Orlando attorney Steve Rissman creates law school endowment

Orlando attorney Steve A. Rissman, a 1972 graduate of the Florida State University College of Law, has pledged $100,000 to create the Rissman Family Endowment at the school.

The gift will be eligible for a 50 percent match from the state of Florida. The state match will be added to the permanent endowment, creating a total endowment of $150,000. This endowment will be combined with other gifts to the Alumni Centennial Chair, which supports the dean of the law school.

“My family and I feel a real sense of identity with the law school. We go to many of the events and I even taught a course at the law school at one time,” Rissman said. “Dean Weidner has done a spectacular job at recruiting a top-notch faculty and attracting some of the best students in the country. We wanted to do our part to help.”

This is Rissman’s third significant gift to the College of Law. His first gift of $60,000 helped endow a professorship, and his second gift of $200,000 created the McConnaughhay & Rissman Endowment for Excellence. Both previous gifts were made with Rissman’s friend Jim McConnaughhay, a 1969 graduate of the law school.

“We are all very grateful to Steve for his continued generous financial support,” said College of Law Dean Don Weidner. “Steve is one of the reasons our programs continue to hit new highs.”

Rissman is a shareholder with the Orlando law firm of Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain, P.A. His practice focuses on workers’ compensation defense.