The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has announced an unrestricted gift from businessman Jerry Wordsworth — the largest single cash gift in the school's hundred-and-seventy-five-year history.

Made in recognition of the roles that UNC-trained lawyers played in the growth of Wordsworth's family business — including law school dean Martin H. Brinkley, who served as lead outside counsel for MBM Corporation — the gift will support the school's mission to prepare outstanding lawyer-leaders.

A native of Rocky Mount, Wordsworth, together with his siblings, built MBM Corporation into a multibillion-dollar customized foodservice distributor over forty years. At the time of the sale of the Carolina Panthers football franchise in 2018, Jerry and his brother Steve were minority owners of the team, which was purchased for $2.2 billion.

"Although I am not a lawyer and did not graduate from UNC, I believe that lawyers who hold to the highest ethical standards, are committed to public service, and understand business are critical to the future of our country," said Wordsworth. "I wanted to play a part in making sure other business entrepreneurs and communities have access to the best legal counsel."

"Jerry's generosity will allow Carolina Law to recruit the strongest teachers and students in the country," said Brinkley. "We will use his gift to educate excellent lawyers who will work in private practice, public service, nonprofit work, and public interest practice. It takes resources to produce great lawyers. With private gifts enhancing the generous support we receive from the state legislature, the return on these investments will benefit North Carolina."