UB Law Students Honored at Commencement

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sixty-two students at the University at Buffalo Law School received awards during the school's 114th commencement on May 10.

Student award winners were:

o John Philip Longobardo of Tonawanda received the Law School's top award, the Max Koren Award, given to the outstanding member of the graduating class, who, in the judgment of the faculty and the dean, has exemplified the highest standards of the profession by virtue of scholastic achievement, leadership and dedication to the ideals of the law. The award is supported by a gift from the late M. Robert Koren, son of Max Koren and one-time chair of the UB Council and a 1944 UB Law School graduate. Longobardo also received the Laidlaw Law Alumni Association Award given to the student who has demonstrated the most outstanding performance in the area of commercial law, and the Carlos C. Alden Award, presented by the Bar Association of Erie County to the graduating senior making the greatest contribution to the Buffalo Law Review.

o Tamara L. DiVasto of Ithaca, Robert Joseph Fluskey of Amherst and Sheryl A. Kashuba of Kenmore shared the John N. Bennett Achievement Award for the member of the graduating class who demonstrated the highest scholastic achievement. DiVasto also received the Professor Louis DelCotto Award given to the student whose academic performance in the area of taxation is outstanding, as recommended by the faculty. Kashuba also received a Law Faculty Award, which is presented to graduating seniors who have made outstanding contributions to the Law School community.

o Margaret Dolan Needham of Syracuse received the Dale S. Margulis Award recognizing members of the graduating class who contributed the most to the Law School and the community.

o Dia Helen Nicolatos of Buffalo received the Birzon Prize in Clinical Legal Studies for excellence in the clinical and trial advocacy program.

o Steven W. Wells of Springville received the American Bankruptcy Institute Medal for Excellence in Bankruptcy for demonstrating excellence in the study of bankruptcy law.

o Robert Day of Spencerport, Marybeth Priore of Williamsville and Angelique Monika Shingler of Amherst received the American Bar Association/Bureau of National Affairs (ABA/BNA) Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual Property Law, which is presented to honor superior academic performance and encourage student interest in the field of intellectual property law. Day also received the Adolf Homburger Law Alumni Association Award as the graduating senior whose academic achievement in civil procedure and whose compassion for people best exemplify the qualities that Adolf Homburger, a UB Law School faculty member from 1960-77, sought to instill in his students.

o Catherine Anne Doran of Buffalo, Kelly Ann Gale of West Seneca and Jason M. Kiefer of Rochester received the American Bar Association/Bureau of National Affairs (ABA/BNA) Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law presented to honor superior academic performance and encourage student interest in the field of labor and employment law.

o Seth Adam Weinstein of Williamsville received the Charles Dautch Award as the graduating senior who demonstrated the greatest proficiency in courses, examinations and independent research in the law of real property.

o Amber Mary Stanwix of Cheektowaga received the Maurice Frey Award recognizing the member of the graduating class whose academic performance in the area of family law is most exceptional.

o Jaclyn Suzanne Wanemaker of Buffalo received the Edith and David Goldstein Award for outstanding performance in courses involving debtor-creditor and bankruptcy law.

o Paul Philip Parisi of Rochester received the Thomas E. Headrick "Trees and Forest" Award given to the student of corporate finance who most clearly recognizes that a corporate practitioner needs both to understand the transaction fully and to get the details precisely correct.

o Langston David McFadden of Rochester received the Judge Matthew J. Jasen Appellate Practice Award for coursework and Moot Court competition participation that showed outstanding achievement in appellate advocacy. McFadden also received the Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Award recognizing the best performance record in the course in trial technique, and the Justice M. Dolores Denman Award. Presented by the Western New York Chapter of the Women's Bar Association, the Denman award provides a scholarship to offset the cost of day care and other child-rearing expenses during the bar study period. In addition, McFadden received the Minority Bar Association of Western New York Award recognizing a member of the graduating class who has exemplified high standards of the profession by virtue of scholastic achievement and leadership, and demonstrated a significant commitment to effectuating changes within the legal system that addresses the needs of the minority community.

o Bradley Ross Girdler of Buffalo received the David Kochery Award as the graduating senior who has taken an active part in the student community through service and involvement in one or more student organizations, and who has performed exceptionally well in courses in procedures and remedies.

o Lorenzo Napolitano of Spencerport received the Moot Evidence Award presented for the most outstanding performance in the area of evidence.

o Megan Kathleen Dorritie of Rochester received the Harry A. Rachlin Prize in Real Property Law and Real Estate Transactions given to students who exhibit excellence in research, clinical and academic performance in the areas of real property law, housing, housing finance and real estate transactions.

o Mariely Lindsay Downey of Amherst received the Judge William J. Regan Award presented to members of the graduating class who have demonstrated the greatest proficiency in estates and surrogate's law, and who are motivated by a strong concern for public service and public welfare.

o Susan M. Schwing of Buffalo received a Law Faculty Award, which is presented to graduating seniors who have made outstanding contributions to the Law School community

o April Jennifer Orlowski of North Tonawanda, Christi Lynn Caratozzolo of Seneca Falls and Gretchen Marie Kaplan of Orchard Park received the New York State Bar Association Student Ethics Award recognizing either the best written article, essay or other exposition on the subject of legal-professional responsibility or legal ethics, or a substantial action or activity in furtherance of legal-professional responsibility or legal ethics.

o James Michael Lennon of Williamsville received the Justice Philip Halpern Award for excellence in writing for the Buffalo Law Review. Lennon also was elected to The Order of Barristers, a national oralists honors society whose members include students who have shown dedication and excelled in the art of oral advocacy and service to the Moot Court Board.

o Vanessa Suzanne Guite of Buffalo received the Justice M. Dolores Denman Award. Presented by the Western New York Chapter of the Women's Bar Association, the award provides a scholarship to offset the cost of day care and other child-rearing expenses during the bar study period.

o Bernadette Marie Hoppe of Buffalo received the Linda S. Reynolds Award presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to equal justice for the poor.

o Mary Ellen Alonso of Buffalo, Elizabeth DeLeon of New York City and Jason Anthony Lorenz of Brooklyn received the Kenneth A. Gomez Memorial Award presented to law students who contribute to goals of equality and justice for all minorities.

o Ellen Kathleen Poch of Buffalo received the Activist's Gavel Award for democratic and liberal ideals.

o Erica Rae Williamson of Buffalo received the Minority Bar Association of Western New York Award recognizing a member of the graduating class who has exemplified high standards of the profession by virtue of scholastic achievement and leadership, and demonstrated a significant commitment to effecting changes within the legal system that addresses the needs of the minority community.

o Tonia Marie Ettinger of Lockport received the National Association of Women Lawyers Award given to the outstanding law graduate who has shown superior academic achievement and has contributed to the advancement of women in society.

o Luke S. Bassis of New York City received the UB Law Alumni Association GOLD Group Award recognizing a graduating law student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills in advancing the mission of the Law School and enhancing its reputation for excellence in legal education.

o Elena Anastasia Gekas of Rochester received the Milton Kaplan Law and Social Development Award presented to the member of the graduating class who best demonstrates exceptional commitment to the study of law and social development in an American, comparative or international context.

o Stephanie Blodwyn Rohrer of Pittsburgh received the Women Lawyers of Western New York Award given to a female member of the graduating class whose performance in academic and Law School activities in the areas of children's rights and/or family violence is exceptional.

Receiving the Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Award recognizing the best performance record in the course in trial technique were:

o David M. Abbatoy of Buffalo

o Fawn Amber Arnold of Amherst. Arnold also received a Law Faculty Award, which is presented to graduating seniors who have made outstanding contributions to the Law School community.

o Julie Ann Atti of Buffalo. Atti also was elected to The Order of Barristers, a national oralists honors society whose members include students who have shown dedication and excelled in the art of oral advocacy and service to the Moot Court Board.

o Jacqueline Jamie DeGaine of Attica

o Gina Marie DePrima of Tonawanda

o David Andrew Eghigian of Amherst

o Thomas Joseph Grillo Jr. of Williamsville

o Brian Robert Hogan of Buffalo

o Kate Houghton of Buffalo

o Susan Marie Howard of Waterport

o Sarah Anne T. Janas of Buffalo

o Thomas Martin Krol of Buffalo

o Sean Lair of Buffalo

o Charles Anthony Messina of Tonawanda

o Amanda Beth Newton of Amherst

o Martin Alex Polowy of Buffalo

o Kristin Anne St. Mary of Buffalo. She also received a Law Faculty Award, which is presented to graduating seniors who have made outstanding contributions to the Law School community.

Elected to The Order of Barristers, a national oralists honors society whose members include students who have shown dedication and excelled in the art of oral advocacy and service to the Moot Court Board were:

o Elizabeth C. Barcena of Buffalo

o Keith Ian Bernstein of Hyde Park

o Charles David James Case of Newark

o Lisa Marie Danish of Youngstown

o Nadine A. Graham of Yonkers

o Arienne J. Irving of East Aurora

o Devin Nicole White of Buffalo