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Firm Fundraising

Some student groups seek sponsorship from law firms to help support the cost of LSSO programs and events. The fundraising process goes through the Law School's Chicago Law Partners (CLP) brochure, which showcases your student organization to a greater number of firms and contacts and ensures that firms receive consistent information.

All firm funding is collected via the Chicago Law Partners program, which manages gift processing for the University and then funnels your donations to your LSSO account.

The CLP Brochure is delivered in late June to law firm partners by DOS. After the CLP Brochure is distributed to firms, LSSOs may individually fundraise

Applying for Firm Sponsorship through CLP

  1. Submit a paragraph description of your organization and purpose for fundraising. This paragraph (100-200 words) will be included in the Chicago Law Partners brochure that will be sent out to law firms by the Law School. 
  2. If you are proposing a signature event, your organization will need to provide an additional paragraph describing the event's purpose, audience and impact. A signature event, for the purposes of CLP, is a one-time, large-scale event, which typically includes invited high profile guests and significant costs. 
  3. LSSOs will also receive a copy of the complete Chicago Law Partners brochure for their records.

Firm Funding application deadline: June 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM.

LSSO application to participate in CLP (https://cglink.me/2uy/s111)

  1. After approval, your LSSO’s fundraising proposal paragraph will appear in the CLP Brochure and shared with the Law School’s firm contacts.
  2. Law firms must complete the CLP form (https://uchicago.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bdfxbDqxF91Jts2) to sponsor an LSSO.
  3. If firms notify the LSSO first, please direct firms to complete the CLP form as a first step, and loop in Dean Welch, brandiwelch@uchicago.edu, soon after so that the Law School is aware of sponsorship. This also avoids any potential delay in processing and your LSSO receiving funds.
  4. Firm funds received will be updated in the DOS version of each individual budget spreadsheet. LSSOs have access to view this document, but Treasurers are also responsible for keeping internal budget records and track funds received. Treasurers should also periodically cross-check their internal records with the DOS records to ensure that all expenses and revenue are reflected accurately.
  5. Once a firm has communicated a sponsorship, LSSOs must:
    • reach out to firms to both thank them for their support and to coordinate any firm events on campus.
    • provide the firm the recognition defined in their sponsorship tier that is outlined in the CLP Brochure.

Full Academic Year Sponsorships: 

Supports small, recurring events: lunch talks, receptions, workshops. community service, etc.

Tier 1 – $500: Tier 1 sponsors will receive recognition in event communications and other digital platforms where the LSSO thanks their annual sponsors.

Tier 2 – $1,000: Tier 2 sponsors will receive the same recognition that Tier 1 sponsors receive. Tier 2 sponsors may have the opportunity to send representatives to speak at a sponsored student organization event. Tier 2 sponsors can attend events with other sponsoring firms.

Tier 3 – $2000: Tier 3 sponsors will receive the same recognition that Tier 1 and Tier 2 sponsors receive. Tier 3 sponsors will likely be offered an opportunity to speak or attend an event. The event may include other sponsors.

Signature Event Sponsorships:

Supports one-time, large-scale events. Examples include Parsons Dinner, LWC Symposium, CALSA Networking Reception. LSSOs can work with individual firms on signature event attendance.

Tier 1 – $1000

Tier 2 – $5,000

Tier 3 – Other amount over $5,000: If selected, firms will need to indicate the event and amount (over $5000) that they would like to donate on the CLP form. 

If law firms, or non-law organizations, outside of the CLP process contact your LSSO about sponsorships, LSSOs must email Brandi Welch, Dean of Students, to discuss. Sponsorships received from firms or organizations without approval may affect your organization's ability to continue to fundraise for the academic year and in the future.

Please contact Brandi Welch, Dean of Students, at deanofstudents@law.uchicago.edu with general firm funding questions. 

2025-2026 CLP Form (https://uchicago.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bdfxbDqxF91Jts2)