The University of Washington School of Law has secured a $7.1 million pledge from Honolulu-based real estate mogul Jay H. Shidler to enhance the technology and intellectual property initiatives at the UW School of Law. 

This donation, to be fulfilled over the next decade, solidifies the School of Law’s international standing in the domains of technology and intellectual property (IP) law. 

“Our students and faculty are elevated by the philanthropy of Jay Shidler and his dedication to fostering advancements in the realm of technology and intellectual property law,” remarked Tamara F. Lawson, the Toni Rembe Dean of the School of Law. “UW Law is uniquely positioned in an area recognized globally for technology and innovation. These resources will bolster our community and maintain our competitiveness in this sphere.” 

Through this contribution, Shidler — a benefactor and investor in educational establishments who possesses stakes in over 2,000 properties across the globe — continues a legacy he has built in honor of his uncle, Roger Shidler, a 1924 alumnus of the UW School of Law who was a pioneer in technology law alongside William Gates, Sr. 

The donation will enable the School of Law to: 

• Create a Shidler Endowed Chair to direct the Technology and Intellectual Property Law programs, while also addressing related areas such as torts and contracts. 

• Hire a full-time scholar-in-residence to oversee and expand the ongoing Shidler Lecture Series. 

• Fund scholarships and fellowships granted to students concentrating on Technology and Intellectual Property Law. The initial year will provide support for three students in the J.D. program, awarding each a sum of $50,000. 

“We are privileged to manage Jay Shidler’s groundbreaking investment in the vital intersection of technology and law,” shared UW President Robert J. Jones. “His generous donation will assist the UW School of Law in attracting the brightest faculty and students at a time when expertise in IP and Technology law is critically needed. We are excited to broaden our global influence in this significant domain.” 

“I feel fortunate to be able to contribute financially to colleges and universities on the West Coast and in Hawaii. UW Law has held a special significance in my family’s heritage for nearly a century,” Shidler remarked. 

The obligation builds on earlier contributions made by Jay Shidler to the UW, including an interest in a 2.6-acre parcel in Seattle’s South Lake Union district,which was acknowledged in 2018. Half of the ownership of the land and structures will be transferred to the UW in 2115, to be shared equally between UW Medicine and the UW School of Law. The remaining portion will go to Shidler’s alma mater, now recognized as the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

Shidler also provided $600,000 to the School of Law in 2016 to establish the lecture series honoring Roger Shidler. 

The UW honored Jay Shidler and his wife, Wallette, as Presidential Laureates for generously contributing over $10 million to the UW in 2017.

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