Recruiting Your Colleagues
Law Firm Challenge Captain Toolkit
As a firm captain, you are responsible for contacting the alumni at your firm to explain the importance of alumni participation and to encourage an annual gift. We provide all the support you need, including information about annual participation and e-mail updates on the participation status of your firm and fellow alumni.
Here are some things you can do to get your fellow alumni on board:
Consider your firm/organization's culture
Every firm and organization is unique. Approach your colleagues in ways that are most appropriate for your office/firm culture.
Send email announcements
We will send you Challenge updates which you can forward to your colleagues. To be even more effective, you can personalize your messages to include your perspective, such as why you are involved and how this will benefit your firm.
Conduct periodic follow-up
People are busy. The key to the Challenge is persistent follow-up, either in person, via personalized email, or over the phone. You can also recruit your colleagues to help drum up support.
After the Gift
Every donor will receive a thank you note from the law school, however, a personal note from a member of the Development staff will also mean a great deal to them. Please let the Development staff know who you believe would benefit from special acknowledgment.
Tips for Having Fun and Winning the Challenge
Law Firm Challenge Agent Toolkit
Use your creativity to make the Law Firm Challenge a fun competition that brings your colleagues together and strengthens your network of support.
Personalize and forward email updates each month.
Keep your colleagues informed by adding personalized information your colleagues care about, such as:
- Upcoming events taking place on campus
- Recruitment goals for the year
- Anything your colleagues like about the USD School of Law – softball teams, favorite faculty members, etc.
Call or stop by the offices of colleagues.
Nothing beats a personalized face-to-face conversation and a phone call is second best. This will provide you with an opportunity to strengthen your relationships with your colleagues, as well as hear objections or answer questions about the Challenge.
Have partners solicit partners & associates solicit associates.
People feel most comfortable being solicited by their peers. Having a partner and associate on board as a formal or informal representative for the Challenge can provide leverage and remove any tension that might exist because of office politics.
Hand out USD School of Law giveaways.
Gifts are available for distribution from the Development Office. We have items such as USD School of Law coffee mugs, pens and notepads.
Schedule a visit from the USD School of Law.
Schedule a breakfast or a lunch for your colleagues to hear from the Dean Schapiro about the school and our upcoming activities.
Plan a happy hour celebration.
When your firm/company/organization wins, invite your USD School of Law colleagues to O'Toole's on campus for drinks. This can be a good opportunity to get to know one another and celebrate your victory.
Volunteer Timeline
- Throughout the year
- March-May: Targeted Fundraising Period
- June
- July
- Forward monthly updates from Jeanette Nichols, Associate Director, Law School Development, to all alumni at your firm.
- Attend alumni receptions and events in the region of your choice.
- Invite alumni to volunteer through a variety of law school programs.
- Consider scheduling an event at your firm with the law school. Contact the Office of Development to discuss dates and coordinate the visit at lawdev@sandiego.edu or (619) 260-4692.