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UB Law Students Receive Awards at 120th Commencement

Release Date: June 12, 2009

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo Law School held its 120th commencement ceremony on May 23 where nearly 250 students received a J.D. degree and an additional 10 students received a LL.M. degree. Awards were presented to the following graduates:

• Kevin J. Espinosa of Lancaster, the Max Koren Award, given to the graduate judged by the faculty to be the most outstanding member of the graduating class.

• Patrick E. Fitzsimmons of Albion, the John N. Bennett Achievement Award for the highest scholastic achievement, leadership and dedication to the ideals of the law school as determined by the dean and faculty. Fitzsimmons was also awarded the Professor Thomas E. Headrick "Trees and Forest" Award.

• Candacé M. Jackson of Newport News, the Dale S. Margulis Award for contributing the most to the UB Law School and the community and the Minority Bar Association of Western New York Award.

• Anna M. Falicov of Buffalo, the American Law Institute-American Bar Association Scholarship and Leadership Award and the Linda S. Reynolds Award.

• Jill M. Hurley of Cheektowaga, the American Bankruptcy Institute Medal for Excellence in Bankruptcy and the Edith and David Goldstein Award.

• Catherine B. Meyers of Webster, Tara L. Short of Amherst and Adam J. Tapply of Agawam, Mass., the American Bar Association and The Bureau of National Affairs Award for Excellence in the Study of Health Law.

• Randy V. Clower of Amherst, Kurt R. Denniston of Altamont and Barbara L. Waal of Bath, the American Bar Association and the Bureau of National Affairs Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual Property Law.

• Samuel S. Feuerstein of Tonawanda, Julia M. McCrea of Hamburg and Anthony R. Reeves of Buffalo, the American Bar Association and the Bureau of National Affairs Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law.

• Amy J. Kaslovsky of Slingerlands, the Birzon Prize in Clinical Legal Studies.

• Daniel E. Dovi of Buffalo, the Charles Dautch Award.

• Stephani L. Bouvet of Buffalo, the Professor Louis DelCotto Award.

• Roopa R. Chapprakkan of Brooklyn, the Maurice Frey Award.

• Taiymoor J. Naqi of Albany, the Judge Matthew J. Jasen Appellate Practice Award.

• Deborah Aloof of Plainview, the David Kochery Award.

• Brian D. Manning of Buffalo, the Laidlaw Law Alumni Association Award.

• Joshua A. Dilk of Fulton, the Professor Virginia Leary Award.

• Laurie A. Baker of Hamburg, the Moot Evidence Award.

• Joshua L. Dudeck of West Seneca, the Albert R. Mugel Award.

• Brittany T. Akins of Canaseraga, the Ryan J. Mullins Award.

• Joshua L. Dudeck of West Seneca, the Harry A. Rachlin Prize in Real Property Law and Real Estate Transactions.

• Yasmin W. Adamy of Williamsville, the Judge William J. Regan Award.

• Mark A. Foti of Williamsville, the James M. Kieffer Trial Excellence Award.

• Ryan D. Haggerty of Williamsville, the New York State Bar Association Ethics Award.

• Gabrielle C. Peterson of Clarence, the Carlos C. Alden Award.

• Keith A. Gorgos of Binghamton, the Justice Philip Halpern Award.

• Pamela S. Schaller of Amherst, received the Justice M. Dolores Denman Award presented by the Western New York Chapter of the Women's Bar Association.

• Rebecca L. Town of Buffalo, the Linda S. Reynolds Award.

• Steven A. Marshall of Lafayette, the Milton Kaplan Award in Law and Social Development.

• Henderson O. Brathwaite II of Brooklyn and Jodi-Kay Williams of Rosedale, the Minority Bar Association of Western New York Award.

• Emily R. Fusco of Canandaigua, the Women Lawyers of Western New York Award.

• Amy L. Goerss of Williamsville, the National Association of Women Lawyers Award.

• Jodi-Kay E. Williams of Rosedale, the UB Law Alumni Association's GOLD Group Award.

The following received the Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Award:

• James A. Davis of Tonawanda

• Mark A. Foti of Williamsville

• Eduardo V. Gonzalez of Buffalo

• Allyson B. Levine of Pittsford

• Jeremy V. Murray of Williamsville

• Sydney V. Probst of East Amherst

• Antonio L. Restaino of Niagara Falls

• Marnie E. Smith of Williamsville

• Stefanie A. Svoran of Pittsford.

The newly elected members of the Order of Barristers, a national oralists honors society, include:

• Victoria Choi of Brooklyn

• Darice L. Dinsmore of Buffalo

• Kevin J. Espinosa of Lancaster

• Michael J. Hecker of Clifton Park

• Matthew J. Kibler of South Wales

• Katherine L. McCrink of Yonkers

• Chad E. Murray of Medina

• Sydney V. Probst of East Amherst

• Kimberly L. Sweet of Buffalo.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system that is its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.