Gift from JM Family Enterprises to endow new professorship at Duke Law School

President Richard Brodhead announced Wednesday that a $2.5 million gift from JM Family Enterprises, Inc. will endow a new professorship at Duke Law School in the name of Duke alum Colin W. Brown, according to a Duke Today release.

Brown graduated from Duke Law in 1974 and is now the president and chief executive officer of JM Family Enterprises. An additional $1 million will be given to the professorship by the Duke Endowment through the Duke Law Faculty Endowment Challenge, which will make the total endowment $3.5 million.

“Endowing a professorship enables Duke to invest in exceptional faculty who will help shape conversations on important societal issues as well as challenge and inspire our students,” Brodhead said in the release. “We’re grateful to JM Family Enterprises for this generous gift honoring our distinguished Duke Law alumnus, Colin Brown.”

The Duke Law Faculty Endowment Challenge, which was announced last November, provides matching funds for gifts from donors toward a new endowed faculty chair, professor of the practice or clinical professor position at the law school. The challenge was funded by a $5 million grant from the Duke Endowment.

JM Family Enterprises is an automotive corporation based in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and is ranked 21 on Forbes’ list of America’s largest private companies. It focuses on vehicle distribution and processing, financial services, retail sales, marketing and consulting as well as dealer technology products and services.

“This generous gift by JM Family Enterprises is a great tribute to Colin Brown, who is an exceptionally devoted and admired alumnus of Duke Law School,” David Levi, dean of the Duke Law School, said in the release. “We are grateful to the company, its board of directors and its trustees for choosing to honor Colin in this special way.”

Brown first started working for JM Family Enterprises in 1992 as vice president and general counsel. He was later appointed chief operating officer and became president in 2000 and chief executive officer in 2003.

“I am grateful JM Family has honored me in this special way that will benefit Duke Law,” Brown said in the release. “My education started me in my career and my continued affiliation with Duke has always been very meaningful. It’s humbling to know that a new generation of law students will realize their dreams in part because of this professorship.”