A new chapter in reunion traditions: More choice, more connections
This year, the law school is reimagining how it celebrates alumni reunions—putting flexibility and community at the heart of the experience. Instead of a one-size-fits-all format, each class is empowered to choose the type of gathering that best suits their preferences. Whether it's a formal dinner, a casual meet-up, or something entirely unique, the choice is theirs.
And for those looking to combine reconnection with family fun, a new reunion option is available during the University’s Homecoming Celebration, the first weekend of October. This festive campus-wide event provides a vibrant backdrop for alumni to return, reminisce, and make new memories—with loved ones in tow.
UB graduates are invited to wear their UB blue and join their friends and former classmates for a special tailgate gathering on Saturday, Oct. 4, when the UB Bulls play the Eastern Michigan Eagles. The law school will have its own tailgate tent in UB’s Alumni Village, in the Lake LaSalle Lot, along with a lunch buffet for UB Law attendees. The tailgate fun runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Organizers stress that this is a family-friendly event, so bring the kids. Team mascot Victor E. Bull will be there, along with the UB Spirit Squad and marching band.
Having a dedicated place for UB Law alumni to connect at the Homecoming is just one way the law school’s Office of Alumni Relations is helping classmates reunite, while showing their loyalty to the larger university community.
UB Law Alumni Tailgate Event
Saturday, October 4th, 2025
Party at 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. / Kickoff at 3:30 p.m.
UB’s LaSalle Lot on the North Campus [View map]
Interested in organizing a reunion for your class? Contact the Law Alumni Office at law-alumni@buffalo.edu for information on how to get started.
“We’re trying to focus on programming that brings people together and appeals to a wide variety of interests,” says Stephanie Mack ’08, executive director of the UB Law Alumni Association. “Homecoming has a real come-together feeling, and we’re looking to help people get immersed in that school spirit.”
It’s a changing landscape for class reunions, and Mack says different classes have their own ideas for how and when to get together. “Connecting with classmates, keeping traditions alive, that seems to be important to everybody,” she says. “Everyone has a different expectation for what they want their reunion to be. Newer attorneys usually stay up to date with their classmates on social media. Family obligations sometimes interfere with their attendance at a more traditional reunion dinner. Alumni from earlier classes like to catch up in person and often prefer their event to be specific to their class.”
To help encourage reconnection, the Office of Alumni Affairs provides support to individual classes who plan their own events, especially those celebrating milestone anniversaries. The office supplies class organizers with contact information for their classmates and will also assist with the creation of invitations and announcements. A professional photographer is sent upon request to help capture the memories in the making.
Several classes have ongoing gatherings in the works, including:
The Class of 1961 celebrates 64 years in the legal profession.
For the past 15 years, the Class of 1961 has met annually at Russell’s Steakhouse in Williamsville, N.Y, a highly anticipated event organized by Stuart A. Gellman ’61. Gellman proudly recalls that his class of 49 graduates includes seven judges, one congressman, and two bar association presidents. This year’s dinner took place earlier this month. Of the nine classmates who participated, “five of us will turn 90 over the next year,” says Gellman. “By the way, they argue about this each year, but I am still the youngest person in the class.”
The Class of 1975's 40-year reunion in 2015.
The Class of 1975 is organizing a gathering at the Garret Club in Buffalo on Tues., Nov. 11. They’re celebrating their Golden Reunion and inviting alumni from 1975 and earlier to join them. “The Class of '75 was the last small class and the last one to have classes downtown,” says Dianne Bennett ’75. “I look forward to sharing the unique past of our class - at that important time of our lives - and finding out where all my interesting classmates are now.” For more information, contact Bennett at dbennett2008@gmail.com.
The Class of 1980's 35-year reunion in 2015.
The Class of 1980 is planning its reunion for Sat., Nov. 15 at the Forbes Theater in downtown Buffalo. “The friends and relationships we made in law school have, in many ways, shaped our lives,” says Hon. Michael Mohun ’80, an organizer of the event. “The reunion will allow us to reconnect and rekindle those relationships.” For more information, contact Judge Mohun at mmmohun@buffalo.edu.
The Class of 1990's 20-year reunion in 2010.
And the Class of 1990 will host a get-together on the evening of Sat., Oct. 4, at the Eagle House Restaurant in Williamsville, following the Homecoming Tailgate event. “Despite the prevalence of social media, and the easy virtual connections that we have today, there is nothing comparable to connecting in person,” says Robert C. Brucato ’90, immediate past president of the UB Law Alumni Association and the lead organizer of the event. “Especially in the polarized times we live in, it is refreshing to connect with people who share different views, and to strengthen those bonds that we share as classmates, from a time when there was more personal interaction.” For more information, contact Brucato at rbrucato@counselpress.com.