Outstanding student performance is recognized by graduates and
friends who support the presentation of student awards each
year. The following awards were presented at the 2008
Commencement ceremony:
ALI-ABA Scholarship and Leadership
Award
Mary Kate Quinn
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who best represents
a combination of scholarship and leadership, the qualities embodied
by the ALI-ABA parent organizations, the American Law Institute and
the American Bar Association.
American Bankruptcy Institute Medal for
Excellence in Bankruptcy Studies
Stacy L. Molison
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who has demonstrated
excellence in the study of Bankruptcy Law.
American Bar Association/Bureau of
National Affairs Award for Excellence in the Study of Health
Law
Leonard Lipsky; Daniel Green
Awarded to students who demonstrate superior academic performance
in the field of Health Law.
American Bar Association/Bureau of
National Affairs Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual
Property Law
Megha Thakkar; Evan Jason Zucker; Paul Bonewitz
Awarded to students who demonstrate superior academic performance
in the field of Intellectual Property Law.
American Bar Association/Bureau of
National Affairs Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and
Employment Law
Daniel Green; Michelle Lambert; Nathaniel Eichler; Thomas Ryan;
Allan Jacobs; Alison Weintraub
Awarded to students who demonstrate superior academic performance
in the field of Labor and Employment Law.
Dr. Thomas C. Beneventano
Award
Allan Jacobs
Established by the family and associates of this noted
physician, professor and friend of the Law School community, and
awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the
highest grade in Legal Medicine.
Justice Harold Birns Award
Evan Jason Zucker
Established by Renee Birns in memory of her husband, Justice Harold
Birns, an honor graduate of the class of 1937, and awarded to the
student in the graduating class who has published the best note in
a student journal.
Justice Albert H. Bosch Award
Erin Marie Brzeski; Kirk Andrew Sendlein
Established by Justice Albert H. Bosch, a graduate of the class of
1933, and awarded to the student in the graduating class who has
demonstrated excellence in the area of trial or appellate
advocacy.
Michele G. Falkow Memorial
Award
Richard S. Yapchanyk
Established in memory of Professor Michele G. Falkow and
awarded to the student in the graduating class who demonstrated
excellence in appellate brief writing in the Legal Research and
Writing course.
Ned D. Frank Award
Amanda Kinney
Established by Justice and Mrs. Harry B. Frank to perpetuate
the memory of their son, Ned D. Frank, a member of the class of
1960, and awarded to the student in the graduating class who
achieves the highest grade in Criminal Law.
Daniel A. Furlong Award
Paul W. Vitale
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who, in the
opinion of the Dean, has rendered outstanding service and
leadership to the Law School community.
Rita Giannone Memorial Award
Michelle Lambert
Established by friends and family in memory of Rita Giannone, a
member of the class of 1981, and awarded to the student in the
evening division of the graduating class who has achieved the
highest grade in Constitutional Law.
Justice David T. Gibbons
Award
Michelle Lambert
Established by the Bar Association of Nassau County, New York
and members of the Gibbons family in memory of the late Justice
David T. Gibbons, a member of the class of 1949, and awarded to a
student in the evening division who has achieved the highest grade
in Evidence.
Louis R. Harolds Award and Louis R.
Harolds Admiralty Award
Eric Del Pozo and Linda Keller, respectively
Established by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association in
honor and memory of the late Louis R. Harolds, an honor graduate of
the class of 1937, who served as First Vice President and member of
the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers
Association and Chairman of the Admiralty Section of the American
Trial Lawyers Association. Awarded to the student in the
graduating class who achieves the highest grade in Torts I and to
the student who achieves the highest grade in Admiralty Law.
International Academy of Trial Lawyers
Award
Justin Grossman
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the
highest grade in Evidence.
Joseph Kerzner Prize
Eric Del Pozo
Established through a generous endowment from Joseph Kerzner, the
prize is awarded to the student in the graduating class who has
achieved the highest cumulative grade point average.
Max I. Levine Real Property
Awards
Eric Del Pozo and Valerie Schmidt, respectively
Established in honor of Max I. Levine, a graduate of the class of
1939, and Gussie and Abraham Levine, his parents. Awarded to
the student in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade
in Property II and to the student who achieves the highest grade in
Cooperative and Condominium Law, respectively.
Joseph Levine Real Property
Award
Douglas Tang
Established in honor of Joseph Levine, brother of Max I. Levine,
and awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the
highest grade in Real Estate Drafting.
Timothy J. Meehan Memorial
Award
Amanda Kinney
Established by the family and friends of the late Timothy J.
Meehan, a member of the class of 1974, and awarded to the student
in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in Advanced
Real Estate.
National Association of Women Lawyers
Award
Amanda Marie Beltz
Awarded to an outstanding law graduate of each American Bar
Association approved law school who shows promise to contribute to
the advancement of women in society.
New York State Bar Association Law Student
Bar Association Achievement Award
Joseph Walter Canovas
Awarded to a student in the graduating class whose activities,
performed in or through an organized bar association, constitute a
positive contribution to the aims of the legal profession and the
extension of justice to the people of the State of New York and/or
the people of these United States of America.
Pro Bono Service Award
Amanda Marie Beltz; Erica Coleman; Amanda D’Orazi; Amanda
Golob; Jennifer Norman; Debra Rose Smith; Jason Strauss; Billy Kim;
Elizabeth Lopez; Roman Shakh; Kelly Sheridan; Lauren Silver; Bruce
Vail; Bradley Bettridge; Jesse Brown; Adam Buchwalter; Luisa Chan;
Dienna Ching; Anthony DeFreitas; Joyce Elie; Natasha Fortune;
Jessica Healey; Henna Khan; Gabriela Kejner; Donna Kim; Devin
Kosar; Derrick Liu; Edward Mario; Jeffrey MaGuire; Angel Marshall;
Vanessa Pairis; Lauren Piacentini; Zoë Polk; Christopher Tarnok;
Naomi Taub
Awarded to the student(s) who, in furtherance of the goal that
members of the legal profession and those aspiring to enter the
legal profession have a special professional responsibility to
assist in providing quality legal services to those who cannot
afford them, successfully completed at least 30 hours of
law-related volunteer work prior to graduation.
Chief Judge Edward D. Re Commencement
Prize
Christine L. Hogan
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who is selected by
the Dean based on outstanding scholarship and service.
St. Vincent de Paul Legal Program, Inc.,
Elder Law Clinic Awards
Debra Rose Smith
Awarded to the student(s) who made the most outstanding
overall contribution to the program.
Springer Legislative Award
Jessica Freese
Established by Adele I. Spring ‘30L in honor of her brother Jack
Springer ’33, to encourage appreciation of the law making process
and enactment of worthwhile legislation and awarded to the student
in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in a
legislation course.
The Wann Family Foundation
Award
Evan Jason Zucker; Douglas Tang; Caitlin Lynch; Eric Del
Pozo
Established by Robert Wann, Jr., ’07 and awarded to the students in
the graduating class who achieve the highest grade in each of the
following courses: Banking Law and Regulation; Securities
Regulation; Business Planning; Corporate Finance; and Supreme Court
Seminar.
Justice Louis Wallach Memorial
Award
Jessica Freese
Established by friends and family of the late Justice Louis
Wallach, a graduate of the class of 1946, and awarded to the
student in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in
New York Practice.
Morton Wasserman Award
Scott Malone
Established by Frances Wasserman in memory of her husband,
Morton Wasserman, and awarded to the student in the graduating
class who achieves the highest grade in Property I.
Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr.
Award
Jianye Shi; John Curley
Established by the Federal Bar Council and awarded to the student
in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in
Constitutional Law.