The Harry A. Rachlin (1926) Oral History Project

Featuring some of the best-known names in New York State’s legal community and beyond, the Oral History Project hosts a collection of interviews compiled since 1999 with alumni, faculty members and friends of the School of Law. Scroll down to explore and search all of our interviews.

Pillars of the Legal Community
“The Oral History Project memorialize(s) a great law school, which I think UB is, and a great legal tradition, which is the Western New York legal tradition.”
12/1/25

Lauren Rachlin Esq., son of Harry Rachlin ’26 

“The Law School is constantly changing... [however] the values that our Law School was founded on in 1887 are the same values we have today. ”
12/1/25

Ilene Fleischmann, Vice Dean Emerita for Alumni Affairs

“The law school experience made me a better student and a better person than I could probably have ever imagined.”
12/1/25

Hon. Craig D. Hannah ‘95

“Law is the conscience of the community. ”
12/1/25

Hon. Ann T. Mikoll ’54

“I remember a great deal about then Professor Hyman and Dr. Lenhoff, whose voices rang through in the Bar Exam. ”
12/1/25

Carl A. Green '50

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Featured Interviews

  • Hon. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg - A Conversation 2019
    12/1/25
    Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a U.S. Supreme Court associate justice, professor of law and attorney, was a champion of gender equality. Her legal brilliance and unwavering dedication to justice defined her career. Known for her powerful dissents, she became a cultural icon, symbolizing strength and resilience. Her legacy endures, inspiring generations.
  • Lillian E. Cowan ’27
    12/1/25
    Lillian E. Cowan was only 18 years old when she began Buffalo law school in 1924. She graduated in 1927, the 45 woman to graduate. An accomplished and pioneering woman, she practiced law until she was 98 years old.
  • Jonathan S. Beane ’98
    12/1/25
    Jonathan S. Beane ’98 is a nationally recognized leader in forming and implementing strategies that foster an inclusive culture across companies. He is a strong proponent of change in workplace diversity and inclusion philosophy.
  • Hon. Trini E. Ross ’92
    12/1/25
    Trini E. Ross ’92 is senior litigation counsel for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York. She also teaches Trial Technique at UB School of Law.
Harry Rachlin in front of bookshelves.

About the Project

The Oral History is a project of the Law Alumni Association, funded in part by the Rachlin family as a tribute to the memory of Harry A. Rachlin, a 1926 graduate. (Read our FAQs to learn more.)

Make a gift to this project
This is a group photo of the first Buffalo Law Review editorial board (1951-52). The Law Review's inaugural issue was published by a group of law students under the guidance of Professor Charles W. Webster. The issue was 350 pages and had an initial run of 100 copies without having any subscribers. The lead article in Volume 1 was written by Charles S. Desmond who was then an Associate Judge on the New York Court of Appeals and would later become the Chief Judge of New York's highest court.

The first Buffalo Law Review editorial board (1951-52).

Our History

Explore the rich history of the School of Law, including our accomplished alumni, prominent faculty and global impact.

Law School History

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Results 115 - 120 of 147. (0.22 seconds)
  • Thomas F. Segalla ’72
    12/1/25
    Thomas F. Segalla ’72, founding partner of Goldberg Segalla LLP in Buffalo, is a nationally recognized authority on bad faith, reinsurance and insurance, and an ARIAS-U.S. Certified arbitrator and mediator. The firm employs about 285 lawyers in 19 offices in the United States and the United Kingdom.
  • Marilyn Tebor Shaw ’79
    12/1/25
    Marilyn Tebor Shaw ’79, associate judicial administrator of Cornell University, serves in the New York State Bar’s Attorney Emeriti Program in the field of estate planning for the elderly, and serves pro bono on Ithaca’s Board of Zoning Appeals. She has served as legal counsel for the Nomadic Kenyan Children’s Educational Fund.
  • Hon. William M. Skretny
    12/1/25
    Hon. William M. Skretny, senior judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, was confirmed to the District Court in 1990. He was formerly an assistant U.S. attorney in Illinois and New York, a first deputy district attorney in Erie County and in private practice in Buffalo.
  • Carmen L. Snell '92
    12/6/25
    Carmen L. Snell '92 is vice president and deputy general counsel at Highmark Western and Northeastern New York, a major insurance and healthcare corporation. A role model for women and a champion for diversity and inclusion initiatives, her professional achievements include extensive service on various boards and committees and mentoring young attorneys.
  • Michael J. Surgalla, Jr. ’82
    12/1/25
    Michael J. Surgalla Jr. ’82 is an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Human Rights & Special Prosecutions Section, Criminal Division, in Washington, D.C. He joined the DOJ in 1987. His current areas of focus are border security and violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
  • Jeffrey L. Tanenbaum ’76
    12/1/25
    Jeffrey L. Tanenbaum ’76, a retired partner in the New York City office of Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, focused on bankruptcy and reorganization. He was named 2010 Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer for his role as counsel to General Motors in the bankruptcy of auto parts manufacturer Delphi.
Results 115 - 120 of 147. (0.22 seconds)

Additional Campus-Wide Resources

Learn More About Our History