Baier’s estate gift of $20 million is one of the reasons the law building will be renamed, Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration for the Maurer School of Law Ken Turchi said. The gift will be used to enhance the law school’s facilities, including renovation and expansion.
Turchi said he believes the re-naming of the building will catch the attention of prospective students.
“It shows that we have alumni that value their legal education so much,” he said. “It shows that they were willing to make a financial commitment to the school. Baier wanted to give back to the school that made him the very successful lawyer and businessman he has become. Any prospective student will take notice when alumni value it so much.”
In addition, the library within the law school will be named the Jerome Hall Law Library because Hall served as an inspiration to Baier, according to a press release.
Lowell E. Baier is a 1964 alum from the Maurer School of Law. He is the founder of Baier Properties Inc., a Bethesda, Md. based developer of warehouses, residential properties and award-winning office buildings and shopping centers. In addition, Baier helped draft President George H.W. Bush’s wildlife conservation agenda and has been an adviser and counselor to all successive presidential administrations.
Hall was a faculty member at the Maurer School of Law from 1939 to 1970. Specializing in criminal law, comparative law and jurisprudence, he was awarded the title of distinguished professor in 1957. Hall was the recipient of IU’s Frederic Bachman Lieber Memorial Award. He died in 1992.
President Michael McRobbie and Executive Vice President for University Academic Affairs John S. Applegate are scheduled to speak at the ceremony, among other faculty members.
The ceremony is free and open to the public.
Tori Lawhorn