2024 Awards and Honors

Special Recognition Awards

Chief Judge Edward D. Re Commencement Award

Established in honor and memory of Chief Judge Edward D. Re, an honor graduate of the class of 1943, who was Chief Judge Emeritus of the U.S. Court of International Trade and served as a professor at St. John’s University School of Law. Awarded to the students in the graduating class who are selected by the Dean based on outstanding scholarship and service.

Patrick McKelvey
Matthew Oster
Kymberley Walcott-Aggrey

Daniel A. Furlong Award

Awarded to students in the graduating class who, in the opinion of the Dean, have rendered outstanding service and leadership to the Law School community.

Kiaya Rose Dilsner-Lopez
Michael Fields

National Association of Women Lawyers Award

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.

Faith Banjoko

Academic Excellence Awards

Joseph Kerzner Prize

Established through a generous endowment from Joseph Kerzner and awarded to the student in the graduating class who has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average.

Sarah Umstadt

Esterina Giuliani Award

Established by Esterina Giuliani ’06 and awarded to the student in the part-time division who has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average.

Griffin Laine

American Bankruptcy Institute Medal for Excellence in Bankruptcy Studies

Awarded to the J.D. and LL.M. students in the graduating class who have demonstrated excellence in the study of Bankruptcy Law.

Salvatore Salerno (J.D.)
Shawn Hutchison (LL.M.)

Justice Harold Birns Award

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.

Carson Sugg 

Beatrice Levine Awards

Established by Beatrice Levine in memory of Abraham, Gussie, and Max Levine and awarded to students who achieve the highest grades in Property; Drafting: Real Estate Transactions; and Condominiums, Cooperatives & Homeowner Associations, respectively.

Jack Bilbrough (Property)
Judah Kalker (Property)
Gabrielle Sferra (Property)
Vivian Zetterstrom (Property)
Joseph Raimondi (Drafting: Real Estate Transactions) 
Andrew Braverman (Condos, Coops, and Homeowners Assoc.)
Zachary Rozycki (Condos, Coops, and Homeowners Assoc.)

Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr. Award

Established by the Federal Bar Council and awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in Constitutional Law.

Tyler Aldrich

Dean Mary C. Daly Memorial Award

Established by alumni and friends in memory of Dean Mary C. Daly, former Dean and John 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.

Maria Budis
Hannah Marose
Sarah Umstadt

Michele G. Falkow Excellence in Legal Writing Award

Established in memory of Michele G. Falkow, a former School of Law Assistant Professor of Legal Writing and is awarded each year to the first year J.D. student who submits the best brief in the Legal Writing II course. The student is recognized again at Graduation.

Emily Trumble

International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award

Awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in Evidence.

Sarah Heintz
Joseph Raimondi 
Emily Ruchalski

Justice David T. Gibbons Award

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 the student in the part-time division who has achieved the highest grade in Evidence.

Alexander Niyazov

Justice Louis Wallach Memorial Award

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.

Sidney Balaban (New York Civil Litigation Practice)
Marianna Sheedy (New York Civil Litigation Practice)
Adam Wiener (New York Civil Practice: Jurisdiction & Pleading)

Morton Wasserman Award

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 Introduction to Intellectual Property.

James Clark

Ned D. Frank Award

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.

Sarah Heintz

Rita Giannone Memorial Award

Established by friends and family in memory of Rita Giannone, a member of the class of 1981, and awarded to the student in the part- time division of the graduating class who has achieved the highest grade in Constitutional Law.

Jia Liu
Alexander Niyazov

Timothy J. Meehan Memorial Award

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 Real Estate Transactions.

Benjamin Bouwer
Samia Shell 

The Wann Family Foundation Award

Established by Robert Wann, Jr. ʼ07 and awarded to the students in the graduating class who achieve the highest grade in each of the following courses: Business Planning, Consumer Protection, Corporate Finance, and Securities Regulation.

Cecile McIntosh (Business Planning)
Annalise Cruz (Consumer Protection)
Faith Banjoko (Corporate Finance)
Maria Budis (Corporate Finance)
Cori Gabaldon (Corporate Finance)
Hannah Marose (Corporate Finance)
Christopher St. Jeanos (Corporate Finance)
Laurel Wanger (Corporate Finance)
Adam Wiener (Corporate Finance)
Ekok Soubir (Securities Regulation)
 

Appellate and Trial Advocacy Excellence Awards

Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy Award for Excellence in Mock Trial

Awarded to the graduating member of the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute who best demonstrated talent in the art and science of trial advocacy through external competitions.

Emily Trumble

Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy Award for Excellence in Moot Court

Awarded to the graduating member of the Moot Court Honor Society who best demonstrated talent in the art and science of appellate advocacy through external competitions.

Ashton Bryan

Justice Albert H. Bosch Award

Established by Justice Albert H. Bosch, a graduate of the class of 1933, and awarded to the students in the graduating class who have demonstrated excellence in the area of appellate advocacy and trial advocacy.

Takunda Muziwi (Appellate Advocacy)
Krista Apostle (Trial Advocacy)

New York City Trial Lawyers Alliance Trial Advocacy Award

Awarded to the student in the graduating class who has shown excellence in civil trial advocacy.

Matthew Oster

Tyler Ramaker Memorial Award

Established by the family and friends of the late Tyler Ramaker, a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, and awarded to the graduating Moot Court student who demonstrates outstanding service, leadership through action, dedication, and cooperative teamwork.

Brigid Lynn

Public Interest Awards

Dianne Marie Arrue Memorial Award

Established by the classmates of the late Dianne Marie Arrue, a student committed to public interest work and service, and awarded to a graduate who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to public interest work, including dedication to and leadership of the Public Interest Law Student Association.

Natalie Mishkin

School of Law Alumni Association Pro Bono Award

Established by the School of Law Alumni Association and awarded to a student in the graduating class with exceptional pro bono service.

Timothy Zurcher

Public Service Award

Awarded to the students 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 500 hours of pro bono work prior to graduation.

Esteban Angeles
Regina Avrutis
Katherine Bessey
Amanda Blott
Lana Boiko-Kasyanchuk
Zachary Bosak
Rachel Collins
Mairead Cooney
Annalise Cruz
Anthony Curry
Sandra Deng
Myah Drouin
Seth Goldstein 
Peter Grabowski
Allison Guerra
Mariagrazia Ientile
Mary Johnson 
Nicole Katselianos
Aliyah Khan
Alex Machon
Hannah Marose
Natalie Mishkin
Matthew Oster
Yuna Park
Alexa Parrella
Camille Perbost
George Pollack
Abigail Rafael
Arthur Rohman
Odalmy Ruiz
Marianna Sheedy
Alex Snow
Mathews Thankachan
Jaden Thornton
Alexander Tomaro
Stephanie Ulan
Ligner Vazquez
Samantha Velez
Juliana Ventresca
Timothy Zurcher

Excellence in Experiential Education Awards

St. Vincent de Paul Clinic Awards

Awarded to the students who made the most outstanding overall contribution to each of the following clinics: Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic; Child Advocacy Clinic; Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic; Criminal Defense & Advocacy Clinic; Domestic Violence Litigation Clinic; Economic Justice Clinic; Prosecution Clinic; Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic; Securities Arbitration Clinic; and Tenants' Rights Advocacy Clinic.

Regina Avrutis (Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic)
Sarah Heintz (Child Advocacy Clinic)
Jaclyn Chin (Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic)
Emily Trumble (Criminal Defense and Advocacy Clinic)
Rachel Collins (Domestic Violence Clinic)
Lana Boiko-Kasyanchuk (Economic Justice Clinic)
Cole Eiber (Prosecution Clinic)
Timothy Zurcher (Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic)
Elizabeth Allhusen (Securities Arbitration Clinic)
James Clark (Tenants’ Rights Advocacy Clinic)

CLEA Outstanding Externship Student Award

Awarded to the student who has shown excellence in the field work component of the externship course determined by the quality of the student’s performance in assisting or representing individual or organizational clients or in undertaking advocacy or policy reform projects; excellence in the seminar component of the externship determined by the quality of the student’s thoughtfulness and self- reflection in exploring the legal, ethical, strategic, and other pertinent issues raised in the particular clinic or externship; and the nature and extent of the student’s contribution to the clinical community at the law school, legal community, or broader community.

Marianna Sheedy

LL.M. Achievement Awards

Outstanding Academic Achievement Award - LL.M. Programs

Awarded to the students in the graduating class who achieve the highest grade point average in each of the Master’s Degree programs.

Shawn Hutchison (Bankruptcy)
Maike Lara Espinal (Transnational Legal Practice)
Ana-Maria Dascalu (U.S. Legal Studies)
Monika Kozakiewicz (U.S. Legal Studies)

Applied Legal Skills Award

Awarded to the LL.M. student who has demonstrated excellence in applied legal skills.

Maike Lara Espinal

Excellence in Legal Writing Award

Awarded to the student who has demonstrated superior academic performance in two sections of Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing.

Maike Lara Espinal 

Excellence in Transnational Legal Practice

Awarded to the LL.M. student in Transnational Legal Practice who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement over two semesters in required Transnational Legal Practice courses.

Maike Lara Espinal

Global Leadership Award

Awarded to LL.M. students from either the USLS or TLP Program who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and citizenship within the St. John’s Law Community.

Kevin Cabral (Transnational Legal Practice)
Solene Bedier (Transnational Legal Practice)
Ana-Maria Dascalu (U.S. Legal Studies)
Jose Rojas Molina (U.S. Legal Studies)

Latin Honors - J.D.

Summa Cum Laude

Benjamin Bouwer
Seth Goldstein
Sarah Umstadt

Magna Cum Laude

Jack Bilbrough
Maria Budis
James Clark
Sarah Heintz
Hannah Marose
Matthew Oster
Ryan Pugh
Joseph Raimondi
Emily Ruchalski 
Ekok Soubir
Timothy Zurcher 

Cum Laude

Rayla Aberman
Faith Banjoko
Kate Carney
Frederick Chu
Emily DePaola
Ryan DeSimone
Kelly Donovan
Myah Drouin
Karissa Dymond
Amanda Gazzo
Rebecca Goldberg
Allison Guerra
Suzanne Hom
Judah Kalker
Nicole Katselianos
Julian Klein
Rachele Lena
Julia Liebman
Brigid Lynn
Ryan Manning
Nicholas Mattone
Margaret McAvoy
Gabrielle Mompalao
Dennis Mossberg
Kylie Mulholland
Camille Perbost
Arthur Rohman
Zachary Rozycki
Salvatore Salerno
Nicholas Scambia
Marianna Sheedy
Samia Shell
Carson Sugg
Christopher Tasso
Elizabeth Tighe
Emily Trumble
Ligner Vazquez
Eric Wagner
Laurel Wanger
Adam Wiener
Vivian Zetterstrom

Dean’s List - J.D.

Rayla Aberman
Esteban Angeles
Krista Apostle
Sidney Balaban
Faith Banjoko
Jack Bilbrough
Matthew Bopp
Benjamin Bouwer
Andrew Braverman
Maria Budis
Kate Carney
Frederick Chu
James Clark
Sandra Deng
Emily DePaola
Ryan DeSimone
Kelly Donovan
Myah Drouin
Karissa Dymond
Amanda Gazzo
Rebecca Goldberg
Seth Goldstein
Elizabeth Gomiela
Allison Guerra
Sarah Heintz
Suzanne Hom
Judah Kalker
Nicole Katselianos
Jordan Kavanaugh
Julian Klein
Rachele Lena
Julia Liebman
Brigid Lynn
Ryan Manning
Hannah Marose
Nicholas Mattone
Margaret McAvoy
Rachel McGarry
Gabrielle Mompalao
Dennis Mossberg
Kylie Mulholland
Maya Neski
Matthew Oster
Camille Perbost
Ryan Pugh
Joseph Raimondi
Arthur Rohman
Zachary Rozycki
Emily Ruchalski 
Salvatore Salerno
Nicholas Scambia
Marianna Sheedy
Samia Shell
Ekok Soubir
Carson Sugg
Christopher Tasso 
Elizabeth Tighe
James Toohey
Emily Trumble
Sarah Umstadt
Ligner Vazquez
Eric Wagner
Laurel Wanger
Emma Watson
Adam Wiener
Vivian Zetterstrom 
Timothy Zurcher 

Latin Honors - LL.M.

Summa Cum Laude

Bankruptcy:
Shawn Hutchison 

Transnational Legal Practice:
Maike Lara Espinal 

U.S. Legal Studies:
Ana-Maria Dascalu
Monika Kozakiewicz

Magna Cum Laude

Bankruptcy:
Tyler Talton

Transnational Legal Practice:
Solene Bedier
Louis-Arthur Silva-Terzan

Cum Laude

Bankruptcy:
Karra Puccia

Transnational Legal Practice:
Lynn Allieh

U.S. Legal Studies:
Polina Kadyrova

Dean’s List – LL.M.

Bankruptcy:
Shawn Hutchison

Transnational Legal Practice:
Maike Lara Espinal
Solene Bedier 
Louis-Arthur Silva-Terzan
Lynn Allieh

U.S. Legal Studies:
Ana-Maria Dascalu
Polina Kadyrova
Monika Kozakiewicz
Jose Rojas Molina
Qaisar Zaman