Kerisha Hawthorne-Greer ’14

Person seated at a desk in an office setting with hands resting near a keyboard. The workspace includes a computer monitor, desk phone, and office chair, with a wooden bookshelf behind the desk holding books, framed photos, and small decorative items.

Guidance Born of Experience

Sometimes law students need help exploring career options. Sometimes they need an empathetic ear, or some candid, motivational advice.

KERISHA HAWTHORNE-GREER ’14 has been there—and in her extensive mentoring of UB Law students, she focuses on giving them what they need most.

“Some of them are great at academics, and they don’t need anyone to tell them they can do it,” says Hawthorne- Greer, principal law clerk to Hon. Stephanie Saunders ’00, New York State Court of Claims judge. “It’s more about helping them navigate their professional path. Some know what they want to do, but they’re struggling mentally or academically. For them, it’s about giving them resources and tools they can tap into.”

A familiar presence at law school events, Hawthorne- Greer makes a point of meeting students and encouraging them to reach out. When she notices someone who appears uncomfortable in a networking setting, she steps in: “I’m intentional in trying to identify those students. I understand the feeling of being intimidated in a room full of people.”

She has shared her time and insight with dozens of students from diverse backgrounds, speaking on alumni panels and at community-building programs, and has a special interest in providing guidance to underrepresented students. As the keynote speaker at the Students of Color Brunch early in the academic year, she urged the new 1Ls to create a plan that would carry them through graduation. “That’s the goal,” she says, “And I reminded them that building relationships along the way is just as important.”