Class Action - April '17

Hon. Ann T. Mikoll ’54 of Depew, N.Y., was honored at the Giants of Buffalo: Women of the Law Event by the Buffalo History Museum. Mikoll is a retired justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, in Buffalo. She is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award and the School of Law’s Jaeckle Award, the highest honor the School of Law and the Law Alumni Association can bestow. Mikoll is an emeritus member of the school’s Dean’s Advisory Council.

Gerald Grace Jr. ’72 received the John W. Cegielski Civility Award from the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association. He is founding partner of Walsh Roberts & Grace in Buffalo. Grace lives in Amherst, N.Y.

Paul R. Comeau ’73 will receive the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for private practice on May 4 at its 55th annual dinner. Comeau is a partner with Hodgson Russ in Buffalo. He is a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Comeau lives in Williamsville, N.Y.

George M. Hezel ’73 will be honored at the Buffalo Law Review's annual dinner on April 27. Hezel is clinical professor emeritus in the School of Law’s Affordable Housing Clinic. He lives in East Aurora, N.Y.   

Nicholas P. Amigone III ’74 has joined Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham as senior counsel, practicing business law and litigation, matrimonial and family law, trusts and estate planning, and commercial real estate. He was previously a founding partner of Amigone Sanchez in Buffalo, where he resides.

Joseph A. Matteliano ’76 was elected to a three-year term on the Eighth Judicial District's Attorney Grievance Committee. He is a partner with Augello & Matteliano in Buffalo, where he resides.

David E. Franasiak ’78, CFO and senior partner with Williams & Jensen in Washington, D.C., will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for business from the UB Law Alumni Association at its 55th annual dinner on May 4. He is a resident of Annapolis, Md.

Dennis C. Vacco ’78 was named to the national advisory board of the School of Law’s Advocacy Institute. He is a partner with Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman in Buffalo, counseling clients regarding commercial litigation. Vacco, a former New York State attorney general and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, is a past recipient of a UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. He lives in Boston, N.Y.

Francis M. Letro ’79 will receive one of UB's top awards, the President’s Medal, at the School of Law’s commencement ceremony on May 21. The Medal is given in recognition of Letro's extraordinary service to the university. Letro, a Buffalo solo practitioner, is a past recipient of the Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest honor the School of Law and the Law Alumni Association can bestow, and a Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council and chair of the UB Foundation.

Hon. Barbara Howe ’80 was honored at the Giants of Buffalo: Women of the Law Event by the Buffalo History Museum. Howe is Erie County surrogate judge in Buffalo, where she resides. She is a past recipient of a UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award, a past president of the Law Alumni Association and a former adjunct faculty member at the School of Law.

Laurie Styka Bloom ’83 received the Empire State Counsel Award from the New York Bar Foundation. Bloom is counsel with Nixon Peabody in the Buffalo office and a member of the firm’s products class action, trade and industry representation practice area. She is a past president of the Erie County Bar Association in Buffalo and a past president of the Law Alumni Association. Bloom is a Buffalo resident.

Hon. Gerald J. Whalen ’83 will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for the judiciary from the UB Law Alumni Association at its 55th annual dinner on May 4. Whalen is presiding justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department. He lives in Hamburg, N.Y.  

Mitchell J. Banas Jr. ’85 has been named deputy managing member with Bond Schoeneck & King in the Buffalo office, practicing litigation. Banas lives in North Tonawanda, N.Y.

Hon. Paul J. Korniczky ’86 was appointed administrative patent judge with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Denver. Korniczky was previously a partner with Leydig Voit & Mayer in Chicago. A member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council, he lives in Lafayette, Colo.

Lisa McDougall ’86 co-authored The New York State Physician’s HIPAA Privacy Manual. McDougall is counsel with Phillips Lytle in the Buffalo office, practicing health care law. She lives in Eggertsville, N.Y.

Donna L. Burden ’87 was appointed to the board of directors of the Foundation of International Association of Defense Counsel. Burden is a founding member of Burden Hafner & Hansen in Buffalo, focusing on defending catastrophic transportation accidents. She is a resident of Williamsville, N.Y.

Barbara S. Nuchereno ’87 of Williamsville, N.Y., has become a partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo. She concentrates her practice in matrimonial and family law and commercial real estate law.

Elizabeth M. DiPirro ’88 has become a partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo. DiPirro will head the firm’s new matrimonial and family law group. She previously practiced with Hogan Willig in Amherst, N.Y. 

Patrick M. Tomovic ’89 has become a partner with Harter Secrest & Emery in the Buffalo and New York City offices. Tomovic practices insurance coverage and litigation. He was previously a partner with Hodgson Russ in Buffalo, where he resides.

Marianne Mariano ’94 of Buffalo will receive the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award for public service on May 4 at its 55th annual dinner. She is a federal public defender with the Federal Public Defender’s Office of Western New York. Mariano is a member of the national advisory board of the School of Law’s Advocacy Institute.

Hon. Craig D. Hannah ’95 spoke at Erie Community College’s Men of Merit Program Speaker Series on March 23 in Williamsville, N.Y. Hannah is a Buffalo City Court judge and a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. He is a Buffalo resident.

Aaron M. Pierce ’96 has been named deputy chair of Bond Schoeneck & King’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice. Pierce is a partner with the firm in the Syracuse, N.Y. office. He lives in Camillus, N.Y.

Jeffrey B. Scheer ’96 has been named co-chair of the small business practice group with Bond Schoeneck & King in the Syracuse, N.Y. office. He is a partner specializing in business and corporate law. Scheer lives in Manlius, N.Y.

Daniel Werner ’96 will be honored at the Buffalo Law Review's annual dinner on April 27. He is senior supervising attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center in Atlanta.  

William J. McDonald ’97 has been named to the community advisory board of St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown, N.Y., where he resides. McDonald is counsel and chair of the health care practice with Campolo Middleton & McCormick in Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

Jodyann Galvin ’98 will received the Distinguished Alumna Award from the School of Law’s Students of Color at their dinner on April 20. Galvin is a partner with Hodgson Russ in Buffalo. She lives in East Aurora, N.Y.

Tasha E. Moore ’98 will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award for community service from the UB Law Alumni Association at its 55th annual dinner on May 4. Moore is senior management analyst with the New York State Office of Court Administration, 8th Judicial District, in Buffalo. She is a past member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, a past vice president of the Law Alumni Association and a past president of the Minority Bar Association of Western New York, in Buffalo, where she resides.

Maurice McNab ’99 has been named a 2017 Upstate South Carolina Black History Maker by radio station JAMZ in Greenville, S.C. He is a solo practitioner handling cases involving personal injury, criminal defense, divorce, adoptions, estate planning and probate. McNab lives in Simpsonville, S.C.

Daniel E. Sarzynski ’99 has been promoted to partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo. He counsels clients regarding banking and collections, construction law and corporate law. He is a resident of Amherst, N.Y.    

Hon. Deborah K. Goodwin ’00 was appointed immigration judge with the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Miami Immigration Court. Goodwin previously served as associate legal adviser with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, District Court Litigation Division, in Washington, D.C.  

Rev. William J. Hardy ’00 was the opening speaker for the Community Lenten Luncheon Series at Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Lockport, N.Y., where he resides. Hardy is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lockport and practices with William C. Moran & Associates in Williamsville, N.Y.

Stephanie A. Saunders ’00 has become principal law clerk for Hon. E. Jeannette Ogden ’83 of the New York State Supreme Court, 8th Judicial District, in Buffalo. She previously served as assistant legal counsel with the Buffalo Board of Education. Saunders is a vice president of the UB Law Alumni Association and a past president of the Minority Bar Association of Western New York, in Buffalo, where she resides.

Marco Cercone ’02 has been promoted to partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo. Cercone practices property law, products liability, and business law and litigation. He lives in West Seneca, N.Y.   

Kevin J. Kruppa ’02 of Buffalo has been promoted to partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham. He counsels clients regarding insurance defense litigation and products liability.

Jesse Baldwin ’04 has become a partner with Colucci & Gallaher in Buffalo. He previously served as special counsel. Baldwin practices medical and professional liability defense, general negligence, municipal liability, and civil rights, education and charter school law. He is a past president of the School of Law’s GOLD Group. Baldwin lives in Williamsville, N.Y.

Katie M. Poleon ’05 of East Amherst, N.Y., has become a partner with Feron Poleon in Amherst, N.Y. Poleon concentrates her practice in matrimonial and family law. She previously practiced with Spadafora & Verrastro in Buffalo.

Yadira A. Ramos-Herbert ’05 of New Rochelle, N.Y., has been named dean of students at Columbia Law School in New York City. She previously served as interim dean.

Crystal J. Rodriguez ’06 will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award from the School of Law’s Students of Color at their dinner on April 20. She is chief diversity officer for the City of Buffalo, where she resides.  

Kyle C. DiDone ’07 has been promoted to partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo. He concentrates his practice in banking and collections and corporate law. DiDone is a resident of Williamsville, N.Y.

Jason Y. Lee ’07 of Boston will receive the Trailblazer Award from the School of Law’s Students of Color at their dinner on April 20. Lee is founder and CEO of Celant Innovations in Boston. He is a lifetime member of the UB Law Alumni Association.   

Timothy W. Bush ’08 has become associated with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo, where he resides. He practices banking and collections law.

John E. Mancebo ’08 received the 2017 Top Lawyers Under 40 Award from the Hispanic National Bar Association. Mancebo is a partner with LeClairRyan in New York City, where he resides. He counsels clients regarding business litigation, employment litigation, product liability and professional liability defense.

Michelle M. Schwach ’08 has been promoted to managing partner with Cohen & Lombardo in Buffalo. She specializes in matrimonial and family law including divorce, separation, prenuptial agreements, adoption, custody and visitation, family offense matters, and child and spousal support cases. She resides in Snyder, N.Y.

Anne M. Wheeler ’10, a North Collins, N.Y. resident, has been promoted to partner with Dolce & Panepinto in Buffalo. Wheeler handles personal injury cases.

Justin D. Ginter ’11 has been promoted to junior partner with Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria in Buffalo, where he resides. He practices criminal law including criminal defense trials and appeals, criminal appeals, DWI, federal charges, state charges, traffic violations and white-collar crime.     

TheArthur A. Duncan ’12, corporation counsel for the City of Buffalo, will be the guest speaker at the School of Law’s Students of Color annual dinner on April 20. Duncan is the author of Felon-Attorney, which details his life journey of selling crack cocaine, becoming incarcerated and then practicing law. He is a resident of Williamsville, N.Y.

Bibin J. Mathew ’13 has been promoted to vice president, senior manager in business risk and control management with HSBC in New York City. Mathew supports the investment bank’s global banking business and manages operational risks as well as key business, financial crime and conduct risk initiatives. He is a resident of Astoria, N.Y.

Neasa M. Seneca ’13 has joined Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman as an associate in the Buffalo office. She handles cases involving federal Indian law, including issues that involve sovereignty and sovereign immunity, jurisdiction and the Indian Child Welfare Act, and commercial litigation matters.

Anastasia M. Stumpf ’15 has become associated with Hurwitz & Fine, practicing in the litigation department in the Buffalo office. She defends clients in retail and hospitality liability, school liability, premises liability, commercial litigation and transportation negligence. She lives in Buffalo.

John R. Ewell ’16 has joined Hurwitz & Fine as an associate in the Buffalo office. Ewell practices in the insurance coverage and litigation departments.

Kenneth P. Lowe ’16 has become associated with the Law Offices of William Mattar in Williamsville, N.Y. He counsels clients regarding automobile accident injuries. Lowe lives in Cheektowaga, N.Y.

Justina L. Potenzo ’16 of Tonawanda, N.Y., has become associated with Chelus Herdzik Speyer & Monte in Buffalo, handling general practice matters and litigation. She was previously a Buffalo public school teacher.

Cory J. Zorsch ’16 is practicing as an associate with Simpson & Simpson in Williamsville, N.Y.  He practices intellectual property law with a focus on patent law. He resides in Lackawanna, N.Y.