The Grand Opening Celebration
Of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
One North Front Street, Downtown Memphis

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Click here to view the Save the Date.

VIP Doors open at 5:30 p.m. // General Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

6-7 pm - VIP Reception:  VIP Guests enjoy a one-hour pre-event reception on the fourth floor glass reading room overlooking our Great Mississippi River. VIP Ticket includes: premium food and beverages, mingling and photo opportunities with honored guests and a guaranteed seat in the 270-person auditorium during the formal program.

7-11 pm - Grand Opening Event:  We anticipate this sell-out event will draw more than 1,500 attendees from across the city, state and country. The Grand Opening will take place throughout the entire building and will feature performers from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. Gourmet food and beverage stations will offer "Best of Memphis" small plates from well-known restaurants. Law school students will administer building tours during the event and will be honored with a late-night gathering after the conclusion of the event.

8 pm - Formal Program: Held in main auditorium, to be televised throughout building. Several honored guests will make brief remarks.

10-11 pm Student and Young Lawyer Late Night Party

The Grand Opening is a black-tie event.

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Tickets

- Single: $250 (Each ticket includes a $100 charitable donation to support the Law School. This portion is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.)
- Single VIP: $350 (Each ticket includes a $150 charitable donation to support the Law School. This portion is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.)
    The VIP Ticket includes a one hour reception with honored guests, premium food and beverages and a guaranteed seat in the 270-person auditorium during the formal program.

- Ticket Package: $2500 (Each package includes a $700 charitable donation to support the Law School. This portion is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.)
    12 tickets for the price of 10

- Recent Law Graduates: $125
   Applies only to 2008 & 2009 Law Graduates, limit of two tickets per person, must purchase by November 16

- University of Memphis Faculty, Staff and Law School Students: $50
    Limit of two tickets per person


How to Register
1. Online reservation form
2. Call 901/678-1562 or
3. E-mail ctdubey@memphis.edu
4. Mail Formal Invitation Response Card (Formal Invitations to be mailed in November)


Additional Information
- Checks should be made payable to the University of Memphis Foundation, memo: Law Gala, and mailed to 635 Normal Street, Memphis, TN 38152, attn: Law Gala.

- If you are unable to attend but still wish to make a contribution to the Law School Capital Campaign, click here or contact Shawna Engel at sgengel@memphis.edu or 901/678-2425.

- Physical tickets will be mailed to the address of the ticket purchaser prior to the event. Please bring your tickets to expedite entrance into the event.

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Sponsors

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

VIP Reception Presented by SunTrust

Member Sponsors: Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects / Fleming Associates Architects Joint Venture and Sedgwick CMS

Associate Sponsors: Alpha Reporting Corporation, Baptist Memorial Health Care, Classic Party Rentals, The Marston Group, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Metro 67, Parkway Realty, Regions Bank, The Stern Cardiovascular Center, The U.S. District Court for the Western District of TN, Wright Medical Technology, Inc.

Junior Sponsors: Amro Music, Morrow & Associates, RSVP Magazine, Rhodes Lauck & Associates Inc., SpringHill Suites by Marriott Downtown, Summit Document Services, U of M Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, USI of Tennessee, The Westin Memphis Beale Street

Opportunities are still available; see our Sponsorship Package to learn more.

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Participating Restaurants & Caterers

Thank you to our generous in-kind food and beverage sponsors: Bangkok Alley, Bardog Tavern, Ernestine & Hazel’s, Felicia Suzanne’s, Firebirds, Grill 83, Hunt Phelan, Itta Bena, La Baguette, Madison Hotel, Mesquite Chop House, Muddy’s Bakeshop, Owen Brennan's, Pa Pa Pia's, Rendezvous, Sole at the Westin, Spindini, and Wade & Company.

If you are a restaurateur or caterer, and are interested in donating to the Grand Opening, see our Food and Beverage Sponsorship Package to learn more.

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Student & Young Lawyer Late Night Party

Students and Young Lawyers are all invited to a Late Night Party immediately following the Grand Opening from 10-11 p.m. in the first floor Student Lounge. Beer and sliders will be served and DJ Raiford will be spinning. The $50 ticket includes both the Grand Opening and the Late Night Party.

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Class Reunions for Years Ending in 4, 9, 5, 0

Classes scheduled to have reunions in 2009 and 2010 are encouraged to take advantage of this once in a lifetime event and attend the Grand Opening as a group and also gather prior for a pre-event cocktail at a downtown restaurant. We are happy to assist you in finding a location and notifying classmates. Contact ctdubey@memphis.edu.

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Accommodations

- The Westin Memphis Beale Street
    o $149 per night // $20 from each room will be donated back to the Law School (single or double rooms available)
    o 901/334-5900, ask for “Law School Gala” Special Rate

- The Peabody
    o $165 per night (single or double rooms available)
    o Call 1/800-PEABODY (press 2), ask for the “Law Gala/University of Memphis Alumni” Special Rate

- SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Downtown
    o $149 per night // $20 from each room will be donated back to the Law School (reservation includes complimentary breakfast and valet parking)
    o Call 901/522-2100, ask for the “Law Gala” Package, or click here to make reservations

- The Madison Hotel
    o $150 per night
    o Call 901/333-1215, ask for the "U of M Law School" Special Rate

- Holiday Inn, University of Memphis
    o Alumni Association members, 10% discount, click here for details
    o 901/678-8200

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Parking

Drop-off lane will be available directly in front of the building; valet services will not be offered. Additional parking information will be forthcoming.

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Planning Committee

Thank you to all of our volunteers and planning committee members!

Chair: The Honorable Diane Vescovo (JD '80), The Honorable Robert "Butch" Childers (BBA '71, JD '74)

2009-10 Law Alumni Board President: Richard Carter (JD '80)

Committee Chairs and Members: Amy Amundsen, Sara Barnett, Anise Belz, Jonathan Bettis, John Bobango, David Boyd, Bobby Byrd, Richard Carter, The Honorable Robert Childers, Vanessa Cross, Anne Davis, Robert Dinkelspiel, The Honorable Bernice Donald, Mike Evangelisti, Anne Fritz, The Honorable Phyllis Gardner, Richard Glassman, Darryl Gresham, Vickie Hardy Jones, Wade Hartsfield, R. Hunter Humphreys, Nolan Johnson, The Honorable David Kennedy, David Kostoff, Barbara Kritchevsky, Hayden Lait, David Maddox, Andre Mathis, Dottie McCallen, Edward McKenney, David McKinney, Mike McLaren, Chaz Molder, Steven Mulroy, Bill Nixon, David Pool, Todd Presnell, Ted Raynor, Glen Reid, Josh Spotts, Jay Strasberg, Joshua Sudbury, Shep Tate, Tiffany Taylor Bowders, Tanja Thompson, Henry Turley, Anna Vergos, Nic Vescovo, BJ Wade, Lew Wardlaw, Ken Woodmansee, Amy Worrell, Barbara Zoccola and Martin Zummach

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Contact Us

For additional information please contact Law Alumni Coordinator, Chelsea Dubey, at ctdubey@memphis.edu or 901/678-1562.

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Media

Contact the University of Memphis Public Relations Department, Curt Guenther, at cguenthr@memphis.edu or 901/678-3812.

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FAQ

Where is the funding for this event coming from?
There are no University or state funds being used to finance this event. All funds have been raised by the Planning Committee.

Where do the proceeds of the event go?
All proceeds from this event will benefit the Law School.

Can my company sponsor this event?
Yes, sponsorships are still available. See our Sponsorship Package to learn more.

Who are the people on the planning committees?
Alumni, friends, local business representatives, University staff and Law Alumni Board Members make up the planning committees. If you are interested in helping, contact ctdubey@memphis.edu.

This is my class’ reunion year, is there a reunion event planned?
Classes scheduled to have reunions in 2009 and 2010 are encouraged to take advantage of this once in a lifetime event and attend the Grand Opening as a group and also gather prior for a pre-event cocktail at a downtown restaurant. Class agents will be responsible for planning and executing a gathering prior to the Grand Opening. The Alumni Association staff is happy to assist in finding a location and notifying classmates; contact ctdubey@memphis.edu.

I want to attend the Late Night Party, but I’m not a student or a young lawyer, am I still welcome?
Yes, absolutely. The party is geared towards our younger guests, but all paying guests are welcome.  

I did not receive an invitation, why is that?
Oversights in a guest list unfortunately happen, and we are sorry for that. In many cases you are in fact on our guest list, and we’ve sent it to your preferred address, but that is not where you expected it to be delivered. Please contact ctdubey@memphis.edu for invitation information.

My colleagues did not receive an invitation, can they still come?
Yes, all are welcome to purchase tickets. Oversights in a guest list unfortunately happen, and we are sorry for that. Please contact ctdubey@memphis.edu for invitation information.

I took great pictures of the event, where can I send them?
The Alumni Association would love to include your photos on the Web site and in the magazine. Send your photos to ctdubey@memphis.edu.

Did we forget a FAQ?
Contact ctdubey@memphs.edu with all questions, comments and inquiries.

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