The University of Miami School of Law has established a new endowed business law program, with Dean Patricia Sánchez Abril leading the effort as endowed chair.
The program will be rolled out over the next few years at a time of significant change for business lawyers, as artificial intelligence and other technologies transform the legal profession. With over 100 existing courses and experiential programs in business and commercial law, the Law School already has a strong foundation in this field. The new program further strengthens the School’s ability to connect students with business law opportunities in a rapidly evolving global economy.
The program is supported by the creation of endowed chairs, programmatic initiatives, and funding for strategic resources that will further strengthen the law school’s existing strengths and deepen fluency in core areas of business law. By attracting top faculty, advancing research, fostering scholarship, and promoting the principles of free enterprise, we aim to prepare students for leadership roles across industry.
Abril previously served as dean of the School of Business Law and associate dean of the Miami Herbert School of Business. Her background as a lawyer and academic positions her to lead a program that focuses on both academic rigor and real-world relevance.
This program is made possible through a gift from alumnus Demetrio J. Perez.
“So many companies are moving to Florida and Miami,” Perez said. “We need an infrastructure to support all of that. It’s a natural progression for the University of Miami to take the lead on this program and establish an identity with the business law program.”
The University of Miami made preLaw Magazine’s honor roll in the business law category last fall, earning an A-.
