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 2009
Commencement ceremony:
ALI-ABA Scholarship and Leadership
Award
Tanya N. Blocker
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
Katherine Campbell Jewell
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
Rachel L. Miller; Paul Andrew
Pagano
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
Michelle Akiko Iwamoto; Justin B. Lacour;
Stephen E. Miller; Jennifer Victoria Abelaj Reyes;
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
Lindsey M. Albinski; Kimberly Elizabeth
Friedman; Elyssa Renee Koeppel; Natalia Torres
Awarded to students who demonstrate superior academic performance
in the field of Labor and Employment Law.
Justice Harold Birns Award
Stephanie R. Tumbiolo
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
Allison Marie Warga
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.
Dean Mary C. Daly Memorial
Prize
Matthew Sinon Mulqueen
Established by alumni and friends in memory of Dean Mary C. Daly,
former Dean and Kohn V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics
(2004-2008), and awarded to the student in the graduating class who
has achieved the highest grade in Professional Responsibility.
Michele G. Falkow Memorial
Award
MaryJean Wu
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
Matthew Sinon Mulqueen
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
Peter J. Ryan
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
Terrence Michael Riley; Jack
Wertenteil
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.
Esterina Giuliani Award
Jack Wertenteil
Established by Esterina Giuliani ’06 and awarded to the student in
the evening division who has achieved the highest cumulative grade
point average.
Justice David T. Gibbons
Award
Jack Wertenteil
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
Melissa C. King and Patrick John
Caulfield, 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
Matthew Sinon Mulqueen
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the
highest grade in Evidence.
Joseph Kerzner Prize
Melissa C. King
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
Melissa C. King and Tracy L. Adamovich,
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
Karen Jean Newbury
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
Tracy L. Adamovich
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
Tracy L. Adamovich
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
Nicole Marie Aratoon-Lane
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 Jean Goun; Fletcher William Strong;
Liane Marie Aronchick; Lauren Marie Buonome; Beret LeAnn Flom;
Kevin K. Khurana; Catherine Loeb Klein; Justin B. Lacour;
Christopher Andrew Liberati-Conant; Dawn M. Maruna; Tiana Jeanne
Peterson; Jason Andrew Bartlett; Jaime E. Friedman; Thomas Blair
Gardner; Charles Wesley Isaac; Lauren E. Kantor; Andrew Kaspersen;
Lisa Ann Marcoccia; Erica L. Markowitz; Karen Jean Newbury;
Patricia Elizabeth Paul; Kevin Michael Reverri; Heidi Helene Roll;
David Adam Rosen; Jennifer Fraser Widenhofer; Lindsey Barbara
Wisniewski
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
Raymond A. Mascia, Jr.
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
Karen Jean Newbury
Awarded to the student(s) who made the most outstanding overall
contribution to the program.
Springer Legislative Award
Jason Andrew Bartlett
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
Kimberly Elizabeth Friedman; Melissa C.
King;Joseph G. Selby;Edward McNamara, respectively
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; and Corporate Finance.
Justice Louis Wallach Memorial
Award
Tracy L. Adamovich
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
Melissa C. King
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
Melissa C. King; Amanda J.M.
Ulrich
Established by the Federal Bar Council and awarded to the student
in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in
Constitutional Law.