Margaret W. Wong ’76 - Jaeckle Award 2013

Margaret Wong.

Margaret W. Wong ’76, a renowned immigration lawyer, was recognized with the 36th Jaeckle Award, the highest honor the University at Buffalo School of Law and the Law Alumni Association can bestow. An immigrant and law school scholarship recipient, she has generously endowed a scholarship program and a full professorship.

About this Interview

Interview Date(s)

Jan. 25, 2013

Occasion

Edwin F. Jaeckle Award presentation at the annual New York City Luncheon

Place

Union League Club, New York City

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About Margaret W. Wong

A nationally renowned Cleveland immigration lawyer who came to the United States from Hong Kong as a young woman, Wong has built her immigration practice into a powerhouse. Margaret Wong & Associates has offices in Cleveland, Chicago, New York City, Columbus, Atlanta and Detroit, serving individual and corporate clients throughout the United States.

At the law school, she has served on the Dean’s Advisory Council since 2006, helping advise Dean Makau W. Mutua on curriculum and other matters. In 2007, she received the Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award for excellence in private practice.

The recipient of a full-tuition scholarship for her law school training, Wong has extended substantial financial support to the law school. Her gifts have supported nine scholarships and endowed a professorship.

“Margaret Wong’s continuing support of and interest in the SUNY Buffalo law school has been remarkable,” says Mutua. “Hers is a true American success story, and we are so grateful to be able to benefit from her support and her wise counsel as we continue to build the law school’s quality and reputation. She is an inspiration to our students in every way.”

Wong has published a memoir about her experiences. “It is my firm belief that the United States is still the best country in which to live, thrive and become somebody,” she writes in her book, The Immigrant’s Way. “I am living the American dream. … Most foreign-born in the United States are tenacious survivors. … We also tend to be stoic, do not voice our opinions often, and are more generally accepting and accommodating to the not-so-great things that happen to us or around us, while being thankful for the good things that do happen.”

Speakers

Master of Ceremonies: Francis Letro.

Remarks are presented by: Brian Melber, UB Law Alumni Association president; Makau W. Mutua, UB School of Law dean.

Dean Mutua presents the Jaeckle Award to Margaret Wong, who offers acceptance remarks.

About the Jaeckle Award

The Jaeckle Award is given annually to a person who exemplifies the highest ideals of UB School of Law and the Law Alumni Association and has made significant contributions to the school and the legal profession. It is named for Edwin F. Jaeckle ’15, a founding partner of the Buffalo law firm Jaeckle, Fleischmann & Mugel, and a major benefactor of the school.

Explore the Class of 1976

  • Carol M. Matorin '76
    2/20/26
    Carol M. Matorin ’76, an intellectual property lawyer, is senior vice president and general counsel for Marc Jacobs International in New York City. She also serves as a director of Cool Culture, which partners with over 90 cultural institutions to provide low-income children with free access and experiences that improve literacy and learning.
  • Jeffrey L. Tanenbaum ’76
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    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. Kevin M. Dillon ’76
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    Hon. Kevin M. Dillon ’76 was a justice of the Erie County Supreme Court in the 8 Judicial District of New York. He was elected to the position in 1997 and re-elected in 2010.
  • Margaret W. Wong ’76 - Jaeckle Award 2013
    12/1/25
    Margaret W. Wong ’76, a renowned immigration lawyer, was recognized with the 36 Jaeckle Award, the highest honor the University at Buffalo School of Law and the Law Alumni Association can bestow. An immigrant and law school scholarship recipient, she has generously endowed a scholarship program and a full professorship.
  • Hon. James H. Dillon ’76
    12/1/25
    Hon. James H. Dillon ’76 was a justice of the State Supreme Court in the 8th Judicial District of New York, elected to the Supreme Court bench in 2008. He previously served as a judge for Erie County Family Court after being elected to the seat in 1991 and re-elected in 2001.
  • Brent L. Wilson ’76
    2/20/26
    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.
  • Kenneth B. Forrest ’76 - Jaeckle Award 2010
    12/1/25
    Kenneth B. Forrest ’76 was recognized with the 33 Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest honor UB School of Law and the Law Alumni Association can bestow. One of UB Law’s most accomplished alumni and past chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council, he has been an invaluable adviser to four deans.

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