The Harry A. Rachlin (1926) Oral History Project

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 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 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, 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.

Hon. Michael A. Telesca ’55 was a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, he served until 2020. He was its chief judge from 1989 to 1995. He received the 31 Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest honor bestowed by the University at Buffalo School of Law and the Law Alumni Association.

Hon. Shirley Troutman has served in the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court’s Fourth Judicial Department since 2016. She has been a judge for almost three decades, previously serving on the state Supreme Court, Erie County Court and Buffalo City Court.

James A. Ullman ’71 is one of the leading attorneys in the United States whose practice focuses on franchising, licensing, distribution and intellectual property law. He has worked on significant deals for national and multinational corporations and major financial institutions, including private equity and venture capital groups.

Hon. Thomas M. Van Strydonck ’73, a Supreme Court justice for the 7 Judicial District until 2012, served as chief administrative judge from 2000 to 2010. Appointed by Gov. George Pataki to the Supreme Court in 1998, he previously served as an assistant Monroe County district attorney and worked in private practice.

Hon. Lawrence J. Vilardo is a United States district judge for the Western District of New York. He was in private practice with Terry Connors in the Buffalo law firm of Connors & Vilardo LLP from 1986 until he was appointed by President Barack Obama to the federal bench in 2015.

Hon. Dale M. Volker ’66, a Republican, served as a New York State Assemblyman and Senator from 1972 to 2010. He led the Senate’s Western New York delegation and was chair of the Senate Codes Committee, which plays a key role in shaping criminal justice policy for New York State.

Steven J. Weiss ’91, founding partner of a Buffalo affordable housing law firm, is deeply committed to serving his community. He is president and board chair of the Buffalo Jewish Federation; a board member of Roswell Park Comprehensive Care Center; and serves on the New York State Housing Finance Agency.

Hon. Richard C. Wesley is a senior U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the Second Circuit, which encompasses New York, Connecticut and Vermont. President George W. Bush nominated him in 2003, and he assumed senior status in 2016.

Hon. Gerald J. Whalen ’83 is a judge for the 4 Department of the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2012. He has been the presiding justice of the court since 2016. His current term ends on Dec. 31, 2027.

Hon. Jeffrey S. White ’70, a U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of California, was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002. Previously he was at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in San Francisco and special litigation counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, in Washington, D.C.

Christopher A. Wightman ’99, a partner with PJT Camberview in San Francisco, advises clients on corporate governance and shareholder engagement, with a focus on shareholder activism, complex proxy voting and executive compensation. He previously led the global corporate governance and portfolio compliance programs for Vanguard. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council.

Phyllis H. Hubbard Wilkinson ’52, attorney, was an early female graduate of UB School of Law. Though she took a hiatus from practice while her children were in school, she has been licensed for 60 years.

Brent L. Wilson ’76 is an Atlanta attorney who practices mostly labor and employment law litigation as a partner with Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp & Wilson, LLP. He is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council and a generous donor to the law school.

Hon. Caroline A. Wojtaszek ’97, Niagara County district attorney since 2017, is the first woman to hold the position in Niagara County. She has long been a leader in the fight against domestic violence and helped develop Niagara County’s domestic violence protocols that later served as a model for district attorneys statewide.

Hon. Elizabeth A. Wolford, chief judge of the U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, is the first female judge to serve in the WDNY and the first woman to be its chief judge. Nominated by President Barack Obama in 2013, she became chief judge in 2021.

Michael R. Wolford ’68 is a successful commercial and business litigation attorney. He founded The Wolford Law Firm LLP in 1993 in Rochester, N.Y. In addition to business litigation, he helps clients with civil and criminal matters.