With 40 years of teaching experience under his belt, University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law Associate Dean and Professor Larry Levine has taught generations of law students. His work does not go unnoticed; he was awarded the University of the Pacific’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2025.

“I am so grateful that I found this profession that I love. It is such a joy and gift to get to teach soon-to-be lawyers,” Levine said. “I've had thousands of students at this point, so to watch their career trajectory and see what becomes of their lives as well playing a small role in that, is just amazing.”

Levine has been a panelist, lecturer, and speaker on legal issues involving torts and sexual orientation. He has been involved with several organizations advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, including the National Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association, State Bar Committee on Sexual Orientation Discrimination, and Law School Admission Council’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues Subcommittee.

Levine’s work towards inclusivity has garnered national recognition. McGeorge School of Law was the 2025 recipient of the LGBTQ+ Institutional Inclusive Excellence Award from the Association of American Law Schools Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues.

“Quite simply put, Dean Levine is a central pillar of the McGeorge community,” president of Lambda Law Students Association Taylor Horton ’27 said. “His work has shaped generations of law students and attorneys for the better and he has helped to foster a campus that embraces diversity and actively supports students from disadvantaged communities.” 

Levine’s work goes above and beyond the realm of teaching though, he also helped found the Jeffrey K. Poilé Memorial Civil Rights Scholarship which has raised over $1.3 million in scholarships. It is the third-largest scholarship fund at the law school.

Jeff Poilé, who was Levine’s life partner, passed away in 1992 from AIDS. This scholarship commemorates Jeff Poilé and provides support to students who are committed to using their legal education to extend and protect the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.

“I think about Jeff all the time; he was the most amazing person I ever met,” Levine said.

Levine said when he first heard that the scholarship was named after Jeff Poilé, it brought tears to Levine’s eyes. Levine isn’t the only person who holds onto the good memories of Jeff Poilé. The Poilé Scholarship Reception recently took place on November 14 and brought together over 100 attendees who wanted to honor Professor Levine and the memory of Jeff Poilé. The annual event hosted by McGeorge School of Law honors Poilé and raises money for the scholarship.

“This is such a powerful tool for change,” Levine said. “The scholarship is a fantastic and important undertaking for gay rights; I am using it to further the rights in the community with people who will fight and who better than lawyers?”

McGeorge awarded the first $1,250 Poilé Scholarship to one student in 2002 and since then has given out $453,000 in scholarships to nearly 200 students. Levine works on growing the endowment by performing in drag with his longtime friends and colleagues, Dean Michael Colatrella and Associate Dean Jeff Proske. The trio dresses up and performs a medley annually at the Fall Spectacular.

“My colleagues are my closest friends, and we’ve been performing for years together,” Levine said. “I am always nervous performing, but so exhilarating once I survived it.”

The 14^th Annual Fall Spectacular was recently held on November 15. Levine said co-chairs of the Lambda Law Students Association came up with the idea for the Fall Spectacular in 2011 and have kept running with it for all these years. The event sells out year-after-year to a crowd of more than 200 audience members and raises money for the scholarship and Lambda. Faculty, staff, students, and alumni perform at the event each year.

Horton said the mere existence of such a large, endowed scholarship specifically for LGBTQ+ law students is a statement of support.

“During times where LGBTQ+ people face more and more harassment and legal challenges, to have a school put so much effort and love into stewarding this kind of financial support is simply astounding,” Horton said.

Donate to the scholarship. Gifts to the Poilé scholarship are still being matched dollar-for-dollar by the Powell Fund until the fund is depleted.