Richard Bogoroch doesn’t see his giving as just benefiting law students at Osgoode Hall Law School – he also sees it as contributing to a healthy and stable society.
"A legal education is a privilege and an honour and of great benefit to society," says Bogoroch. "Lawyers are the indispensable guardians of democracy who through their vigilance ensure that governments do not engage in arbitrary actions."
Right: Richard Bogoroch
His law firm, Bogoroch & Associates, which specializes in personal injury and medical malpractice litigation, has made a second investment in legal education at York University with a generous gift of $50,000 to the Bogoroch & Associates Renewable Entrance Award at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Bogoroch first established the award in 2004, providing a first-year student at Osgoode Hall Law School facing limited financial resources with $8,325 a year for three years of study. "If you have the ability to make a decent living, giving back is so important," he says.
Kristaq Lala, the current award recipient, typifies the type of talented law student the award is meant to help. Lala came to York via a circuitous route after leaving his home in Albania at age 16 and then spending time in both Salt Lake City and Boston before his academic talent brought him to York University. "Receiving this award is amazing," says the first-year student.
"Osgoode is truly thankful to Bogoroch & Associates for their kind support," says Jinyan Lee, interim dean of Osgoode Hall Law School. "This generosity ensures that one of our newest students has the opportunity to fulfil his or her academic aspirations and personal potential."
Bogoroch quotes Winston Churchill to summarize his approach to philanthropy: "We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give."
The donation falls within York University’s Transform50 priority, helping to transform student lives with scholarships, bursaries and awards. Nearly one-quarter of the funds raised for the York to the Power of 50 campaign has been directed to undergraduate and graduate student scholarships, bursaries and awards. The $200-million campaign is now in its final phase.