Commencement Day Awards

Each year at Commencement, the School of Law recognizes graduating JD and LLM students who have excelled in their overall scholarship or in community service.

These awards recognize student achievement in a wide range of areas including:

  • academic excellence in particulars areas of study;
  • outstanding advocacy skills;
  • leadership both within and outside the law school;
  • and exceptional commitment to the mission of a particular community or student group.

While most awards are nominated by faculty and deans based on academics or community service, a few are self- nominated.

Award Recipients 2023 Award Descriptions

Congratulations to our 2023 award recipients:

Top Honors

Max Koren Award

  • Jennifer Shelton

John N. Bennett Achievement Award

  • Jessica Stickl Asbach

Dale S. Margulis Award

  • Yomaris Sanchez-Orona

Bachelor of Arts in Law Achievement Award

  • Annabella Bogart

Awards and Prizes

Carlos C. Alden Award          

  • Matthew Mason

Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA) Outstanding Student Award

  • Kerry A. Conner

Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Award

  • Sarah Ann Bailey

Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Award

  • Shelby J. Mueller
  • David Burgio
  • Jordan Einhorn
  • Lucy Shepard
  • Gabrielle Linsey
  • Pablo Suarez Namen
  • Jillian Gately
  • Erin Welsh
  • Sarah A. Bailey
  • Adelyn G. Burns
  • Kerry A. Connor
  • Cassidy Palumbo
  • Chanel Powell

Professor Louis DelCotto Award

  • Clifford Anthony Greco

Justice M. Dolores Denman Award

  • Bryanne Lynn Jones

Monique E. Emdin Memorial Award

  • Alicia Artis

Excellence in Study of Intellectual Property Law

  • Carlos de Las Llagas

Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law

  • Jeffrey Mitchell Mertel
  • Paige Marie Roseman
  • Yomaris Sanchez-Orona

Maurice Frey Award

  • Shamira Nawz

William R. Greiner "Committed Humility" Award

  • Kari Marisa Ashworth
  • Kristen Leigh Crow

Justice Philip Halpern Award

  • Eamon Danieu

Professor Thomas E. Headrick “Trees and Forest” Award

  • Madison Anne Schwarzer

Judge Matthew J. Jasen Appellate Practice Award

  • Joshua David Larmon

Milton Kaplan Award in Law and Social Development

  • Kristen Leigh Crow

James M. Kieffer Trial Excellence Award

  • Alyson Rose Tufillaro

David Kochery Award

  • Scott Draffin

Professor Virginia Leary Award

  • Lee Anthony Rynski

Minority Bar Foundation’s Legal Commencement Award

  • Qui'Essence Harris

Moot Evidence Award          

  • Alexandra R. Stasio

Albert R. Mugel Award

  • Brady Massaro

Ryan J. Mullins Award          

  • Jamie E. Englerth

Order of the Barristers

  • Carolyn Marie Duttweiler
  • Jordan Ross Einhorn
  • Scott Tyler Fogel
  • Eric Brown Klementowski
  • Joshua David Larmon
  • Matthew Richard Mason
  • Julia R. Merante
  • Chloe A. Moorlag
  • Tabitha Ruth Salonen

Order of the Coif

  • Jessica Stickl-Asbach
  • Jennifer Shelton
  • Carolyn Duttweiler
  • Jason Delmont
  • Emily Thompson
  • Lucy Shephard
  • Julia Merante
  • David Burgio
  • Kristen Leigh Crow
  • Kristen Cascio
  • Scott Draffin
  • Jamie Englerth
  • Chloe Moorlag
  • Madelyn Hepp
  • Geoffrey Adonu
  • Jacob Lewis

Harry A. Rachlin Prize in Real Property Law and Real Estate Transactions

  • Olivia A. Binda

Judge William J. Regan Award

  • Rebecca Chilelli

UB Law Alumni Association GOLD Group Award

  • Giovanni Gaglianese

Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr. Award

  • Maura Kutnyak-Smalley

Faculty & Staff Awards

Faculty Award

  • Prof. Christine P. Bartholomew

Staff Award

  • Eisa Lackey