Nearly 40 years ago, when Dorian Daley applied to Santa Clara University School of Law, she received an acceptance letter and a scholarship. “I remember my scholarship letter said that when I become successful, the University would hope that I would give back and help others be successful,” recalls Daley in this video interview.  

After graduating from Santa Clara Law in 1986, Daley went on to a remarkable career as a leader and innovator in Silicon Valley. Daley began her journey at Oracle Corporation in 1992 and currently serves as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel. 

Daley says her philosophy has always been to “pay it forward,” which is one of the driving forces behind her lifelong support of Santa Clara University and the SCU School of Law. As she often tells friends and colleagues, because Santa Clara Law made an investment in her with a scholarship many years ago, she feels an obligation to return the favor and invest in an institution that has provided her—and her son Devon Daley ’16, M.S. ’18—with so many professional opportunities. 

“[Santa Clara Law] instilled values and approaches in me that have carried me through my practice and...gotten me where I am here today,” says Daley, a member of the Santa Clara Law Advisory Board and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Santa Clara Law in 2019. 

Over their 35-plus year relationship with Santa Clara University, Daley and Krautkramer have committed more than $1 million to multiple areas of the University. Most recently, they have made a generous leadership gift of $200,000 to establish the new Dean’s Merit Scholarship Endowed Fund at Santa Clara Law, understanding that scholarships are a high impact and highly versatile tool for expanding access, improving affordability, increasing diversity, and promoting excellence. Once fully funded, the Dean’s Merit Scholarship Endowed Fund will provide the financial resources necessary to retain students, improve employment and bar passage outcomes, and reduce the average debt load for graduates, all critical elements in the law school’s reputation and ranking. 

The longstanding support and generosity of Daley and Krautkramer have inspired many others to give back as well. Anna Han, longtime professor at Santa Clara Law who served as interim dean from 2019-2021, and her husband, Dr. Daniel Klein, recently made a $10,000 contribution to the Dean’s Merit Scholarship Fund in honor of Han’s grandparents. “I feel so grateful for my grandparents’ support of me and my work,” said Han, whose faculty office in Charney Hall bears a plaque in their name. “Also, because I am a faculty member here, I feel motivated and responsible to pay it forward to future generations of law students.”

Looking forward, the Dean’s Merit Scholarship Endowed Fund will be one of the pillars of the Law School’s campaign focus on scholarships. “With generous support from other members of the Law Advisory Board, Santa Clara Law’s faculty and staff, and alumni and friends of the Law School, we can fully fund this endowment and provide considerable benefit to Santa Clara Law in perpetuity,” says Steve O’Brien, senior assistant dean for External Relations. “If we can retain our top students and simultaneously reduce their debt burden, we will place graduates on an accelerated path to professional success, as well as help put the Law School on equal footing with some of the nation’s most prestigious institutions.”

To learn more about the Dean’s Merit Scholarship Endowed Fund or other ways to support Santa Clara Law, please contact Steve O’Brien at sobrien@scu.edu or 408-554-2706. 

Make a gift to the Dean’s Merit Scholarship Endowed Fund or other areas of the Law School.