UC Law honors excellence and achievement among graduates

To celebrate the culmination of an exceptional law school journey, the University of Cincinnati College of Law honored the outstanding achievements of its students at the annual Dean’s Reception. This event brought together faculty, departments, and law school organizations to recognize those who have demonstrated excellence throughout their time at the College. Congratulations to all the honorees on their well-deserved recognition!

Federica Saligari, Outstanding LL.M. Student Award: This award honors a graduating LL.M. student who best embodies the following: intellectual fortitude, participation and leadership within the LL.M. program, and involvement within the College of Law community at large.

Connor Frankhouser and Audrey Woodward, Tyler Short Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence: This award is given annually to a graduating student(s) who exhibits a strong entrepreneurial spirit, possesses a keen interest in advising entrepreneurs or aspires to be one, and excels in curricular and/or extracurricular activities related to the same.

Avery Auton, The Clinical Legal Education Association (CLEA) Outstanding Clinical Student Award: This award recognizes excellence in clinical fieldwork based on the high quality of representation provided to clients and for the exceptionally thoughtful, self-reflective participation in an accompanying clinical seminar.

Shannon Black, National Association of Women Lawyers Outstanding Law Student Award: This award honors a member of the graduating who best exemplifies the following characteristics: contributes to the advancement of women in society, promotes issues and concerns of women in the legal profession, exhibits motivation, tenacity and enthusiasm, demonstrates high academic achievement, and earns the respect of faculty members.

Brian Traub, Commercial Law Award: This award recognizes the top scholar in contract law, commercial law, and bankruptcy law.

Marques Jones, Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender and Social Justice Law School Community Service Award: This award is presented to a graduating JD student (or students) who embodies the spirit of the Center's mission to cultivate scholars, leaders, and activists committed to social change. Recipients of the CRGSJ Community Service Award are chosen based not only on the work they have done while in law school to nurture a culture that prioritizes the profession's role in the creation of a more just and equal society, but also on what they have done institutionally to leave the College of Law a better place than when they entered it. 

Micaela Beatham-Garcia, John W. Peck Award: Established in 1979 by the Cincinnati Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the award honors the late Judge John W. Peck of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and is given to the law student or students demonstrating the highest quality of performance in a trial practice course.

The Order of Barristers is a national honorary organization whose purpose is the encouragement of oral advocacy and brief writing skills through effective law school oral advocacy programs. The Order seeks to improve these programs through interscholastic sharing of ideas, information, and resources. The Order also provides national recognition for individuals who have excelled in advocacy and service at their respective schools. This year’s slate of inductees are:  

• Christo Fosse
• Sydney Sparks
• Emily Harmon
• Madison Hollander
• Julia Bley
• Libby Beach-Johnson
• Sara Sonnier
• Connor Hurley
• Connor Frankhouser
• Micaela Beatham-Garcia

Tess Hogan and Anna Marchinony, Clarence Elkins Award (Ohio Innocence Project): This award is given to the team of Ohio Innocence Project Fellows that demonstrates the most diligent advocacy and dedication in working together to right the injustices suffered by the wrongfully convicted.

Andrea Beck and Connor Hurley, Lois Rosenthal Award (Ohio Innocence Project): This award is presented to the OIP Fellow(s) who exhibits the highest level of skill, determination, and passion for justice.

Lauren Schwab, Spirit of Community Award: The Spirit of Community Award is a campus-wide University of Cincinnati award that recognizes a graduating law student who has a good academic record, who has been a mentor or role model to fellow students, and who exemplifies service to the college and his/her community.

Megan Fisher, Eugene M. Corbin Prize: This award is conferred upon a graduating student who has completed courses in the areas of trial practice and taxation and who demonstrates character, tenacity, and decency in managing personal and school responsibilities.

Moot Court is the student-run appellate advocacy honors society of the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Christo Fosse, Neil Weill Service Award for Outstanding Achievement in Oral and Written Advocacy on National Level

Emily Harmon, J. Carro Consummate Advocate Award for Dedication to the Moot Court Honor Board and Outstanding Skill in written and Oral Advocacy

Sydney Sparks, University Award for Advancing the National Reputation of The University of Cincinnati Moot Court Honor Board

Julia Bley and Libby Beach-Johnson, College Moot Court Award for Extraordinary Effort in Advancing the Moot Court Program within the College of Law              

Madeline Brown,  ALI CLE Scholarship and Leadership Award: The American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Scholarship and Leadership Award is offered to a law student in the graduating class who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership.  

The University of Cincinnati Law Review's lineage dates to 1927. The journal was the first to be published by an Ohio law school. The Law Review is edited and published entirely by students at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Anna Marchiony, Norbert Heinsheimer Essay Prize for Best Comment

Delaney Cook, William Worthington Prize for Best Case note

Ben Rininger, Augustine John McDonough Prize for Best Torts Essay

Megan VanGilder, B. Nathaniel Garrett Prize for Best Blog

Madeline Brown, James B. Helmer, Jr. Law Review Prize for the student member or members who have made, in the previous year, the most significant contribution to the Law Review.

The Golden Gavel Involvement Society at the University of Cincinnati recognizes those student leaders who have made a lasting impact on their student organizations and the University of Cincinnati College of Law community.

Sarah Saadeh, Muslim Lawyers Association, has spent three years serving alongside her peers within the organization. During that time, she has served as 1L rep, co-president, and president. During her time in MLA, Saadeh established new connections with Muslim lawyers, both nationally and locally. Moreover, she has secured funding for her members to engage in a variety of programs and events. She also has had the opportunity to participate in local, state, and national events including the Council on American Islamic Relations' annual dinner and the Ohio Statehouse for the state representative's Iftar. When asked about impact of her work, Sarah said, “These events have been incredibly rewarding, as myself and other students have learned so much from the attorneys in our area who are doing inspiring work.”

Lauren Schwab, Student Bar Association, has served in a variety of roles, including 1L rep, vice president, and president. During her time in SBA, Schwab took the lead in revamping the SBA Mentorship Program, working to ensure that there was structure and a program offering for both the mentor and mentee. Additionally, Schwab drafted several amendments to the SBA Constitution that updated the policies and procedures SBA needed to operate more effectively. She has been a sound bridge between the students and the administration approaching difficult topics or issues with logic, patience, and understanding. When asked what she took away from her time in SBA, Schwab said, “There is a lot to be said for what you learn as president of an organization, especially SBA, but I think that my main takeaway is to be patient and understanding, yet firm. Learning to roll with it, exercise patience and being the rock for your exec during those times can sometimes do more than coming in with a million solutions.”

Sarah Smith, Student Bar Association, has dedicated three years to the organization. Having served as 1L rep, secretary and vice president, Smith has spent her law school career advocating for her peers, maintaining records and helping to oversee the mentorship program while also working with Dean Hamoudi and Dean Trejo on issues facing the law school community. When asked what it meant to be part of SBA, she said, “Leadership is about collaboration and understanding the needs of your team. You can tell your team to do something 100 times, but until you get them to want to help and understand the purpose, it will not be achieved to the best of everyone's abilities.”

Audrey Woodward, Student Legal Education Committee, has served the organization for three years. She served as secretary, vice chair, and as a representative on the Admissions Committee. Woodward was instrumental in reassigning committees, trainings, creating agendas, co-facilitating meetings, and speaking on behalf of the student body on a variety of issues. When reflecting  on what her time on SLEC meant to her, she said, “I believe you are never done learning and growing as a leader, and there are also always opportunities to help others around you grow. SLEC has provided me with both of those experiences. All of the above skills and experiences I gained from SLEC will continue to serve me in future leadership positions, as well as in my role as an associate working with clients, partners, other associates, and opposing counsel.”

This award is named for Cincinnati Law alum William S. Richardson, former Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court and a champion for native Hawaiians’ rights. The following champions of public service have completed 50 or more hours of pro bono service during their time here at UC Law. This honor will be notated on their transcripts.

• Tawfik Abedali
• Ainsley Ayres
• Elizabeth Beach- Johnson
• Micaela Beatham-Garcia
• Tyler Benson
• Shannon Conroy
• Madison Crawford
• Jacob Daniels
• Cecilia Giles
• Tess Hogan
• Nicholas Hove
• Connor Hurley
• Danielle Okoro
• Emily Kotulak
• Anna Marchiony
• Lauren Schwab
• Kelly Schweikert

Tyler Benson, Public Service Award:  This award recognizes the graduating law student who demonstrates outstanding service in the public interest field at the College of Law.

Connor Hurley, George A. Dornette Memorial Prize:  This prize, established in 1995, is awarded annually for the significant contributions made by the Chair of the Honor Council.

Megan Fisher, Donald J. Polden Student Leadership Prize:  Dean Polden served as Dean of the University of Memphis and the Santa Clara University law schools. He is a distinguished teacher and scholar, as well as an attorney, and has been one of the foremost thinkers about the role of leadership in legal education.  Additionally, Dean Polden has had leadership roles in numerous bar associations, most notably the American Bar Association, and in professional organizations throughout his career.  His career, then, serves as an example for the type of leadership exhibited by the recipient of this prize.

Multi images: Joey Yerace; lead photo: istockphoto.com