LOI does not make enforceable pledge

A letter of intent does not create a binding pledge for a charitable contribution, according to an appeals court in Virginia. The Court has affirmed a trial court decision granting a declaratory judgment confirming that the potential donor has no obligation to fulfill its intention to give.

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April 24, 2025

As one of the 420,000 worldwide alumni of Harvard University’s various schools and colleges, I was invited to an upcoming “Conversation with President [Alan M.] Garber.” The virtual event is scheduled for only half an hour, but we were all invited to submit questions. The notice says the conversation will be “off the record.”

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “off the record” means “given or made in confidence and not for publication.”

With a program open to 420,000 people, does Harvard seriously think that what is said will be held in confidence and not published?

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LOI does not make enforceable pledge

LOI does not make enforceable pledge