New Duke Endowment Fund to Support Judicature

PICTURED ABOVE: David and Jan Ichel (center) with 2025 recipients of Ichel scholarships.
Their scholarships currently support 14 students across Duke University.

David and Jan Ichel, longtime supporters of Duke Law School, have established an endowment fund at the Bolch Judicial Institute to provide essential support for Judicature and to advance the Institute’s mission to promote rule-of-law principles and judicial independence.

Judicature is a more-than-100-year-old scholarly journal for the judiciary, published three times a year and distributed to more than 5,000 U.S. federal and state judges. It serves as a vital forum for judges, practitioners, and academics to share scholarship, best practices, and perspectives on the judiciary and the administration of justice.

“Jan and I believe deeply in the power of Judicature to strengthen our judicial system by fostering the exchange of ideas and best practices among judges at every level,” said Ichel. “Having served as the journal’s inaugural editorial board chair, I’ve seen firsthand how Judicature serves as a vital bridge connecting federal and state judges with scholars and members of the bar. This endowment ensures that this essential dialogue can continue for generations to come. At a time when our courts face unprecedented challenges, it’s more important than ever that we support the institutions that promote judicial excellence and preserve the rule of law.”

David Ichel is a graduate of Duke Law School, where he has maintained deep ties for over four decades. He has also played a key role in supporting the Bolch Judicial Institute’s work since its founding in 2018, serving as chair of Judicature’s editorial board, the inaugural chair of the Institute’s Leadership Council, and, currently, chair of the Institute’s Advisory Board. The Ichels’ generous philanthropy has also included broad support for the Institute, including gifts to the David F. Levi Professorship and Directorship, the Star Rule of Law Fund, and the McGovern Symposium on Complex Civil Litigation.

Ichel was a partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he spent over 37 years from 1978 to 2015 litigating complex commercial disputes. He currently serves as a mediator, arbitrator, and special master at his firm, X-Dispute LLC, drawing on his extensive litigation experience. Chambers USA ranks him as one of the country’s leading mediators. A member of the American Law Institute, Ichel also chaired and served as a member of the Board of Mobilization for Justice, Inc., one of the country’s oldest providers of legal services to the underserved.

“David and Jan exemplify the kind of visionary leadership that strengthens our entire judicial system,” said Paul W. Grimm, director of the Bolch Judicial Institute. “At a time when courts face evolving challenges, this gift provides crucial resources to ensure that Judicature can continue serving as an essential forum for advancing best practices and fostering dialogue among judges, scholars, and practitioners nationwide.”