Hon. Craig D. Hannah ’95

Judge Hannah grew up on the East Side of Buffalo, the youngest of six siblings. His father passed away when he was young, and his mother worked hard to support the family. She encouraged him to go to school and stay out of trouble. While he loved his community, there was nonstop drug activity, which he thought was a universal norm.

When he was in school, he was a class clown. As he got older, he began to work hard. A gym teacher took an interest in him and would note his accomplishments. He was grateful for his time with the coach who was a male role model for him.

Once at the University at Buffalo, he studied abroad and got in trouble with drug use. He realized then that he needed to get his life together and stay clean, so he returned home and did so.

Everyone was surprised when he pursued a career in law. He went to law school because he didn’t want to get a job after college. “My mother would have cut me off if I didn’t do something productive after school,” he said. A friend, Kevin Carter, was a law student at UB. Hannah asked him for career advice. Carter told him that he needed to dress more professionally if he wanted to go to law school, so he took out his braids and earrings. Carter approved and said Hannah now looked serious and professional enough for law school.

As a law student, he was frequently afraid and intimidated. He was a slow learner and had to work hard to keep up. Still, he graduated early. The skills he learned at UB were invaluable, and attending law school, he said, was the best decision he has ever made. He was part of the student government, president of the Minority Law Students Association, and a member of mock trial, moot court and trial technique teams.

He loved his professors, and he didn't realize all their talents until after he graduated. He found the staff to be welcoming, warm and always helpful. When he chose UB, it was known as the “poor man’s Harvard.”

He initially thought he was going to be a civil rights attorney. He got a job in the DA’s office after law school, worked in a Corporation Counsel office and was a hearing examiner for the City of Buffalo, as well as a private practitioner, before he became a judge.

His Intervention Court—a drug/wellness program—assists struggling addicts. Judge Hannah tries to instill hope in those who need his help. Habit, consistency and reflecting on past mistakes is what keeps him clean, and he abides by his values. He tries to teach the citizens he works with so he can make a long-term difference in their lives.