School of Law receives $2 million gift

Ceremonial courtroom named in honor of alums Power and Smith

Loyola University Chicago is pleased to announce that law alumni Joseph A. Power Jr. (JD '77) and Todd A. Smith (JD '76) have made a gift of $2 million to the School of Law. In recognition of their gift, as well as their dedication and commitment to excellence in the practice of law, the School of Law's new state-of-the-art ceremonial courtroom will be called the Power Rogers & Smith Ceremonial Courtroom, after their law firm.

"I am extremely grateful to Joe Power and Todd Smith for their generous gift that will strengthen the law school's mission of preparing our graduates to be effective and ethical advocates for justice and the rule of law," says Loyola's President Michael J. Garanzini, S.J.

"Joe Power and Todd Smith are two of the most skilled and talented trial attorneys in the country," says David Yellen, dean of the School of Law. "We could not be more pleased and honored to name our wonderful new state-of-the-art courtroom after these two dedicated alumni and their outstanding law firm, Power Rogers & Smith."

Joseph A. Power Jr. and Todd A. Smith are both graduates of Loyola University Chicago's School of Law and founding partners of Power Rogers & Smith, one of the top personal injury law firms in the United States. The firm, which specializes in medical malpractice, product liability, and wrongful death cases, was voted the number one law firm in Chicago by Chicago magazine and the number one plaintiff's law firm by Chicago Lawyer. In the past two years alone, the firm has recovered over $260 million on behalf of its affected clients and has won some of the largest verdicts and settlements in the state of Illinois and the country.

"I am honored to have been given the opportunity by Loyola to attend its law school. My father was also a proud alumnus," says Joseph A. Power Jr. "This donation is a small token of my appreciation for all Loyola has done for me, as well as my family."

Joseph A. Power Jr. was voted the top injury attorney in Illinois and one of the top Chicago injury attorneys in an article published in Chicago magazine. He has been listed annually in the Best Lawyers in America publication for the past 20 years, and selected for inclusion among the top ten of all Illinois Super Lawyers since its inception. He is also a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an exclusive group of top 100 plaintiff's lawyers in the United States. Power has served as president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and Trial Lawyers for Public Justice. He serves on Loyola University Chicago's Board of Trustees and was the 2003 recipient of the School of Law's Medal of Excellence.

Todd A. Smith is a former president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Illinois State Bar Association. In 1998, he was voted Chicago Lawyer magazine's Person of the Year, and is listed annually in the Best Lawyers of America publication. Smith was recently invited to membership in the selective Inner Circle of Advocates, joining his partner Joseph Power. He is the recipient of the American Legion Award of Excellence, as well as the Damen Award from Loyola University Chicago. He is the 2005 recipient of the School of Law's Medal of Excellence.

Both Joseph Power and Todd Smith are Fellows in the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.