John Branca, Attorney for Michael Jackson Estate, Gifts $5 Million to Occidental College

John Branca, longtime attorney for Michael Jackson and the late pop star’s estate, is gifting $5 million to his alma mater, Occidental College, to establish the John Branca Institute for Music.

Branca graduated from Occidental in 1972, about a decade ahead of the school’s most famous student, President Barack Obama (class of 1983). Branca studied political science and went on to represent the Beach Boys, Bee Gees, the Beatles catalog, the Doors, Dr. Dre, Fleetwood Mac, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and the Elvis Presley Estate, among other clients as partner and head of the music department at the firm Ziffren Brittenham.

The John Branca Institute for Music aims to enhance the music business curriculum with the addition of new cutting-edge technology and production facilities. David Kasunic, associate professor of music at Occidental, will serve as the Institute’s inaugural director and there are plans to align with community colleges like Los Angeles City College (LACC) to promote transfer opportunities for students with diverse backgrounds. Occidental’s music department is already a noted academic program. 

“Occidental College has a diverse student body and provides the most personalized undergraduate education in Los Angeles,” said Branca in announcing the gift. 

Added Occidental College President Harry Elam: “John is a giant in the music business and he is a true believer in the kind of personalized teaching and learning that can only happen at a small liberal arts college. John’s gift, coupled with the state-of-the-art music production facilities we already have in place, will make Occidental a truly exceptional place to study music. We are so grateful to John for his generosity and vision in supporting the John Branca Institute for Music Education.”

Occidental College was founded in 1887.