Taking the bar exam is an immense undertaking for law school graduates, even under the best of conditions. That’s why Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law puts significant resources toward not only preparing its students to take the bar exam—both before and after graduation—but also supporting them on the days of the test itself with catered lunches and the companionship of fellow alumni and law school staff, including Dean Matt Parlow.

With the California Bar Exam being administered online October 5 and 6 in response to the evolving COVID-19 situation, the law school was faced with a challenge: figuring out how to deliver the same level of support to the alumni taking the exam this fall, even from a safe distance. The solution came in the form of a substantial donation from Fowler School of Law Advisory Board member and longtime supporter Bob Alvarado, CEO of CourtCall, a leading legal technology company.

“This gift will enable us to continue this signature program even in these extraordinary times,” Parlow said. “I am immensely grateful for the generosity of Bob Alvarado and CourtCall in supporting this initiative and for their dedication to our students and alumni.”

Alvarado’s gift will provide each of the 174 Fowler School of Law graduates taking October’s remote bar exam with a $60 UberEats voucher code they can use anytime during the week of the bar exam.

CourtCall helps facilitate remote court appearances for judges, lawyers, and court staff, pioneering virtual litigation services decades before the current pandemic made such technology ubiquitous and essential. Alvarado and his company were deeply involved in the $1 million renovation of the Aitken Trial Courtroom in 2018, and this latest gift demonstrates their continued commitment to the success of the Fowler School of Law’s students and alumni.

“My wife, Melissa, and I remember the bar exam like it was yesterday,” Alvarado said. “We have our own bar exam stories, but few will match the stories from those who take the exam this year. It’s my sincere hope the Bar Lunch Program will provide a bit of calm for the exam takers, and we’re thrilled to be able to provide the support each Chapman Law graduate needs.”