“We cannot thank Stueve Siegel Hanson enough for their philanthropic support of the MU School of Law and the MU School of Journalism,” said Jackie Lewis, MU vice chancellor for advancement. “We are proud that they’ve chosen to put their passion for the future of our justice system into practice right here at Mizzou.”

Lyrissa Lidsky, dean of the MU School of Law and Judge C.A. Leedy Professor of Law, said the gift will help further enhance the school’s inclusion efforts.

“Increasing the diversity of the legal field is one of the most important goals of Mizzou Law and is vital to ensuring an equitable and just society,” she said. “This gift will help advance our goal and will help many underrepresented minority students pursue their dreams of becoming lawyers and making a difference in our world.”

Part of the gift will support the Alfred Friendly Press Partners, which provides opportunities for journalists from countries with underdeveloped media to receive hands-on training in U.S. newsrooms — including MU’s Columbia Missourian and KOMU-TV. By establishing the Stueve Siegel Hanson Fund for Press Freedom, the firm will support a journalist working to improve the legal system or race relations in that individual’s home country.

Randy Smith, Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism, professor at MU and president of Alfred Friendly Press Partners, said the gift is reflective of Stueve Siegel Hanson’s tireless work on behalf of a just society.

“Patrick Stueve and his wife, Janna, have been thought leaders for years with the Alfred Friendly Foundation, where Pat is also a board member,” he said. “This transformative gift from Stueve Siegel Hanson underscores the continuing generosity of the firm – and their strong belief that a free press can change our world for the better.”

Patrick Stueve, co-founder of Stueve Siegel Hanson and treasurer of the Alfred and Jean Friendly Foundation Board, said the two gifts complement the firm’s commitment to the pursuit of justice.

“We want to be an agent of positive change in the legal system,” Stueve said. “It is critical that we support diverse legal minds to serve as our next generation of attorneys, advocates, judges and legislators, and it is critical that we support journalists who can bring transparency and accountability to governments around the world.”

Norman Siegel, a fellow co-founder of Stueve Sigel Hanson, said the gift is a meaningful way to commemorate the firm’s 20th anniversary.

“Achieving ‘Justice for All’ is not possible without action, especially from those of us who have succeeded in law,” Siegel said. “We are honored to be able to invest in a more diverse and accountable legal system, and we hope other law firms will join us in this pursuit.”

MU has been a major source of talent for Stueve Siegel Hanson throughout the firm’s history. Currently, one-quarter of the lawyers at the firm earned their bachelor’s degree or juris doctorates at the University of Missouri.