Class Action - April 2025

Kenneth A. Manning ’77 has rejoined the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Manning, a partner with Phillips Lytle LLP in the Buffalo office, is a past president of the UB Law Alumni Association and a past recipient of its Distinguished Alumnus Award for private practice.

Michele A. Brown ’79 will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award for public service at the Law Alumni Association's 62nd annual Alumni Dinner and Distinguished Awards Presentation on April 30 in Buffalo. She is a Buffalo solo practitioner and former chief attorney with the Children’s Legal Center in Buffalo.

Alan M. Wishnoff ’79 is the author of Holotrial, a legal thriller published by TWB Press. The novel follows Adam Simons, a brilliant Buffalo lawyer and fictional professor at UB School of Law. Wishnoff is a retired partner with Phillips Lytle LLP in Buffalo.

Hon. Barbara Howe ’80, retired Erie County Surrogate Court judge in Buffalo, has rejoined the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. She is a past recipient of the School of Law and the UB Law Alumni Association’s Edwin F. Jaeckle Award and the association's Distinguished Law Alumna Award for the judiciary. Howe previously served as president of the Law Alumni Association and as an adjunct faculty member at the law school.

Hon. Michael M. Mohun ’80, a retired Wyoming County Court judge, will receive the Professor Kenneth F. Joyce Excellence in Teaching Award at the School of Law’s 136th Commencement Ceremony on May 18. Mohun is a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council, an adjunct instructor at the law school, a lifetime member of UB Law Alumni Association and a past recipient of the association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for the judiciary.  

Hon. Barbara R. Johnson-Lee ’86, a Buffalo City Court judge, will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award for the judiciary at the Law Alumni Association's 62nd annual Alumni Dinner and Distinguished Awards Presentation on April 30 in Buffalo. Johnson-Lee is a past recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award from the law school's Students of Color, a past member of the board of directors of the UB Law Alumni Association and a lifetime member of the association.

Robert Brucato Jr. ’90 has been named a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Brucato, senior appellate counsel with Counsel Press in Buffalo, is president of the UB Law Alumni Association and a lifetime member of the association.

Hon. Trini E. Ross ’92 has rejoined the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Ross is a retired U.S. Attorney, Western District of New York, in Buffalo. She is a past recipient of the Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumna ​Award for public service and the Students of Color Distinguished Alumna Award.  

Carmen L. Snell ’92 will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award for business at the Law Alumni Association's 62nd annual Alumni Dinner and Distinguished Awards Presentation on April 30 in Buffalo. Snell has over two decades of experience providing strategic legal counsel across corporate, government and law firm settings. Most recently, she served as vice president and deputy general counsel with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, in Buffalo.

Hon. Henry J. Nowak ’93, an associate justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 4th Department, in Buffalo, will be honored at the 34th annual Buffalo Law Review Dinner on April 25 in Buffalo. He is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for the judiciary and a past member of the association's board of directors.

Charles C. Ritter Jr. ’93 has become a named partner with Duke Holzman Photiadis & Ritter LLP in Buffalo. He practices business and commercial litigation, including construction, securities, contract disputes, insurance coverage, personal injury, employment law, estates, and general corporate and transactional work.

Joseph W. Belluck ’94 will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for community service at the Law Alumni Association's 62nd annual Alumni Dinner and Distinguished Awards Presentation on April 30 in Buffalo. He is a founding partner with Belluck Law in New York City.

Kristin Graham Koehler ’94 will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award for private practice at the Law Alumni Association's 62nd annual Alumni Dinner and Distinguished Awards Presentation on April 30 in Buffalo. Koehler is the  managing partner of Sidley Austin LLP's Washington, D.C. office. She is an emeritus member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council, a past member of the D.C. chapter of the Law Alumni Association and a lifetime member of the association.    

Heather Gresham ’96 received the Trailblazer of the Year Award from UB Law’s Students of Color at their annual dinner on April 4 in Buffalo. She is counsel and vice president for people and culture with RepresentUs, a political nonprofit organization based in Florence, Mass. Gresham is vice president of the UB Law Alumni Association.  

Andrew M. Wilson ’98, a partner with Lippes Mathias LLP in Buffalo, received the Ally of the Year Award from UB Law’s Students of Color at their annual dinner on April 4 in Buffalo.  

Hon. Amy C. Martoche ’99 has been appointed administrative judge of the New York State Unified Court System, 8th Judicial District, in Buffalo. She previously served as a New York State Supreme Court justice in the 8th Judicial District. She is past vice president of the UB Law Alumni Association and a former Buffalo Law Review honoree.

Mark Handzlik ’05 was appointed special advisor to the acting chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in Washington, D.C., advising on a range of policy, legal, administrative and operational issues before the agency. Handzlik previously served as deputy to the FDIC vice chairman.

Hon. Yadira Ramos-Herbert ’05, mayor of New Rochelle, N.Y., received the Distinguished Alumna Award from UB Law’s Students of Color at their annual dinner on April 4 in Buffalo. Ramos-Herbert is a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council.

Hon. Meredith A. Vacca ’05, U.S. District Court judge, Western District of New York in Rochester, N.Y., will be honored at the 34th annual Buffalo Law Review Dinner on April 25 in Buffalo. Vacca is the first Asian-American and the first woman of color to serve on the Western District bench.

Jennifer A. Beckage ’07, founder and managing director of The Beckage Firm in Buffalo, has been named a finalist for Cyber Risk Industry Person of the Year in the attorney category at the Zywave Cyber Risk Awards, and was named Highly Commended for “Inspiring Woman in Cyber Insurance” at the Cyber Insurance Awards USA 2025. Additionally, The Beckage Firm has been recognized as a finalist for both Cyber Law Firm of the Year and Cyber Security Consulting Services Provider of the Year.

Hon. John P. Feroleto ’07 was appointed a Buffalo City Court judge. He was previously an assistant district attorney with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office in Buffalo.

Brett P. Gliosca ’08 has been promoted to general counsel with Beretta Holding, a global manufacturing company, in its Accokeek, Md., office. He previously served as deputy general counsel.

Michael J. Hecker ’09 has been named a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Hecker is a partner with Hodgson Russ LLP in the Buffalo office. He is a past president of both the Law Alumni Association and its GOLD Group, and a lifetime member of the association.

Jonathan Choi ’15 was promoted to managing attorney for the Attorneys for Children Unit with Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo Inc. He previously served as a staff attorney.

Thomas D. Lyons ’15 was promoted to partner with Duke Holzman Photiadis & Ritter LLP in Buffalo. Lyons represents clients in business and commercial litigation and insurance coverage litigation.

Todd J. Potter Jr. ’15 has been named a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council. Potter, a Buffalo solo practitioner, is president of the Law Alumni Association’s GOLD Group and a lifetime member of the association.

Stacey L. Walker ’15 has been promoted to partner with Snyder Burnett Egerer LLP in Santa Barbara, Calif., focusing her practice on defending clients against personal injury claims.

Lauren M. Adornetto ’17 was promoted to senior associate with Phillips Lytle LLP in the Buffalo office. She is a member of the firm’s land, environment and energy practice group.

Taylor D. Golba ’17 has been promoted to senior partner with Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP in Buffalo, practicing in the firm’s personal injury department.

Kristine N. Celeste ’19 was promoted to senior associate with Duke Holzman Photiadis & Ritter LLP in Buffalo. She focuses her practice on business and commercial litigation, handling contract disputes, first-party insurance coverage, construction litigation, employment disputes and general business matters. 

Anthony J. DiPerna ’19 has joined Goldberg Segalla in the Rochester, N.Y., office as an associate. DiPerna concentrates his practice on counseling and defending clients in the retail and hospitality industries. Prior to joining the firm, DiPerna prosecuted violent felony offenses for the Special Investigations Bureau of the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office in Rochester.

Connor P. Entenmann ’19 was promoted to senior associate with Phillips Lytle LLP in the Buffalo office. He is a member of the firm’s banking and financial services industry group.

Dr. Joshua S. Wallace ’19, an environmental litigator and chemist, was promoted to senior associate with Phillips Lytle LLP. He represents clients in complex commercial and environmental matters in the Buffalo and New York City offices.

Michael A. Mahr ’21 has joined Colligan Law LLP in Buffalo as an associate in the firm’s business transactions practice. He previously practiced with Lewandowski & Associates in Buffalo.

Madison A. Burns ’24 has become associated with Duke Holzman Photiadis & Ritter LLP in Buffalo, focusing her practice on business and commercial litigation, first-party insurance coverage, contract disputes, construction litigation, shareholder/member disputes, non-solicitation disputes and general business matters.   

Claire Hofmeister ’24 has joined Duke Holzman Photiadis & Ritter LLP in Buffalo as an associate, counseling clients on a variety of transactional matters, including the purchase and sale of businesses, business succession planning, corporate governance, business entity formations, financing transactions, contracts, real estate agreements, estate planning and estate administration.

Nazmus Sakeeb ’24 has become associated with John J. Fromen Attorneys at Law P.C. in Buffalo, focusing on personal injury litigation.