In My Own Words: An Extraordinary Life
Terry Lord, J.D. ’66, made a gift in his estate plan to Texas Law.
In the fall of 1963, I was a first-year student in the School of Law at The University of Texas at Austin. I chose the school because of its national and global reputation, and because I knew it could provide me with opportunities and a career I would be proud of. I wanted to fill my mind with as much information as I could, create my own values and be the person I wanted to be.
After graduation, I spent a year in Vietnam before going to Chicago to join the organized crime section of the Department of Justice. I never had tried a federal case, and there I was, at age 27, prosecuting mob figures, using electronic surveillance, dealing with undercover agents and doing sting operations for all types of federal criminal cases. My education had given me the confidence to do what I needed to do.
The best way I could think of to thank the university for providing me with the education I needed to have such a wonderful career was to make a planned gift. I bought some land just north of College Station in 1971, and I’ve had oil leases on the property since 2013. I'm leaving two-thirds of my mineral rights in oil production to The University of Texas at Austin.
I hope to set an example so more people will think about what the law school could become. With more gifts, the law school could continue to attract the very best professors and get the best students to study in any area that they wanted. I feel great joy at being an alumnus of this university, and I want it to always be a great place where students can build an extraordinary life for themselves.
You Can Help Students Build Extraordinary Lives
Will you join Terry and invest in Texas Law? You can use your generosity to support the next generation of leaders in law, as well as support our brilliant Texas Law faculty. Download our complimentary guide, “4 Smart Strategies to Maximize Your Charitable Giving,” to find the right giving option for you. For more information, contact the Gift and Estate Planning Team at 512-475-9632 or giftplan@austin.utexas.edu.