UC College of Law celebrates its graduates at the 186th Hooding Ceremony

The University of Cincinnati College of Law will celebrate the accomplishments of its graduates at its 186th Hooding Ceremony at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 11, at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Verna L. Williams, dean and Nippert Professor of Law, will lead the ceremony, where 133 degrees will be conferred. This number includes 118 juris doctor degrees and 15 LLM (master’s) degrees.   

The Hooding keynote speaker will be Susan B. Zaunbrecher, executive vice president, chief legal officer and board secretary, Fifth Third Bancorp. A Class of 1990 College of Law graduate, Zaunbrecher has more than three decades of legal experience. Prior to joining Fifth Third, she served as a partner and chair of the corporate department at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, overseeing one of the largest law firm corporate groups in the Midwest. She also sat on the firm’s board of directors and executive committee. A member of the Ohio Bar Association, Zaunbrecher is active with many civic and professional organizations, including the Cincinnati Bar Association, UC Economic Center for Education and Research, United Way Tocqueville Society, Cincinnati ArtsWave and the College of Law’s Board of Visitors.

This year’s recipient of the 2019 Nicholas J. Longworth, III Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes graduates for their outstanding contributions to society, is Aftab Pureval. A 2008 graduate of the College of Law, Pureval is the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts. An Ohio native, Pureval is the son of immigrant parents. While at UC Law, he was an editor of the Law Review and worked in the Domestic Violence and Civil Protection Order Clinic, representing women who were victims of violence. Following law school, he joined Washington, D.C. firm White & Case LLP as an antitrust litigator. Returning to Cincinnati, Pureval worked as a federal prosecutor and then as in-house counsel at Procter & Gamble. He serves on the boards of various community organizations, including Cincinnati Union Bethel and the Women’s Fund.

The recipients of the 2019 Goldman Prize for Teaching Excellence are: Felix Chang, professor of Law and co-director, Corporate Law Center; Lew Goldfarb, professor of Clinical Law and director, Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic; and Betsy Lenhart, professor of Practice.  

All are invited to attend. Tickets are not required and there is no limit to the number of guests.