A $2 million gift has been made to the University of Tennessee College of Law in the name of the Chattanooga-based law firm of Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers, P.C.
The gift will support UT Law’s Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution, legal clinic, Douglas Blaze Professorship and scholarships for students interested in pursuing legal careers in advocacy.
“The gift to the University of Tennessee College of Law is a continuation of the support our firm has (given to) the law school over the years. Four of our attorneys are UT Law graduates, and we hope the school continues the meaningful work it does in shaping the legal profession in Chattanooga, Tennessee and beyond,” says firm attorney Marya Wegenka Schalk, a 2005 graduate of UT Law.
UT Law Dean Lonnie Brown, Jr. calls Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers “a valued friend and supporter” of the College of Law.
“The firm’s generosity has allowed us to build and sustain a first-rate advocacy program that produces graduates who are prepared to hit the ground running once they begin practice. We’re grateful for the firm’s continued commitment and support.”
Jerry Summers, a 1966 UT Law alumnus, founded Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers in 1969.
Summers is one of the founders of the College of Law’s Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution and a long-standing member of the college’s Dean’s Council.
Jeffrey Rufolo and Jimmy Rodgers, Jr. are likewise UT Law alumni. Benjamin McGowan is also a member of the firm.