Thomas F. Geraghty Fund

After four decades of extraordinary leadership and countless contributions to Northwestern Law, Professor Tom Geraghty stepped down as Director of the Bluhm Legal Clinic on August 31, 2017.

With the support of alumni and friends, the Law School launched the Thomas F. Geraghty Fund to support a Fellowship in Tom's honor. The Fellowship will honor Tom's incredible legacy and his unwavering commitment to mentoring and training the next generation of lawyers and leaders.

"Tom taught me to never accept things the way they are, but to always work to make them better. 'Don't look at the way things are,' Tom told me, 'look at the way they should be.'"

— Christina Rainville (JD '88)

Tom joined the Legal Clinic as a staff attorney in 1970 and was one of the Law School's first tenured clinical faculty members. Tom was appointed Director of the Legal Clinic in 1976, Associate Dean for Clinical Education in 1981, and was honored with the Class of 1967 James B. Haddad Chair in 2011. For over 40 years, Tom has been an inspirational leader and fierce advocate for his clients and for his students.

Among Tom's many accomplishments is the launch of the Clinic's Fellowship Program in 2011. The Program recruits outstanding junior attorneys who wish to pursue a career in clinical legal education. Fellows teach and mentor students, represent clients, and provide support to Center Directors to design and implement new and existing projects. The Program has allowed the Bluhm Legal Clinic to expand the number of clinical opportunities available to Northwestern Law students and to enhance the impact of the Clinic's work in the communities it serves.

Tom played an important role in launching the Program and remains passionate about training the next generation of clinical faculty. Given Tom's desire to make an impact in this area and to commemorate his many years of service, the Law School launched a special effort to raise support for the Thomas F. Geraghty Fund, which will fund a clinical fellowship in Tom's honor. The Geraghty Fellowship, which will be administered under the umbrella of the Clinic's Fellowship Program, is a two-year appointment with the Legal Clinic, enabling an outstanding young lawyer to pursue a career in clinical legal education.

To leave a tribute to Tom, please visit: geraghty.law.northwestern.edu

To learn more about making a special gift to support the Geraghty Fund, please contact Darnell Hines at darnell.hines@law.northwestern.edu or 312.503.8175.