Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize stellar achievements
Five alumni of the University at Buffalo School of Law and one non-alumnus—UB’s 15th president—will be honored as the UB Law Alumni Association presents its Distinguished Alumni Awards.
The awards, which have been presented annually for more than six decades, recognize outstanding accomplishments in a wide range of fields as well as service to the Western New York community and the legal profession. They will be presented at a dinner to be held May 7 in downtown Buffalo. Registration details will be announced shortly.
The 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards honorees are:
For the Judiciary: Hon. Stephen Lindley ’89
Associate Justice, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department
Rochester, N.Y.
An associate justice of the New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Fourth Department, in Rochester, Justice Lindley began his legal career as a confidential law clerk to several judges, an assistant district attorney for Monroe County and a private practitioner. In 2022, he was appointed and then later elected to Rochester City Court and served as an acting Monroe County Court judge before his election to the Supreme Court in 2006. Gov. David A. Patterson appointed him to that court’s Appellate Division in 2010. The Rochester-based court hears appeals from 22 counties in Central and Western New York.
Beyond his work with the court, Justice Lindley lectures frequently at legal seminars for attorneys and at the New York State Judicial Institute, which provides training and continuing legal education for judges. In addition to UB Law, the Rochester native is a graduate of Emory University.
For Business:
Christine Smith Howard ’93
Managing Director and Senior Counsel, Société Générale,
New York, N.Y.
As managing director and senior counsel at Société Générale in New York City, Howard leads the firm’s derivatives and trading documentation legal function across the Americas. Overseeing a global team in New York, Belfast, Montreal and Bangalore, she provides leadership on complex trading documentation, regulatory implementation and key strategic initiatives, in areas including derivatives, foreign exchange, repurchase transactions and securities lending.
Howard joined Société Générale in 2011 after serving in a similar capacity at Crédit Agricole. She previously worked in the legal departments of BNP Paribas and Westdeutsche Landesbank, focusing on a broad range of investment banking activities. An active participant in industry trade associations, Howard also volunteers as a pro bono attorney with the Volunteers of Legal Service Senior Law Project and mentors students through the law school’s New York City Program in Business and Law.
For Public Service:
Elizabeth Fox-Solomon ’06
Interim Director and General Counsel, District of Columbia Office of Human Rights
Washington, D.C.
At the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights, where she serves as interim director and general counsel, Fox-Solomon provides executive leadership and legal oversight for Washington, D.C.’s primary civil rights enforcement agency. She leads agency operations and advances the enforcement of D.C.’s Human Rights Act, which protects residents from discrimination in employment, housing, education and public accommodations.
Before joining the District government, Fox-Solomon served for over a decade at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. As chief of staff and senior advisor to the chair, she helped guide the EEOC’s strategic direction, shaping enforcement priorities and advancing initiatives to strengthen protections for workers. She is past president of the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, has coached trial teams at UB Law since 2017, and serves on the national advisory board of the law school’s Advocacy Institute.
For Private Practice (posthumously):
John Feroleto ’82
Founder, Feroleto Law
Buffalo, N.Y.
Founder of the Buffalo firm Feroleto Law, Feroleto dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and to the Buffalo community he loved. He is being honored posthumously following his unexpected passing in April 2025.
A well-known and well-respected trial attorney, Feroleto was a nationally respected leader in trucking litigation and highway safety advocacy. As an active member of the Trucking Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice, he was recognized for his extraordinary work in improving roadway safety through litigation and legislative advocacy. In his honor, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association established the John Feroleto Civil Justice Award, and its Western Region affiliate created the John Feroleto Civility Award.
Feroleto was a devoted mentor and teacher, lecturing widely and sharing his knowledge generously. Additionally, he was an accomplished presence in the Western New York running community.
For Community Service:
Hon. Gary A. Wilson Jr. ’08
Judge, Buffalo City Court
Buffalo, N.Y.
Judge Wilson serves on Buffalo City Court, to which he was appointed in July 2022 and elected that November. His ascension to the bench followed positions with the Buffalo Public Schools, where he was assistant legal counsel; the University at Buffalo; the Erie County Department of Labor Relations, where he served as commissioner; and as principal law clerk to Hon. John Licata '92.
Judge Wilson has served on the Buffalo Commission on Citizens’ Rights and Community Relations and has been a member of the Stonewall Democrats of Western New York, advocating for legislation ensuring equality and fairness. He currently serves on several boards, including the Minority Bar Foundation, Evergreen Health, Hispanos Unidos de Buffalo, and serves as president of EmbraceWNY, which offers grants and sponsorships to recipients working to address issues in the LGBTQIA+ community. Judge Wilson is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Inc.
For Service by a Non-Alumnus:
Satish K. Tripathi, PhD
President, University at Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y.
The longest-serving president in UB’s modern era, Satish K. Tripathi, PhD, has led the university through a transformative period of progress marked by significant growth in its research portfolio, a dramatically enhanced living-learning environment and extensive engagement with the region and world. During his tenure, UB has risen 44 spots in the rankings of public and private U.S. universities.
Tripathi—who returns to his faculty role in July after 15 years as president—served as UB’s provost from 2004 to 2011. Previously, he was dean of the Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside, and spent 19 years as a professor of computer science at the University of Maryland, including seven as department chair. In 2024, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences.