Francis M. Letro ’79 - Jaeckle Award 2012

Francis M. Letro, who limits his practice to personal injury cases, is a native of Olean, N.Y. He earned his undergraduate degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He has held leadership positions in many professional organizations on the national, state and local levels, and for 20 years has been a board member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. He is also an active member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the Bar Associations of Erie, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties.

He is a frequent lecturer for national, state and local bar associations, speaking to lawyers and judges about trial practice and procedure, and at continuing legal education seminars and practice skills programs across New York State. He has served as a member of several statewide and local judicial screening panels for sitting judges.

Letro was just 7 when his father, a supervisor for the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad, lost a leg in a railway accident. Seeing his family devastated by the tragedy, the elder Letro retained an attorney who secured a settlement. That experience inspired his son to pursue a career in law so that he could advocate for victims of similar misfortunes.

At UB School of Law, Letro has been a longtime member of the Dean’s Advisory Council and now serves as the group’s vice chair. The law school’s first-floor working courtroom is named in his honor, in recognition of a $1 million gift in 2002 from Letro and his wife, Cindy Abbott Letro, in support of the school’s mission. He is also a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Master of Ceremonies: Dennis R. McCoy.

Remarks presented by Brian Melber, Law Alumni Association vice president; SUNY Distinguished Professor Makau W. Mutua, UB Law dean; Satish K. Tripathi, UB president.

The Jaeckle Award is presented by President Tripathi and Dean Mutua. Francis M. Letro offers acceptance remarks.