The ASIL Heritage Circle

Introduction & Mission
The American Society of International Law is the leading U.S.-based organization promoting the study and use of international law. It derives its strength from the committed involvement of its members: through their contributions of time, talent, and treasure, ASIL members participate in a tradition of educational scholarship and fellowship begun in 1906.

One way members lend financial support to the Society’s work is to include ASIL in their estate plans. Such donations, called planned gifts, are among the most meaningful to make and to receive. Not only do they provide lasting support for ASIL education programs, but they also can offer considerable tax advantages to the donor and can be surprisingly easy to set up.

To help members with such gift planning, the Society in 2004 created the ASIL Heritage Circle, which has a four-part mission:

• to provide planned and dedicated giving opportunities to ASIL members;

• to honor members who have included commitments to the ASIL in their estate plans;

• to provide gift planning information to ASIL members; and

• to help build the ASIL’s endowment.

Why Join the ASIL Heritage Circle?
Your colleagues have varied reasons for joining the ASIL Heritage Circle, but they share a commitment to the field of international law and the organization that serves it. When making a planned gift, Heritage Circle members usually realize tax benefits, which sometimes are significant. Using assets instead of income to make a gift also affords the donor greater flexibility in the size, type, and purpose of his or her contribution.

How ASIL uses Heritage Circle Gifts
ASIL Heritage Circle contributions can be used in two ways:

• as gifts to the ASIL Endowment for International Law, the income from which supports the education program of the Society, or

• as dedicated program support, an option available when gifts are $25,000 or more (the specific ASIL program to benefit is determined in consultation with ASIL representatives, although such donations also may be added to ASIL’s endowment).

How to Join the Heritage Circle
ASIL members and supporters can join the Heritage Circle by notifying the Society of their commitment, either already made or intended to be made, to include ASIL in their estate plans. They may indicate this via a separate letter or by using the Invitation Reply Form linked below. Members may join anonymously or add their names to the growing list of colleagues who have made a planned gift to the Society. The Charter Members of the ASIL Heritage Circle are listed below:

Charter Members

Anonymous
James G. Apple
Charles N. Brower
James H. Carter
Sarah Whitcraft deFord*
Charlotte Ku
Cynthia Crawford
Lichtenstein
H.C.L. Merillat
William D. Rogers
Oscar Schachter*
John R. Stevenson*
Richard Young

* granted posthumously

Types of Heritage Circle Gifts

The most common planned gift is to include a charitable bequest in your will. Other such gifts include: charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, revocable trusts, designation of ASIL as a beneficiary in a life insurance policy or retirement plan, or a gift of a life estate in a personal residence. There are additional possibilities as well.

The ASIL Heritage Circle can provide information about the different types of bequests, as well as sample language to use in your will. We also can work with donors to determine the most suitable gift instrument for their circumstances and purposes.

For More Information
To learn more about the ASIL Heritage Circle or to inquire about planned gift options, please contact Richard LaRue, ASIL Deputy Director, rlarue@asil.org or 202.939.5363.

About the ASIL Endowment for International Law
Most Heritage Circle gifts are added to the ASIL Endowment for International Law. Established in 2004 with $1 million in ASIL assets, the endowment supports the Society’s education program. Additions to the endowment increase this permanent source of funding for ASIL efforts to share knowledge of international law with the growing numbers of individuals and institutions that increasingly use, influence, or are affected by it. Click here for more information about the Endowment.

GO TO THE ASIL HERITAGE CIRCLE INVITATION REPLY FORM