The lawyer who "stumbled into" Harvard donated $31.4 million to his former school
Harvard Law School received the largest donation in its history: $31.4 million. This sum was presented to the university by Morgan Chu, one of the most successful American patent lawyers, and his wife, Helen Chu. The 75-year-old Morgan still jokes that Harvard admitted him "by mistake." The school he attended managed to raise more than $135 million in donations in the 2026 fiscal year.
Lawyer who “stumbled into” Harvard donates $31.4 million to his alma mater
American lawyer Morgan Chu and his wife Helen Chu have donated $31.4 million to Harvard Law School. This amount is the largest donation in the school's history and will be used to fund six new endowed professorships.
Morgan Chu is a lawyer specializing in intellectual property law who graduated with honors from Harvard Law School in 1976.
“I am grateful to the school for accepting me by mistake. I received a world-class education here and had a wonderful time. Helen and I wanted to say thank you to the school,” Chu explained his donation.
This is not the Chu family's first donation to Harvard Law School. In 2013, Morgan and his wife Helen provided funds to establish a permanent endowment to fund the position of the school's dean.
The family has also previously supported student scholarships, awards for academic achievement, and other educational initiatives.
Morgan Chu's family is also known for its achievements in science and education. His brother Steven Chu won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997. Steven Chu also served as the US Secretary of Energy during the Barack Obama administration.
Another brother, Gilbert Chu, works as a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Morgan Chu's parents immigrated to the US from China and studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His father later worked as a professor at universities.
According to Harvard Law School, fiscal year 2024 was the most successful fundraising period in the institution's history, with donations exceeding $135 million. This is nearly $30 million more than the previous record.