2022 Commencement Awards

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS

ALI-CLE Scholarship and Leadership Award

Awarded to the student in the graduating class who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership, the qualities embodied by the American Law Institute.

Michael Sohn­­­

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.

Annalise Leonelli
Lila Rosenfeld

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.

Brittany Clark
Ciara Villalona-Lockhart

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.

Catherine Sims

Note: In cases in which two or more students have equally high grades, the award is given to the student with the higher cumulative grade point average.

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.

Brenna O'Connor

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.

Richard Orner

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.

Eric Silverstein (J.D.)
Alexandra Langmo (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.

Jessica Mingrino

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.

Ralphsun Nayem (Condos, Coops, and Homeowner Assoc.)
Boris Masheyev (Condos, Coops, and Homeowner Assoc.)
Holly Constants (Drafting: Real Estate Transactions)
Vincent Elvezio (Property)

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.

Tiara Desire-Brisard

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.

Nicholas Bonelli
Steven Buynitsky

International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award

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

Paige Sferrazza

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.

Richard Orner

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.

Rebekah Sherry
Mary Sherwood

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.

Olivia Visconti

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.

Richard Orner

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.

Paige Sferrazza

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: Corporate Finance, In-House Counsel: Law & Practice, and Securities Regulation.

Nicholas DeLollo (Corporate Finance)
Julian Hernandez Friesz (Consumer Protection)
Alexander Zedlovich (Business Planning)
Brenna O'Connor (Securities Regulation)
Vincent Scala (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.

Javonne Jenkins

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.

Molly Sheehan

CourtCall Awards for Advocacy

Awarded to the students in the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and the Moot Court Honor Society who received the highest grades in Trial Advocacy (PTAI) and Appellate Advocacy-Moot Court, respectively.

Chelsea McGee (Trial Advocacy)
Brian Campbell (Appellate Advocacy-Moot Court)

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.

Thomas Larounis (Appellate Advocacy)
Jared Brady (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.

Dariana Reid

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. The Dean selects the recipient, upon the recommendation of the Moot Court Honor Society’s incoming Executive Board.

Lauren Jusas

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. The Dean selects the recipient upon the recommendation of the Assistant Dean for Students.

Jenna Codignotto

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.

Kamila Sanchez Velez

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 Clinic; Domestic Violence Litigation Clinic; Economic Justice Clinic; Prosecution Clinic; Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic; Securities Arbitration Clinic; and Tenants' Rights Advocacy Clinic.

Catherine Sims (Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic)
Vincent Scala (Child Advocacy Clinic)
Kimberly Gernatt (Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic)
Lucy Ryland (Domestic Violence Clinic)
Kamila Sanchez Velez (Economic Justice Clinic)
Matthew Sulewski (Prosecution Clinic)
Marcos Rodriquez (Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic)
Matthew Kipnis (Securities Arbitration Clinic)
Olivia Calamia (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.

Olivia Calamia

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.

Alexander Koban (Bankruptcy)
Zoé Jeanne Gonzalez de Lara (Transnational Legal Practice)
Yiting Chang (U.S. Legal Studies)

Applied Legal Skills Award

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

Christopher Almeida

Excellence in Legal Writing Award

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

Yiting Chang

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.

Zoé Jeanne Gonzalez de Lara

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 Community.

Yiting Chang
Inès Rghia Trifiss

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.