July 01, 2009
On June 15,
St. John’s School of Law and the Law School Alumni Association
hosted a very special celebration for former Law School Dean, the
Hon. Joseph W. Bellacosa ’61, ’87HON. In honor of Dean Bellacosa, a
portrait was commissioned by the Alumni Association and was
formally dedicated on this special evening. The portrait will be
displayed, along with the portraits of previous Law School Deans,
in the lobby of the Rittenberg Law Library.
Hon. Reinaldo E. Rivera ’76, ’06HON, President of the School of Law
Alumni Association began the program by thanking Dean Bellacosa on
behalf of the Association. Judge Rivera noted that Dean
Bellacosa remains to this day an active member of the Alumni
Association and will forever hold a special role as an Honorary
Member of the Alumni Association Board.
Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University
expressed his gratitude to Dean Bellacosa for his years of service
to the University as a Trustee, as well as his service as Dean of
the Law School. Father Harrington noted that, “Judge
Bellacosa stepped in at a critical time at the Law School.
The existing search process was not proving fruitful and the Law
School needed a steady, respected leader – after much deliberation
and reflection with his family Judge Bellacosa agreed to serve as
the Dean. And serve he did, laying the ground work for many
of Mary C. Daly’s initiatives.”
Dean Michael A. Simons expressed his appreciation for all that
Dean Bellacosa has done for the Law School, for his guidance and
loyalty for alma mater. He noted that Judge
Bellacosa was “the right man, at the right time, for St. John’s
Law.”
Dean Bellacosa reminisced about his time at the Law School, as a
student, alumnus and as Dean. He expressed his appreciation to
many, but especially the three Marys that encouraged him to proceed
with the portrait - his wife Mary, the late Dean Mary C. Daly and
Mary Kay Vyskocil ’83, former President of the School of Law Alumni
Association.
We invite you to visit the Rittenberg Law Library to see Dean
Bellacosa’s portrait. As always, the library is a resource
for present students and St. John’s Law alumni.