TALLAHASSEE — Orlando attorney Steven A. Rissman, a 1972 graduate of the  Florida State University College of Law, has pledged $100,000 to create the Rissman  Family Endowment at the school. The gift will be eligible for a 50 percent match from the  state of Florida. The state match will be added to the permanent endowment, creating a  total endowment of $150,000. 

This endowment will be combined with other gifts to the Alumni Centennial Chair, which supports the dean of the law school. This is Rissman’s third significant gift to the  College of Law. His first gift of $60,000 helped endow a professorship and his second gift  of $200,000 created the McConnaughhay & Rissman Endowment for Excellence. Both  previous gifts were made with Rissman’s friend Jim McConnaughhay, a 1969 graduate of the law school. 

“We are all very grateful to Steve for his continued generous financial support,”  said Dean Don Weidner. “Steve is one of the reasons our programs continue to hit new  highs.”  

“My family and I feel a real sense of identity with the law school. We go to many  of the  events and I even taught a  course  at the  law school at one  time,” said Rissman. “Dean Weidner has done a spectacular job at recruiting a top­notch faculty and attracting  some of the best students in the country. We wanted to do our part to help.”  

Rissman  is a shareholder  with the  Orlando  law firm of Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue & McLain, P.A. His practice focuses on workers' compensation defense.