Stetson University College of Law

From left, Leo Govoni, Professor Rebecca Morgan and John Staunton. Click here for High Resolution Photo

Feb 4, 2003:  Gulfport, Fla. - Boston Asset Management Inc. and the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration Inc. have recently pledged $1 million to Stetson University College of Law to establish the Faculty Chair in Elder and Disability Law, the first of its kind in the nation.

Leo Govoni, president of Boston Asset Management in St. Petersburg, and John Staunton, vice president of the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration in Clearwater, signed the agreement with Stetson in January. Staunton is a 1997 graduate of Stetson Law.

"Our donation to establish a faculty chair was inspired by the work of Professor Rebecca Morgan," said Govoni. "She has distinguished herself as one of our nation's preeminent experts in the area of elder law. Stetson's Center for Excellence in Elder Law is gaining national recognition and we are proud to be a part of one of the best law schools in the country."

Professor Morgan, who has been on Stetson's faculty since 1985, will be recommended to Stetson's Board of Trustees by Dean Gary Vause for the faculty chair. She is director of Stetson's elder law center, past president of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and has served as a special advisor to the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging.

"We are extremely grateful for this gift by Mr. Govoni and Mr. Staunton," said Dean Vause. "Their generosity in this campaign will have a significant impact on Stetson's work in elder law."

Stetson’s plans for its Center for Excellence in Elder Law include a consumer fraud education program, the new Journal of International Aging, Law & Policy in partnership with the AARP, clinical programs for students, and continuing legal education programs for practicing attorneys and business professionals.

The $1 million Faculty Chair in Elder and Disability Law is one of the first successes in the College of Law's $12 million Cornerstone Campaign. The campaign was launched in 2002 to raise funds for scholarships, academic enrichment programs, faculty chairs and professorships, and training for faculty and staff.

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Stetson University College of Law is Florida's first law school. It has educated lawyers for more than 100 years, and offers continuing legal education programs for regional, state, national and international audiences. Stetson University College of Law tied for first place in Trial Advocacy in the 2003 U.S. News & World Report rankings of law schools. It is also the future headquarters for the National Conference of Law Reviews.