Charles “Chuck” Williams '57, MBA '58

Posted On - April 21, 2023


Charles “Chuck” Williams '57, MBA '58Photo Courtesy of the Williams Institute

Charles “Chuck” Williams '57, MBA '58, passed away April 12 at age 88. Brad Sears, the Founding Executive Director of the Williams Institute, shared the following message with the Law School community.

A dedicated member of the Bruin family and the embodiment of what it means to give to others, Chuck will be remembered for a great many achievements, but foremost among them will be his role as a trailblazer in the fight for justice and equitable treatment of all.

Chuck was a double graduate of UCLA — he earned a B.S. degree in business administration in 1957 and then an MBA in 1958. In 2001, after several successful decades in business, Chuck made a decision that would have a huge and lasting impact on the lives of millions of Americans — he partnered with UCLA to establish a program that would ultimately create the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law.

Through his extraordinary philanthropy — he committed more than $20 million to the University — his determined leadership and his tireless dedication to the cause of equality, Chuck certainly left his mark, not just on UCLA, but on the legal system of our nation and the social fabric of our world. Over the years, Chuck’s namesake institute became the preeminent global voice on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, ensuring that rigorous research and facts supplant stereotypes and bias wherever they try to take hold. Countless others have drawn inspiration from Chuck and his work, with the Williams Institute serving as a testament to the lasting change that giving can make possible.

While we are sharing this news with you, please know that UCLA will more publicly pay tribute to Chuck’s life and impact. A memorial service is being planned for June, and as soon as we have further details we will be sure to pass them along.

We extend our deepest sympathies to all those who knew and loved Chuck, especially to Stu Walter — Chuck’s partner of more than 50 years. He is in our hearts.

Read the tribute posted on the UCLA School of Law's website.

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