SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPY - SUNY Buffalo Law School

WINTER 20115Transition and traditionOver the years, a lot ofnon-profit organizationshave asked Pamela DavisHeilman ’75 to serve ontheir boards. She has said yes, a lot,and groups from the United Way tothe Shaw Festival to the University atBuffalo have claimed her as their own.But throughout her career at theBuffalo-based law firm Hodgson Russ– where she is a lead lawyer in thefirm’s cross-border Canada/U.S. practice,counseling Canadian businessesand organizations considering expansioninto the United States – one constanthas been her unwavering supportfor SUNY Buffalo Law School.Amember of the Dean’s AdvisoryCouncil since 2004, Heilman bringsher strategic and analytical skills to theLaw School’s mission. She sees the recentmajor gift of $100,000 she madeto the school with her husband,Robert, a business consultant and1975 graduate of UB’s MBA program,as one piece of the puzzle of how tomake SUNY Buffalo Law the best itcan be.“I’ve come to recognize the needfor dollars to be given to support facultychairs and scholarship,”Heilmansays,“and to support scholarships forstudents so we will be able to attractthe absolute best and brightest. Ourtuition may be set lower than some,but those other schools are offeringmore in scholarship aid.Withoutscholarships, we in fact are not alwaysthe most affordable choice, and very,very good students often go elsewhere.To maintain the quality andthe diversity of classes we need in orderto be a great law school, we needto provide funds for student scholarships.”As a member as well of the UBCouncil, she recognizes that the reputationof the Law School reflects onthe quality of the University at Buffaloas a whole.And, she says proudly,Hodgson Russ “employs more SUNYBuffalo Law graduates than any otherDean Makau Mutua and Pamela Davis Heilman ’75law firm in the country. It’s very importantto us that the high reputationof the Law School and UB be maintainedand enhanced as much as possible,because this has a direct impacton the reputation of our firm.”This also is a personal timeof transition, as Heilmanprepares to retire from herlaw practice at the end of2011.“It has been a fabulouscareer at a fabulous firm,”shesays.“I am very, very satisfied withwhere I am today. I’ve had an extremelyactive and engaging and insome ways cutting-edge practice,which has been intellectually fulfilling.There is nothing else I need to docareer-wise.”As she reflects on that career, Heilmansays,“Much of my success isbased on my Law School education atUB and the opportunity that it affordedme to join Hodgson Russ 36 yearsago and then become a partner.Withoutthat legal education and withoutUB being there for someone who didnot come from wealth, it would nothave happened.Affordable, highqualitypublic education is so important.”And on a practical level, as she rediscoversconcepts like the weekendand the quiet e-mail inbox, Heilmansays it has been helpful to be able tostructure the couple’s gift to make itaffordable, structuring a paymentschedule over several years and includinga bequest component as well.“Given our current transition toretirement, we appreciated the LawSchool’s flexibility in tailoring theability to make a gift to our particularcircumstances,”she says.“I’ve come torecognize theneed for dollarsto be given tosupport facultychairs andscholarship andto supportscholarships forstudents so wewill be able toattract theabsolute bestand brightest.”– Pamela DavisHeilman ’75