Commencement Day Awards

Each year at Commencement, the School of Law recognizes graduating JD and LLM students who have excelled in their overall scholarship or community service.

These awards honor student achievements in a wide range of areas, including:

  • Academic excellence in specific areas of study
  • Outstanding advocacy skills
  • Leadership within and beyond the law school
  • Exceptional commitment to the mission of a particular community or student group
2025 Award Recipients Award Applications Award Descriptions

Congratulations to our 2025 award recipients:

Top Honors

Max Koren Award

  • Katherine Kio

John N. Bennett Achievement Award

  • Kaitlin Hughes
  • Matthew O’Hara

Dale S. Margulis Award

  • Nicia Bottini Morales

Bachelor of Arts in Law Achievement Award

  • William Griffin

Awards and Prizes

Carlos C. Alden Award
Dakota Penkalski

Award for Excellence in the Study of Health Law
Steven Whyte

Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual Property Law
Chris Atwood
Renee Lauer

Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law
Alicia Quarterman
David Henry Reinharz

Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA) Outstanding Clinic Student Award
Nicia Bottini Morales
Mia Forney

Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA) Outstanding Externship Student Award
Jonathan Whyte
Steven Whyte

Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Awards (2024-25)
Ethan Berg (2L)
Alexandra Brockhuizen (3L)
Katherine Huppé (2L)
Kelsey Killelea (3L)
Zachary Miller (2L)
Zain Mirza (2L)
David Henry Reinharz (3L)

Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Awards (2023-24)
James J. Crowley IV (Received as 2L)
James Garvey (Received as 2L)
Will Hecht (Received as 2L)
Sierra Leitten (Received as 2L)
Sara Paltrowitz (Received as 2L)
Quinn Webster (Received as 2L)

Professor Louis DelCotto Award
Timothy Allaire

Justice M. Dolores Denman Award
James Wheat

Monique E. Emdin Memorial Award
Favorlyn Kpaka

Maurice Frey Award
Mark Bassett

William R. Greiner “Committed Humility” Award
Theresa Lee

Justice Philip Halpern Award
Matthew O’Hara

Professor Thomas E. Headrick “Trees and Forest” Award
Bryan Carlo

Judge Matthew J. Jasen Appellate Practice Award
Katherine Kio
Tyler Myszka

Milton Kaplan Award in Law and Social Development
Kyle Sobon

James M. Kie­fer Trial Excellence Award
Andrew Cegielski

David Kochery Award
Andrew Cegielski

Dan D. Kohane ‘79 Insurance Award
James Wheat

The Lavender Gavel Award
Nicia Bottini Morales

Professor Virginia Leary Award
Sandya Serena Brahaspat

The Minority Bar Foundation’s Legal Commencement Award
Katharine England
Allen Greer
Favorlyn Kpaka
Theresa Lee
Nicia Bottini Morales
Meredith Wattle

Moot Evidence Award
Jon Terzioglu

Albert R. Mugel Award
Grace Vensel

Ryan J. Mullins Award
Sara Beyer

The Order of Barristers
Katherine Kio
Shelby MacSwan
Katherine Manuszewski
Tyler Myszka
Sara Paltrowitz
Nate Sniatecki

The Order of the Coif
Nicia Bottini Morales
Giulia Lucia Buscaglia
Alyssa Carbone
Mia Forney
Ciara W. Harrington
Kaitlin Hughes
Katherine Kio
Matthew O’Hara
Michael Perrone
Kayla Shutts
Kyle Sobon
Jon Terzioglu
Sean Tytka
Meredith Wattle
Quinn Webster

Harry A. Rachlin Prize in Real Property Law and Real Estate Transactions
Kyle Sobon
Jon Terzioglu

Judge William J. Regan Award
Gabriella Walsh

UB Law Alumni Association’s GOLD Group Award
Tyler Myszka

Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr. Award
Matthew O’Hara

The State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
Ricardo Castillo
B.A., Law; B.A., Criminology

Faculty and Staff Awards

Faculty Award

  • Prof. David Coombs

Staff Award

  • Jamila Lee ’15