UW law program receives $45 million donation

SEATTLE — The University of Washington’s law school received a $45 million donation from the estate of renowned attorney Stanley Barer and his wife, Alta.

The donation, one of the largest in the UW’s history, will expand the Barer Institute for Leadership in Law & Global Development, which trains attorneys from developing countries. Attorneys trained at the institute address issues such as health and economic growth in their home countries. The program began in 2010 with a $4 million donation from the Barers.

Stan Barer was a UW law school graduate who helped craft the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He was also passionate about policy that supported global development and worked on establishing a trade relationship with China in the 1970s, according to UW. He died in 2021 at 82.

Stan and Alta Barer, who died in 2019, dedicated the latter part of their lives to serving the university. Barer was a member of the UW’s Board of Regents from 2004 to 2012 and donated to various other causes, including cancer research.

The couple’s posthumous donation will enable the institute to hire more staff, including postdoctoral research fellows who will focus on critical issues such as human rights and climate change. The money will also provide financial support to the fellows and help with recruitment.

Each year, the institute hosts three to four fellows. At the end of their stint, they receive a Master of Laws degree in Sustainable International Development. This year’s fellows training with the institute include attorneys from Gambia, Uganda, Kenya and Georgia.