Paul M. Hebert Law Center Chancellor Jack Weiss announced the largest donation by a living donor — $600,000 — establishing the Nesser Family Endowed Chair in Energy Law on Friday.
According to guidelines by the Louisiana Board of Regents, $600,000 must be donated to set up an endowed chair before the Board of Regents will match the amount with another $400,000. The Endowed Chair in Energy Law will be the second endowed chair to be granted to the Law Center.
The guidelines also indicate that a national eminent scholar will fill the endowed chair. The eminent scholar — who must meet performance standards including innovative teaching and contributions to the state’s economy — is preferably selected from candidates outside of the school, according to Board of Regents guidelines.
Weiss said the donation was the first step in building the foundation for energy law in Louisiana.
“I don’t see why, with the resources of LSU and the resources of the Law Center, we can’t make this the premier [energy law center in the country],” Weiss said.
The new endowed chair was provided for by 1973 law school alumnus John T. Nesser III, his son and 1999 Law Center alumnus J.T. Nesser IV, and his daughter Amanda Nesser Moeller — a 2005 law school alumna, according a news release.
John T. Nesser III is the executive vice president and CEO of McDermott International, Inc. J.T. Nesser IV is a partner with Porter Hedges Law Firm in Houston, and Amanda Nesser Moeller is a career counselor with Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, according to a news release.
Energy is the most important issue facing the United States now, Nesser said.
Nesser said the situations in Japan and the Middle East are emphasizing the importance of energy for the country and the rest of the world.
Nesser said it is appropriate for the Law Center to be the premier energy law center in the country because of the University’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, which is the largest deep water source of energy in the world besides Brazil.
Weiss said he envisioned the development lasting only a few years. Weiss said it was only the first phase of development, and he expects more donations. Weiss said he’s optimistic about generating resources for the project.
“The family would be delighted if in three to five years the energy center is taking its place as the leader in the industry,” Nesser said.
 
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