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A Tribute to Gene Fendler (‘73)

Gene FendlerTHE GENE FENDLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

We are on a mission…one that we know Gene Fendler would endorse. He loved the LSU Law Center  and its students. He celebrated their accomplishments and encouraged them through their struggles. Gene was a truly remarkable family man, lawyer, leader, and friend.

The Law Center, working with family and friends, has established the Gene Fendler Memorial Scholarship to support the financial needs of today’s LSU Law students. The Law Center’s core mission is to provide outstanding graduates for the legal profession –  the  profession  that Gene loved and supported. But, today, students struggle as they finance more and more of their legal studies. Student debt, now averaging over $80,000 upon graduation, has a significant impact on our graduates and their lives. Gene cared about the welfare of our graduates, and a scholarship in Gene’s name will provide needed financial support to our students.

Gene had recently advised students, saying, “You could not have chosen a better law school than LSU Law. Even in these uncertain times, the preparation for your legal career is second to none. Pay attention to the professors, study hard, and you will find that it was all worth it. The three years will pass quickly, but the legal skills and friends you make will last a lifetime.”

Our goal is to establish a $100,000 scholarship!

With your help, we can reach our goal.

Let’s honor Gene for his significant contributions to LSU Law!

Gene Fendler Memorial Scholarship Campaign

The Gene Fendler Scholarship was endowed in 2022.  Additional funds were contributed to the spend account of the endowment, supporting the first award to a student in the fall semester of 2022.  Many thanks to all those who made this tribute to Gene’s life and career possible!  You may still contribute to the fund at any time in any amount.

About Gene

A great lawyer, leader, and passionate supporter of LSU Law has left us too soon.

Gene Fendler — a 1973 graduate of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, president of the LSU Law Alumni Board of Trustees, and a 2019 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year — died Wednesday, Oct. 21, in a light plane crash in Slidell, Louisiana. He was 73.

Fendler was one of LSU Law’s most dedicated alumni. He was always thinking of ways to enhance support for the Law Center, and he constantly worked to make our institution a better place for our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. LSU Law is — and will remain — a better law school for his incredible influence and support.

He was appointed to serve on the LSU Law Alumni Board of Trustees in 2005 and served as board president since 2010 until his death. He was also a long-standing member of the Dean’s Council and was a frequent guest lecturer at the Law Center. As a former managing partner of Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans, Fendler was instrumental in many gifts supporting our programs and students.

“We lack words to adequately express the sorrow felt at the sudden loss of our partner and friend, Gene Fendler,” reads a message on the homepage of the law firm, where Fendler spent his entire career following a clerkship with renowned federal Judge Alvin B. Rubin. “He was the absolute best in all of the ways that truly matter: devoted to his family, loyal to his friends, and a natural born leader. His accomplishments in life and in law were extraordinary. Gene was a lawyer’s lawyer, and our law firm will not be the same without him. Quite simply, Gene was the best of us.”

Fendler graduated as a member of The Order of the Coif and was editor-in-chief of the Louisiana Law Review. When he was honored as a 2019 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, Fendler said: “To be recognized by the school that I hold dear means all the world to me. LSU Law continues to turn out great lawyers today, just like it did when I was there in the Class of ’73. It was a great place when we went and it’s a great place today.”

Please help us to honor Gene.

GIFTS MAY BE MADE

BY CHECK, Payable: LSU Foundation

Notation: Gene Fendler Memorial Scholarship

Mail: LSU Law Center, Alumni Relations,
1 East Campus Drive, BR, LA 70803

ONLINE: http://lsufoundation.org/fendler

MAIL: Pledge/Mailed in Gift to the Fendler Memorial Scholarship (PDF Form)

GIFTS BY STOCK: Contact Bobbi Zaunbrecher, 225/578-8705 or BobbiZ@lsu.edu.