally published on Duke MADE FOR THIS.

Duke University received a $12 million gift from The Duke Endowment to fully endow three professorships at the Law School. The funding strengthens the Law School’s ability to recruit and retain faculty and honors the contributions of Jerome M. Culp Jr., L. Neil Williams Jr., and William B. McGuire — three men who played major roles in the school’s academic and institutional development.

The professorships recognize diverse forms of leadership and impact. Culp joined the Duke Law faculty in 1985 and became the school’s first tenured Black professor in 1989.

Williams, a Duke Law alumnus, served as chair of the Law Alumni Association and spent more than a decade as a Duke University trustee, contributing to the university’s financial governance and long-term planning.

McGuire, also a law school graduate, was an early leader in Duke Law’s alumni community and served as president of Duke Power Company. He served for decades as a trustee and vice chair of The Duke Endowment.

University leaders emphasized that endowed professorships provide long-term stability and enable Duke Law to plan for future faculty needs. The funding ensures that faculty positions remain supported regardless of changes in annual budgets or leadership.

“We are grateful for this support from The Duke Endowment, which will honor the legacies of Professor Culp and Duke Endowment trustees Williams and McGuire, while equipping current and future generations of legal scholars to carry forward Duke Law’s tradition of excellence and impact,” said President Vincent E. Price.

The gift aligns with Duke Law’s priorities and the broader MADE FOR THIS campaign, reinforcing the central role of faculty in the school’s educational mission and student experience.

Read more about the endowment on Duke MADE FOR THIS.