Frank E. Morgan II

"My Cambridge College, Trinity Hall, was founded with a benefaction of Bishop Bateman of Norwich. His goal was to train canon lawyers and over the years the nickname 'Lawyers College' applied. There is not much call for canon lawyer training in Cambridge these days. In fact, the College now has more scientists than lawyers, but benefaction continues and is growing.

Over the centuries, there have been numerous gifts and bequests to Collegiate Cambridge. I have been particularly impacted by generous gifts from a number of Trinity Hall alumni including, in particular, Dennis Avery and Hamish Maxwell. They both supported University programs as well as aid to the College. Amongst other projects, Dennis funded a professorship to honor Stephen Hawking and Hamish supported the Fitzwilliam Museum whilst each also gave to the College. They were able to be extremely generous during their lifetimes and although I have contributed, albeit more modestly, since graduation, the real opportunity for me to make a difference will be with a sizeable bequest.

When thinking about my Cambridge experience I sometimes glibly say I grew up there—learning the customs of hall dining, feasts, fine wines, and cigars. But honestly, the quality of teaching, my experience with the supervision system, and the comradery of College life made a deep impression on me. It was the foundation upon which I sought a career in international law and now a position with a London-based private equity firm, albeit in New York.

I would hope my bequest can be used in part for a combination of law and business involving both the Law Faculty and the Judge Business School and in part for my College, but in that case as they deem best.

As I said at a Cambridge in America day in San Francisco some years ago on the subject of alumni giving, unlike many American universities that can be quite forcefully direct, Cambridge asks politely and is deeply appreciative of alumni support. It was an honor to attend and graduate from Cambridge and it is a pleasure to be able to support it currently and in the future through the 1209 Society."

— Frank E. Morgan II (Trinity Hall 1974)