John S. Pachter, J.D. ’66, LL.M. ’70

Doing Well By Doing Good

When John S. Pachter, J.D. ’66, LL.M. ’70, attended GW Law, he wasn’t planning on specializing in government contracts. Both his legal education and his Army service, however, prepared him for a career.

After receiving a J.D. with honors, John served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps at the Pentagon. He began in the Litigation Division, Contract Branch, and later served two years as a trial attorney in the Contract Appeals Division. During his Army service, he earned an LL.M. in Government Procurement Law at GW, attending classes at night. Professors Ralph Nash and John Cibinic were influential in helping shape his career path.

A founding partner of Smith Pachter McWhorter PLC in 1986, John has maintained his ties to GW Law. A former adjunct professor in the Government Contracts Program and in the School of Engineering, he serves today on the Law School Dean’s Government Contracts Advisory Board.

“I owe a lot to the school, for what it has done for me and for the legal profession,” says John. “I couldn’t have had better professors. And I admire and respect the leaders of the Government Contracts Program for what they are doing today.”

To strengthen his estate planning and continue his contributions to the success of the Government Contracts Program, John and his wife Ilene have established a charitable gift annuity with GW Law. John and Ilene will receive a guaranteed annuity payment for the remainder of their lives. They will receive a charitable tax deduction for a portion of the donation, and the payments will receive favorable tax treatment—part will be tax-free income, part will be taxed as capital gain, and part will be taxed as ordinary income. When John and Ilene are no longer living, the remaining principal will be used to support scholarship assistance in the Government Contracts Program.

“I’m grateful to the GW Law School Development Office for providing this excellent vehicle for planned giving,” says John. “It allows alumni to provide a certain level of financial security for themselves, to give back to the school in appreciation for the excellent education they received, and to help lay the foundation for future generations of lawyers.”