The Brian C. Porter Memorial Scholarship Charitable Fund

Brian Porter was a man of character, nonjudgmental by nature, and provided unselfish counsel to many. He gave lovingly and generously. He was a self-sacrificing and devoted son and brother, as well as a trusted friend. His passing is a tremendous loss. He will be missed but not forgotten. He leaves with us all his righteous ideals, his unwavering faith, his spirit and his smile.

Brian excelled in all he did and enlightened all he met. Brian practiced employment and labor law at the prestigious firm, Jackson, Lewis, Schnitzler & Krupman, where he quickly established himself as a great young legal mind. In addition, Brian was a staff lecturer for the Council on Education in Management, where he advised public and private sector employers on labor, employment and workplace law.

Always with a giving heart, Brian volunteered his time as a trial advocacy instructor for the YMCA, teaching aspiring youth the art of being a trial attorney.

The Brian C. Porter Memorial Scholarship Charitable Fund was created at the California Community Foundation in 2003 to support law students who share Brian’s values: love for God, love for country and being passionate about justice.

Contributions to the California Community Foundation represent irrevocable gifts subject to the legal and fiduciary control of the foundation's board of directors.

Click here to make a secure contribution to this fund now.

Brian C. Porter’s Background

Brian knew at age eight that he wanted to be a lawyer, often voicing this to his parents He graduated from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in 1999. He received the American Jurisprudence Award in Advanced Torts, and his article, "Truth in Sentencing: California's Initiative Aimed at Eliminating Work Release Credits for Violent Criminals," was published by the Institute for Legislative Practice in 1998.

Originally from Oxnard, California, Brian achieved academic excellence and athletic distinction as a high school and junior college student. At Palmdale High School, he was involved in student body leadership. He had a passion for sports and was a star wide receiver for the Falcon football team. Brian continued as a wide receiver for Antelope Valley Junior College where he was named Student Athlete of the Year. Though Brian had many offers to play football at larger, more prestigious schools, he chose to continue his education at California Lutheran University (Cal Lu) because he wished to remain close to his family while receiving an education commensurate with his strong Christian beliefs. At Cal Lu, Brian was named a Ronald Reagan Presidential Scholar, receiving his bachelor’s in political science.

Brian's passion for life was also evident in his patriotism. He was a tireless activist and leader in Republican politics at the local, state and federal levels. Brian worked on two presidential and U.S. Senate campaigns and numerous congressional, state and local races. He was a statewide leader of the California College Republicans while at Cal Lu and served as president of the Federalist Society at McGeorge. Until his death, Brian continued to aid and advise many, including serving as the chairman of the Los Angeles County Young Republican Federation of California and as leader on the state board of directors of the California Republican Lawyers Association.