San Joaquin College of Law is celebrating the naming of its future library facility in Clovis Tuesday, made possible by a $1 million gift.
The facility, formerly the Clovis Senior Center, will now be known as the Darryl B. Freedman Law Library. A dedication ceremony takes place Oct. 24 at 5 p.m.
Late San Joaquin College of Law alumnus Darryl Freedman and his wife Gretchen’s gift made it possible to acquire the facility through a lease-purchase agreement from the City of Clovis.
The Clovis Senior Center is scheduled to be vacated Nov. 13. and relocated to the six-acre Landmark Square a block away, where it will share a 29,000 square-foot building with a transit center and public library.
San Joaquin College of Law will lease the former Clovis Senior Center for $90,000 a year for 20 years, with the option to buy it for $1 at the end of the term, reported the Clovis Roundup.
It should take about a year to complete renovations to accommodate the law library.
Freedman was a native of Bronx, New York, who moved to Fresno at an early age with his mother. After his mother’s untimely passing, he worked his way through Fresno State and then San Joaquin College of Law in the grocery business, according to his obituary. After passing the bar, he practiced personal injury law for almost 30 years.
The practice was highly successful, according to a San Joaquin College of Law news release, because of its focus on client service, support and courtesy. Freedman frequently indicated his desire to make a major gift to his former law school in thanks for the opportunity it provided him.
Shortly before his death in 2018, Darryl and Gretchen finalized the gift to bring the new library facility to students. Gretchen continues to ensure that their objective is fulfilled.
$1M gift enables new library for San Joaquin College of Law in Clovis
