University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law has received a gift from alumnus William Sykes and his wife Brianne to support first-generation students in their journey to becoming legal professionals.
This is the first alumnus gift to endow a program at Boyd Law since becoming Nevada’s law school in 1998.
The Sykes committed $50,000 through the UNLV Foundation to establish the Justice Michael L. Douglas PreLaw Endowment, and another $50,000 in matching funds next year to double the impact of donations and provided $10,000 to support current programming while the endowment matures.
Such pipeline programs help first-generation students envision their future possibilities by exposing them to legal networks and helping them build writing and critical thinking skills.
Leah Chan Grinvald, dean at Boyd Law, said the Sykes’ generosity will help the law school’s efforts to transform the educational landscape for future generations.
William Sykes and his team at the Claggett & Sykes law firm have an esteemed track record with clients; he is active in the State Bar of Nevada as well as in legal education and mentorship. The firm has supported and encouraged many aspiring legal professionals.
William Sykes clerked for Douglas, inspiring him to honor the revered justice through this endowment.
“Justice Michael Douglas has led by example … for his entire career. He’s been a pillar of justice, not only for underrepresented groups and people of color, but for the entire state of Nevada,” Will Sykes said. “He has been a role model and a mentor for me and many others in our great state.”
Among Douglas’ many achievements, he was the first African American Supreme Court Justice in Nevada, appointed in 2004 and elected three times thereafter. He served as Chief Justice in 2011 and 2018. In his active retirement, Justice Douglas has continued to serve the community and the prelaw program that bears his name.
The Justice Michael L. Douglas PreLaw Fellowship Program introduces high school and college students from diverse communities to the benefits of legal education and helps them navigate the law school admissions process.
Since its founding in 2019, the program has enrolled 18 fellows in law school and witnessed its first J.D. graduate, Emily Espinosa, who passed the state bar exam last summer.
These achievements are a testament to the program’s effectiveness and the critical impact of generous donors.
