Paul Hastings Global Managing Partner Sherrese Smith Establishes Scholarship Fund at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
In a heartfelt nod to her alma mater and the barriers she once navigated, Sherrese M. Smith (JD ’96), global managing partner of Paul Hastings LLP, has launched the Smith & Heyliger Endowed Scholarship Fund at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Announced on September 3, 2025, the fund—established alongside her husband, Ade Heyliger—aims to ease the financial burdens of legal education for deserving students, providing merit- and need-based awards to those facing steep tuition costs in an increasingly competitive field.
Smith, a trailblazing figure in media, technology, and telecommunications law, credits her own Northwestern experience—including scholarship support that shaped her trajectory—for fueling this gift. “The creation of this scholarship fund is a tangible way to extend that support to students who are beginning their legal education,” she stated in the announcement. As one of the nation’s preeminent data privacy and cybersecurity attorneys, ranked Band 1 in Chambers USA and honored as 2024 Managing Partner of the Year, Smith’s leadership at Paul Hastings (a 1,000+ lawyer firm with $2.3 billion in revenue) underscores her commitment to paying forward opportunities she once seized.
The fund’s launch sparked a ripple effect: A trio of Northwestern alumni at Paul Hastings—Aaron Charfoos (JD ’02), Geoff King (JD ’09), and Jason Fiebig (JD ’10)—rallied to match the gift, establishing the Paul Hastings LLP Scholarship Fund. “With Smith’s new role as Chair of the Law Board, it felt like an especially fitting time for alumni at Paul Hastings to recognize their colleague,” said Charfoos, highlighting the firm’s deep ties to Northwestern (home to over 130 Paul Hastings alumni).
Smith’s Storied Path: From Northwestern to Global Powerhouse
A University of South Carolina alum, Smith earned her JD at Northwestern in 1996, where she honed skills that propelled her to roles like chief counsel to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and general counsel at Washington Post Digital. Joining Paul Hastings in 2011, she ascended to vice chair of its Data Privacy and Cybersecurity practice before becoming the firm’s first Black and first female managing partner in 2021. Her docket spans crisis response, regulatory probes, and board advising for clients like Gen Digital (NASDAQ: GEN) and Cable ONE (NYSE: CABO), where she serves as a director.
Smith’s Northwestern devotion runs deep: She’s chaired the Law Board since early 2025 (after serving as vice chair), delivered the Class of 2023 convocation address, and co-chaired the school’s 2023-2024 Annual Fund. “My professional trajectory was shaped in part by opportunities I received while a law student, including scholarship support,” she reflected. “Those experiences underscored the importance of establishing this fund to ensure students from all backgrounds can achieve their goals.”
Broader Impact: Fueling Diversity and Access in Legal Education
The scholarships arrive at a pivotal moment for Northwestern Pritzker Law, ranked No. 10 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, where tuition exceeds $75,000 annually and debt burdens average $150,000 for graduates. Amid a 15% rise in law school applications post-2024 (LSAC data), funds like these prioritize underrepresented students—aligning with Smith’s advocacy for diversity (she’s a member of the German Marshall Fund’s Board of Trustees and the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism Board).
For aspiring lawyers, especially first-gen or low-income students, this means more than tuition relief: It’s a bridge to Big Law pipelines, where firms like Paul Hastings (with its 50% diverse partnership goal) seek talent from schools like Northwestern. Economically, such endowments sustain enrollment (up 5% at top schools in 2025) and bolster alumni giving, which hit $20 million for Northwestern last year.
Scholarship Spotlight
| Fund Name | Donors | Focus | Est. Annual Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith & Heyliger Endowed Scholarship | Sherrese Smith & Ade Heyliger | Merit/need-based for law students | $50K+ (initial) |
| Paul Hastings LLP Scholarship | Aaron Charfoos, Geoff King, Jason Fiebig (matched by firm) | Northwestern alumni at Paul Hastings | $25K+ (initial) |
As Chair of the Law Board, Smith vows to amplify these initiatives: “Northwestern gave me wings—now we’re giving others the runway.” For Paul Hastings, it’s a soft-power play, strengthening ties to a talent feeder that’s produced partners like her.
Looking ahead, with Smith’s board leadership, expect more collaborative gifts—perhaps tying scholarships to fintech or media law clinics, mirroring her expertise. In a field where access equals opportunity, this fund isn’t just philanthropy; it’s legacy-building, one scholarship at a time.
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