Class Action - July 2026

Clarence J. Sundram ’72 was elected to the board of directors of the Correctional Association of New York. Sundram is a nationally recognized expert on conditions in institutions and community programs for persons with mental disabilities. He is a past recipient of UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for public service and currently serves as a member of the School of Law’s Advocacy Institute National Board of Advisors.

Gary A. DeWaal ’80 was renominated to serve a second term on the Securities Advisory Board for the State of Colorado, where he currently serves as chairman. He was also appointed to the board of directors of Ludlow Exchange, LLC, where he will chair the Regulatory Oversight Committee. DeWaal is an emeritus member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council.

Hon. Michael M. Mohun ’80, a retired Wyoming County Court judge, has been appointed interim director of the Erie County Assigned Counsel Program in Buffalo and named to the New York State Unified Court System’s new Standing Committee on Upstate Attorneys, which was created to expand access to legal representation in upstate and rural communities across New York. Mohun is a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council, a past recipient of the Professor Kenneth F. Joyce Excellence in Teaching Award, a lifetime member of the Law Alumni Association, and a past recipient of the association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for the judiciary.

Dr. Stephanie R. Nesbitt ’94 was named president of Utica University in Utica, N.Y. She most recently served as provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs.

John J. Flynn Jr. ’95, a partner with Lippes Mathias LLP in Buffalo,was appointed supervisor of Tonawanda, N.Y. Flynn previously served as Erie County district attorney in Buffalo and is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for public service. He is also a member of the board of directors of the UB Law Alumni Association.

Corinne A. Carey ’98, senior campaign director for New York and New Jersey with the advocacy organization Compassion & Choices in New York City, helped lead the successful statewide campaign to enact the New York Medical Aid in Dying Act. Carey also recently founded Carey Strategic Consulting in Troy, N.Y., where she helps mission-driven leaders and organizations develop strategy, navigate complexity, build unlikely coalitions, and turn ambitious ideas into reality.

Hon. Christopher S. Nickson ’98 was appointed an administrative law judge with the New York State Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board in Buffalo. He previously served as vice president and senior consultant with Segal, a benefits and HR consulting firm in New York City.

Brandon A. Portis ’99 has become district executive with the New York State Unified Court System, Office of Court Administration, 8^th Judicial District in Buffalo. He was previously a principal court attorney with the 8^th Judicial District. He is also a past recipient of the UB School of Law Trial Advocacy Program’s Coach of the Year Award.

Hon. Suzanne Knight DeBottis ’01 has become a Madison County family court support magistrate in Wampsville, N.Y. She was previously an attorney with the Madison County Department of Social Services for over twenty years.

Sachin Kohli ’06 has joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as an M&A partner in the New York City office. Kohli was previously a partner in the M&A department with Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP in New York City. He is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for private practice and a current member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council.

Paul E. Colinet ’07 was named vice president for litigation with Corning Inc., in Corning, N.Y. He was previously vice president and head of legal for the Americas Region of Xero, a glocal tech company, in its Denver, Colorado office.

Jacia T. Falcon ’07 was appointed director and chief human capital officer in the Department of Human Resources for the City of Baltimore, overseeing workforce strategy, human capital policy, labor and employee relations, and organizational development across Baltimore City government. She previously served as chief of staff in the Recreation & Parks department for the city.

Alexander C. Collichio ’08 was named vice president with Allient Inc., a global designer and manufacturer of precision and specialty Motion, Controls and Power products and solutions for targeted industries and applications. Based in Buffalo, he will also continue to serve as Allient's chief administrative officer.

Gurjot “Jo” Kaur ’10, founder of Riaan Research Initiative, a New York City–based rare disease patient advocacy organization, utilized her legal advocacy experience to transition into drug development, helping lead efforts to create the world’s first gene therapy for Cockayne Syndrome—a fatal genetic condition diagnosed in her son, Riann.

Michael B. Hilburger ’11 has been named vice dean for student affairs at the School of Law, overseeing the Office of Students Affairs and providing comprehensive support services to students. He previously served as associate dean.

Daniel D. Dubnicki ’12 has joined Fenster Lewis & Good LLC as an associate in the firm’s estate planning department in Buffalo.

Lauren M. Pienkowski ’12 has been named president and CEO of The Legal Aid Society of Rochester, N.Y., effective January 1, 2027.  She currently serves as director of program strategies and retention and director of the civil division.

Gabriella E. Agostinelli ’14 has been promoted to a partner with Berardi Immigration Law in Buffalo, advising multinational corporations on relocating employees across borders.

Kerisha Hawthorne-Greer ’14 was elected to the Depew Union Free School board of trustees in Depew, N.Y. She is a current member of the school board. Hawthorne-Greer serves as principal law clerk to New York State Court of Claims judge, Hon. Stephanie A. Saunders ’00, and is a member of the board of directors of the UB Law Alumni Association.

Jamila A. Lee ’15 has joined Barclay Damon LLP as counsel, concentrating her practice on trusts and estates matters, representing individuals, families, and fiduciaries in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and complex probate proceedings in the Buffalo office. She most recently served as vice dean for student affairs at the School of Law. She is a past recipient of the school’s Students of Color Administrator of the Year Award.

Cecilia N. Meyer ’21 was promoted to managing attorney, Matrimonial Law, Civil Legal Services Unit with the Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc.

Elizabeth “Lizzy” Vinal-Adams ’22 has joined the School of Law in a dual role as career planning and development officer in the Career Services Office and associate director of The Advocacy Institute. She previously worked as a staff attorney for Neighborhood Legal Services Inc., in Buffalo. 

Braden J. Pritchard ’25 has become a member of the board of directors of Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House in Buffalo. He is an associate with Roach Lennon & Brown PLLC in Buffalo, focusing on wills, trusts, and estates, and business law.

Bar Association of Erie County's 2026-27 Board of Directors & Nominating Committee

• Vice President, President-Elect: Robert Brucato Jr. ’90, Proceed, Buffalo
• Treasurer: Andrew J. Freedman ’96, Hodgson Russ LLP, Buffalo
  
• Deputy Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect: Elise L. Cassar ’10, Duke Holzman Photiadis & Ritter LLP, Buffalo
• Director: Ericka N. Bennett ’05, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo
• Director: Stephanie J. Calhoun ’08, New York State Attorney General’s Office, Buffalo
• Director: Jake Cercone ’21, Cercone Law PLLC, Buffalo
• Director: Milton D. Gordon ’15, County of Erie, Buffalo
• Director: Aalok J. Karambelkar ’11, Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak LLP, Buffalo
• Director: Patrick J. Long ’00, School of Law
• Director: Catherine J. McCulle ’16, The Law Office of Lindy Korn PLLC, Buffalo
• Director: Christopher J. Phillips ’20, Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC, Buffalo 
• Director: Erin A. Tresmond ’13, Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo Inc.
• Committee Member: Sarah M. Washington ’16, National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp., Williamsville, N.Y.

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Buffalo Business First's 40 Under 40

• Christopher H. Brown Jr. ’14, Roach Lennon & Brown PLLC, Buffalo
• Nicholas P. DeMarco ’14, Rossi & DeMarco PLLC, Tonawanda, N.Y.; Maverick Real Properties, Buffalo
• Nicholas J. Ingrassia ’13, Block Longo LaMarca & Brzezinski P.C., Buffalo
• Daniel P. Kelly ’12, Hodgson Russ LLP, Buffalo
• Nicholas A. Romano ’13, Roach Quinlan Grable McGorry Romano & Kroetsch LLP, Buffalo; Town of Cheektowaga
• Courtney Donahue Tasner ’11, Lippes Mathias LLP, Buffalo

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Chambers USA 2026: Firm Privacy & Data Security                  

• The Beckage Firm: Jennifer A. Beckage ’07, Buffalo

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Communicator Award of Excellence in the Legal & Compliance Podcast Category

• Kevin D. Szczepanski ’95, Barclay Damon LLP, Buffalo; Podcast Host Cyber Sip

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Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys' 2026-27 Board of Directors 

• Secretary: Ericka B. Elliott ’13, Underberg & Kessler LLP, Rochester, N.Y.
• CLE Co-Chair: Nichole M. Austin ’21, Faraci Lange LLP, Rochester, N.Y.
• Judicial Evaluation Co-Chair: Christine M. Naassana ’20, Hodgson Russ LLP, Rochester, N.Y.
  
• Membership Co-Chair: Jayla Rose Lombardo ’12, Lacy Katzen LLP, Rochester, N.Y.
• Nominating Chair: Leigh Ann Chute ’12, Legal Aid Society of Rochester, N.Y.
• Programs Co-Chair: Courtney I. Kleiman ’23, Monroe County District Attorney's Office, Rochester, N.Y.

Minority Bar Foundation's 2026-27 Buffalo Board of Directors

• President: Donell Lamar Gibson Jr. ’18, Lippes Mathias LLP, Buffalo
• Vice President: Larry E. Waters Jr. ’17, Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc., Buffalo
• Secretary: Anastasia M. McCarthy ’15, Hurwitz Fine P.C., Buffalo
• Director: Ericka N. Bennett ’05, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo
• Director: Cavette A. Chambers ’04, City of Buffalo
• Director: Hon. Susan M. Eagan ’96, Erie County Court, Buffalo
• Director: Andrew J. Freedman ’96, Hodgson Russ LLP, Buffalo
• Director: Jamila A. Lee ’15, Barclay Damon LLP, Buffalo
• Director: Sarah M. Washington ’16, National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp., Williamsville, N.Y.
• Director: Hon. Gary A. Wilson ’08, Buffalo City Court, Buffalo

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Monroe County Bar Association's Charles F. Crimi Memorial Award

•  Joseph P. Crimi ’88, Retired, Monroe County Conflict Defender’s Office, Rochester, N.Y.

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New York State Bar Association's 2026-27 Board of Directors

• President-Elect: Michelle H. Wildgrube ’92, Cioffi Slezak Wildgrube P.C.,  Schenectady, N.Y.

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New York State Trial Lawyers Association's John Feroleto Civility Award

• Linda J. Marsh ’78, Marsh Ziller LLP, Buffalo  

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Niagara County Bar Association's 2026 Hon. Jacqueline Koshian Award

• Sarah B. Hedden ’14, Center for Elder Law & Justice, Buffalo   

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Washington Bar Association Young Lawyers Division's Kim M. Keenan Advocacy & Leadership Award

• Natalia Marte ’20, Ogletree Deakins, Baltimore, Md.

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Westchester County Bar Association's 2026-27 Board of Directors

• President: Hon. Karen T. Beltran ’05, Yonkers City Court, Yonkers, N.Y.

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Women in Paris and Recreation's Triple Threat Award

• Jacia T. Falcon ’07, City of Baltimore