Gift of $1 million will complete Levin Law Advocacy Center

December 4, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A $1 million gift will complete the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law’s Trial Advocacy Center and bring the total of Levin family gifts to the law school to nearly $30 million, including state matching funds. The gift from Teri Levin, Fredric G. Levin’s sister-in-law, honors her late husband, Allen Richard Levin.

The announcement was made on the evening of Dec. 3 during a Pensacola, Fla. reception for UF Law alumni. The gift will fund construction of classrooms, offices and meeting spaces on the second floor of the new Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center.

Allen R. Levin, a University of Florida graduate and a well-known property developer and philanthropist in Pensacola, died in January 2007 at the age of 62. A proud family man, he was widely respected for his vision regarding development and beautification of the Gulf Coast area.

“Allen was a humble man and a great leader who loved all of his brothers and was particularly close to his nephew, Martin H. Levin, a UF Law graduate and namesake of the new advocacy center,” Teri Levin said. “We thought naming the mezzanine level of the new advocacy center would be a fitting tribute to Allen and a way to keep his memory and legacy alive.”

Levin College of Law Dean Robert Jerry said this gift, in combination with the Levin’s previous contributions, has helped to make UF Law’s facilities among the best in the nation.

“This significant gift by Teri Levin in honor of her husband, Allen, will enable us to complete the construction of the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center and build academic space that will benefit our students for many years to come,” Jerry said. “This state-of-the-art facility, which completes the construction and renovation of all of the college’s academic space during this decade, will give our faculty the rest of the tools they need to teach our students to be outstanding legal advocates.”

Fredric G. Levin (JD 61), a prominent Pensacola attorney and UF Law alumnus and the college’s namesake, donated $2 million dollars as the lead gift to build the advocacy center, named for his son, Martin H. Levin (JD 88), who graduated first in his class at UF Law.

The first phase of construction on the 20,000 square-foot Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center was completed in time to host the October 2009 oral arguments for the First District Court of Appeals. The facility houses a fully functional trial and appellate courtroom with a 100-seat gallery, bench for seven judges, jury box and attorney’s tables. The main floor also includes judge’s chambers and a deliberation room. Construction on the second floor is set to begin in fall 2010, with completion expected in spring 2011.

“I feel really good about this donation because I know it would have made Allen very happy to have his name on the building with his brother Fred and nephew Martin,” Teri Levin said. “This is a great tribute to a great man.”