SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPY - SUNY Buffalo Law School

SUNY Buffalo Law School • The State University of New Yorkw i n t e r 2 0 1 1SUNY BUFFALO LAWPHILANTHROPYMARGARET W. WONGINCREASES HER ENDOWMENTTO $1.5 MILLION

2SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYLeadership GivingSharing the fruitsof a dream“I am livingthe Americandream.”— MargaretW.Wong ’76It was only when she began teaching immigration law this fall as an adjunctprofessor at Case Western Reserve University,says Margaret W.Wong ’76,that she realized what a high-wire act it is to hold your own before a classroomfull of bright law students.So Wong,who has spent a career building her Cleveland-based practice into animmigration law powerhouse,called on SUNY Buffalo Law School for advice.Shee-mailed Associate Professor Rick Su,whose teaching and research includes work inimmigration law,with a rookie question:“How do you talk for two hours?”Su provided a little coaching, andnow – “every Tuesday at 6 o’clock”–she finds herself imparting the lessonsof her fruitful career to the next generationof would-be immigration lawyers.Wong’s personal journey is as wellknownat SUNY Buffalo Law School asit is in Cleveland. Born in Hong Kong,where her parents had fled followingthe Communist takeover of China, shebecame an immigrant herself, comingto the United States on a student visaalong with her younger sister, Cecilia.Between themthey had foursuitcases and$200.Wong’s bags-to-richesstory began when sheworked her waythrough college inIowa and then Illinoisas a waitress(though she lostjobs because shecouldn’t tell a RobRoy from a Manhattanfrom a martini),andspent summersdoing hotel workin New York’s Catskills resorts.Afull scholarship toSUNY Buffalo Law School,she says,made her dream of becoming a lawyerpossible.She passed the bar,but could notfind a job in law.She worked a temporaryposition as a legal and financial officerfor the City of Buffalo,then movedto Cleveland to become a managementtrainee at a bank there.After a brief stintat a Cleveland law firm,she struck outon her own,with a $25 desk and noteven a secretary.She called everyoneshe knew and handed outher business card on buses.Slowly the business built up,tothe point a few years ago whenWong moved it into a beautifulnew building on downtownChester Street and christened it theMWW Center.Margaret Wong &Associates now has additional offices inChicago,New York City,Columbus,Atlantaand Detroit,serving both individualand corporate clients throughoutReceiving the Dean’s Medal atCommencement 2010.the United States.She and her husband, pharmacistKam Chan, have two children, includingdaughter Allison Chan, a 2011graduate of SUNY Buffalo LawSchool.“It is my firm belief that the UnitedStates is still the best country in whichto live,thrive,and become somebody,”she writes in her book The Immigrant’sWay.“I am living the American dream.… Most foreign-borns in the UnitedStates are tenacious survivors.We work hard to save andto bring our families toAmerica toenjoy a better life –in living standards,personal freedoms,and environmentalconditions.Wealso tendto be stoic, do notvoice our opinionsoften, and are moregenerally accepting andaccommodating to thenot-so-great things that happento us or around us, while beingthankful for the good things that dohappen.”Wong makes the three-hour drivefrom Cleveland for meetings of SUNYBuffalo Law School’s Dean’s AdvisoryCouncil, of which she has been a membersince 2006. The Law School hasrecognized her extraordinary level ofinvolvement with her alma mater bypresenting her with the DistinguishedAlumna Award for private practice in2007, and the 2010 Dean’s Medal atCommencement.That involvement has extended tosubstantial financial support of theLaw School. This year Wong has increasedher previous commitment of$850,000 by an additional $650,000.That $1.5 million endowment will bedivided: half for scholarships, and halfto establish a professorship in immigrationlaw.The scholarship support,she says,

WINTER 20115Transition and traditionOver the years, a lot ofnon-profit organizationshave asked Pamela DavisHeilman ’75 to serve ontheir boards. She has said yes, a lot,and groups from the United Way tothe Shaw Festival to the University atBuffalo have claimed her as their own.But throughout her career at theBuffalo-based law firm Hodgson Russ– where she is a lead lawyer in thefirm’s cross-border Canada/U.S. practice,counseling Canadian businessesand organizations considering expansioninto the United States – one constanthas been her unwavering supportfor SUNY Buffalo Law School.Amember of the Dean’s AdvisoryCouncil since 2004, Heilman bringsher strategic and analytical skills to theLaw School’s mission. She sees the recentmajor gift of $100,000 she madeto the school with her husband,Robert, a business consultant and1975 graduate of UB’s MBA program,as one piece of the puzzle of how tomake SUNY Buffalo Law the best itcan be.“I’ve come to recognize the needfor dollars to be given to support facultychairs and scholarship,”Heilmansays,“and to support scholarships forstudents so we will be able to attractthe absolute best and brightest. Ourtuition may be set lower than some,but those other schools are offeringmore in scholarship aid.Withoutscholarships, we in fact are not alwaysthe most affordable choice, and very,very good students often go elsewhere.To maintain the quality andthe diversity of classes we need in orderto be a great law school, we needto provide funds for student scholarships.”As a member as well of the UBCouncil, she recognizes that the reputationof the Law School reflects onthe quality of the University at Buffaloas a whole.And, she says proudly,Hodgson Russ “employs more SUNYBuffalo Law graduates than any otherDean Makau Mutua and Pamela Davis Heilman ’75law firm in the country. It’s very importantto us that the high reputationof the Law School and UB be maintainedand enhanced as much as possible,because this has a direct impacton the reputation of our firm.”This also is a personal timeof transition, as Heilmanprepares to retire from herlaw practice at the end of2011.“It has been a fabulouscareer at a fabulous firm,”shesays.“I am very, very satisfied withwhere I am today. I’ve had an extremelyactive and engaging and insome ways cutting-edge practice,which has been intellectually fulfilling.There is nothing else I need to docareer-wise.”As she reflects on that career, Heilmansays,“Much of my success isbased on my Law School education atUB and the opportunity that it affordedme to join Hodgson Russ 36 yearsago and then become a partner.Withoutthat legal education and withoutUB being there for someone who didnot come from wealth, it would nothave happened.Affordable, highqualitypublic education is so important.”And on a practical level, as she rediscoversconcepts like the weekendand the quiet e-mail inbox, Heilmansays it has been helpful to be able tostructure the couple’s gift to make itaffordable, structuring a paymentschedule over several years and includinga bequest component as well.“Given our current transition toretirement, we appreciated the LawSchool’s flexibility in tailoring theability to make a gift to our particularcircumstances,”she says.“I’ve come torecognize theneed for dollarsto be given tosupport facultychairs andscholarship andto supportscholarships forstudents so wewill be able toattract theabsolute bestand brightest.”– Pamela DavisHeilman ’75

6SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYLeadership GivingSCHOLARSHIPS: Making aFrom left, Carrie Zimbardi ’14, Logan C. Geen ’14, Tricia DeFilipps ’14 and Emily Dinsmore ’14

WINTER 20117difference for our law students‘‘Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee,”said Ralph WaldoEmerson,and SUNY Buffalo Law School alumni whose giving supportsstudent scholarships are true to that ideal.Scholarship giving makes all thedifference for the recipients of that aid – and on a wider level,it helps to buildthe overall quality of each entering class of students.“As the admissions dean,I am immensely appreciative of the generosity of ouralumni to create scholarships that help us so much in our efforts to attract the beststudents to the Law School,”says Lillie Wiley-Upshaw,vice dean for admissions andfinancial aid.“In recent years,law schools across the country have significantly increasedtheir scholarship dollars in the millions.These alumni-funded scholarships help us tocompete for the best students.The students who receive the money are so grateful,and it makes a positive impact on their SUNY Buffalo Law experience.”Meet some of the beneficiaries of alumni-supported scholarship aid – bright,motivated students whose presence lifts SUNY Buffalo Law School even as theyacquire the tools of the legal trade.• • •It was a very good day, says CarrieZimbardi, when she learned she wouldreceive the Carmen P. Tarantino ’77Memorial Scholarship,which covers$15,000 a year of her Law School expenses.The scholarship, which honorsthe late Buffalo litigation attorney, isoffered to a student pursuing studies inlitigation.“Honestly, I’m still in shock,”Zimbardisays.“It motivates you to want tolive up to those expectations and thename of the attorney. But it also takes ahumongous weight off my shouldersabout all the debt I would have had afterlaw school. It means a lot more tome, maybe, than other people, becauseI’m a single mom, with 2-year-old twinsons.”Zimbardi, a West Seneca native whocontinues to work as a paralegal at asmall Buffalo law firm, majored in legalstudies as a UB undergraduate.“I wasalways a member of the mock trialteam,”she says.“I ran the undergraduateteam here at UB for four years, andwe traveled to Yale, Cornell, all the bignameschools.”And she did well, regularlywinning honors as best attorneyin the competitions.“Ever since then,”she says,“hearing feedback from theattorneys who serve as judges, I knewthat I wanted to be in court. I feel likethat’s what I’m meant to do. I want tobe in the heart of it.”She had offers from other lawschools,including a major offer fromOhio Northern University.But,she says,“I’ve always wanted to stay local.EverybodyI’ve ever known lives here in Buffalo.”Now her leap of faith in choosingSUNY Buffalo Law is paying off – eventhough,like all first-year law students,she is learning that the time demands oflegal education are “huge.”“In undergraduate school you go toclass,but you can get by without toomuch extra studying and time.It’s totallydifferent from that in law school,”shesays.“You have to put the time in and doall the readings.I do feel like I have a littleleg up because I’ve worked in the lawand know civil procedure.”Balancing that first-year work withher personal and work responsibilities,she acknowledges,is “a huge jugglingact,”but one she’s negotiating with thehelp of a supportive family.“When I hadmy twins,”she says,“I hadn’t gotten acceptedto law school,and a lot of peopleassumed I wasn’t going to go.I neverwanted to think like that.Having themwas not a deterrent to going to lawContinued on page 8

8SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYLeadership GivingScholarships:Continuedschool.It lit more of a fire underneathme.I want to show them that you canpursue your dreams no matter what.I’m just so grateful that I’m able to pursuemy dream.”• • •It was never a given that EmilyDinsmore would end up in O’BrianHall – in fact, she says,“the joke is thatI avoided law school as long as Icould.”After earning a biology degree atCornell University, Dinsmore workedfor eight years and continues as a paralegalfor Simpson & Simpson, a Buffalointellectual property firm.“I just reallylike that area of the law,”she says.“We actually have clients who are individualsrather than corporate clients.It’s really interesting – a lot of goodideas come from people who havesome experience in an industry or justsee something and say,‘I think thisshould be done better,’and they comeup with something.”At the small firm, she says,“I tookto the work right away. I’m definitely adetail-oriented person, and it’s nice tobe in a place where that is rewarded.There’s a lot ofwriting, preparing correspondenceand keepingfiles in order, and probablythe biggest part ofmy job is trackingdeadlines, because IPpractice is very deadline-driven.I alsodid a couple ofspecial projects,preparingreportsfor some bigclients onthe state oftheir trademarkfiles inother countries.”Aswell,she says, workingin a law firm helpsher keep perspective,knowing that there’s light at theend of the three-year tunnel.“As lawstudents, we can be really hard on ourselves,”shesays.“This helps me to keepthe goal in mind.”As a first-year SUNY Buffalo Lawstudent benefitting from the Carole E.Brevorka Scholarship,Dinsmore says,“It’s a really exciting time to be atSUNY Buffalo Law.And the scholarshipwas part of the reason I decided togo to UB. I was weighing UB against anumber of highly ranked law schools.But with the way the economy is andthe amazing burden of debt so manyyoung graduates are faced with, Ichose UB because of its value. Thescholarship allows me to not worry asmuch about my debt load, which willgive me more options when I graduate.I am absolutely certain that I madethe right choice to go to UB. Lawschool is challenging, but the incrediblefaculty and supportive studentbody make this school a special place. Ican’t imagine being anywhere else. Myfamily is here, my life is here, I loveBuffalo; this is where I want to be.”In addition, she says, because thescholarship aid has allowed her to cutback on her work hours as a paralegal,she can devote more time tothe panoply of experiences SUNYBuffalo Law offers, such as workingon the Buffalo Journal ofGender, Law & Social Policy.“I reallywant to have the full LawSchool experience,”she says.“Thescholarship is allowing me topursue those opportunities.”• • •Tricia DeFilipps,who isbenefiting from the GarryGraber ’78 Scholarship,willbe the first person in herfamily to become a lawyer.A native of the village ofHolley,northwest of Rochester,she wasa psychology and political science majorat UB,graduating in 2009.Sincethen,she has worked as a server at anOlive Garden restaurant,paying downher undergraduate loans so she couldenter law school in a good position.“Law school is something I’ve alwaysthought about,”DeFilipps says.“Originally I had wanted to do a Ph.D.program in social psychology,but I decidedI wanted something more applicableto people’s daily lives than strictlyacademic research.”She says her interest is drawn towork in the public interest,a signaturestrength of SUNY Buffalo Law.“Whoknows what I’ll end up doing at the endof three years?”she says.“I would loveto be able to use my degree to helpthose less fortunate.”For example,shesays,she’s interested in the work of theLaw School’s Affordable Housing Clinic,knowingthat the skills she could acquirethere would be marketable inWestern New York and she would beable to live and work close to her hometown.Of the scholarship she says:“I’mtaking out loans to pay for everything,because I want to focus on getting thebest grades I can.A lot of people I talkto are continuing to work 20 hours aweek.I have chosen not to go thatroute.So to not have to take out that extramoney in loans,that really helps.”As for the transition from UB undergraduateto Law School student,shehas found one challenge: She’s so usedto studying in the University’s mainLockwood Library,she says,that it’s difficultto concentrate in the Law Library.She finds herself walking down thecampus spine to get her work done.• • •The new University at Buffalo LawAlumni Scholar – funded by continu-“It’s an exciting time to be at SUNY Buffalo Law School.And the scholarship was part of the reason I decided to gohere.” – Emily Dinsmore

10SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYLeadership GivingScholarships awarded2010-11Alden-Baldy ScholarshipKatelyn E. Dieffenderfer ’11Frank H. Ewing ’12Melissa C. George ’11Francis K. Graham ’11Leah M. Hardy ’11Manuel P. Karam ’11Regina S. Malta ’11Lawrence P. Mancuso ’11John A. Mosychuck ’11Brian Roy ’11Leia D. Schmidt ’12Kimberly M. Thrun ’11Zachary J.Woods ’11Varkis A. Baligian and Hon.Jacqueline M. KoshianScholarshipRyan R. Seher ’11Tom and Bridget BlackScholarshipWilliam S. Calleri ’12Patricia L. Cifuentes ’12Brian M. Eberle ’12Andrew Kleehammer ’12Rafael F. Pignataro ’12Anthony R. Scalia ’12Henry W. Box ScholarshipAndrew R. Borelli ’13Kinsey A. Davidson ’13Galena D. Duba ’13Tyler M. Ellis ’13Nicole K. Intschert ’13Hon. Frank J. ClarkScholarshipEric T. Glynn ’13Harold A. Dautch MemorialScholarshipKristen L. Grabowski ’11Jennifer L. Hilburger ’11Shayna A. Hutchins ’11Anant Kishore ’11Michael J.Yonkovig ’11J. Mason Davis Jr. ScholarshipRody Damis ’12Dean’s Advisory CouncilScholarshipCaitlin E. Howe ’11Douglas W. DimitroffScholarshipDainia J. Jabaji ’13Diversity ScholarshipShatorah N. Roberson ’12Frederick C. EbertScholarshipFloyd M. Huntz ’12Martin A. FeinriderScholarshipKathleen J. Gabel ’12Ellen and Kenneth ForrestScholarshipStephen G. H. Bennett ’12Adam J. Dotzler ’12Benjamin T. Hussong ’12Jennifer L. Karnes ’12William A. Lorenz Jr. ’12Sarah E. Sternick ’12Richard E. GottliebScholarshipCaitlin M. Higgins ’13Stanley GrossmanScholarshipSarah A. Bertozzi ’13Janet E. Curry ’13Adam J. Penna ’13Charlotte Cunneen HackettScholarshipLeigh A. Jones ’13Frances H. Stephenson ’13Jacob D. Hyman ScholarshipAdam G. Giangreco ’11Rachelle M. Hoeflschweiger ’11Laurie A. Murphy ’12William G. Sacks ’11Brent C. Seymour ’12Harvey L. KaminskiScholarshipLuke I. DeBruin ’12Paul D. Shapiro ’12Andrew J. Spears ’12Barbara D. KlippertScholarshipJasmine Paul ’12Monique A. Tronchin ’12John F., Mary A. and Robert J.Lane ScholarshipEmily G. Catalano ’11Rita N. Georges ’11Norman B. Lewis ScholarshipJennifer L. Estleford ’13Ashley M. Fasso ’13Caitlin M. Higgins ’13Emery T. Lewis ’13Brittany A. Nasradinaj ’13Lipsitz Green Scime &Cambria ScholarshipMitsie Smith ’11James M. McMahonScholarshipNicole D. Harris ’11Joseph A. Petti ’11Ira S. Meiselman ScholarshipMichael S. Das ’13Tyson R. Prince ’13Kimberly A. Rowles ’13Michael A. Turbush ’13Adelbert Moot ScholarshipDaniel F. Brennan ’12Kathleen A. Ellis ’11Caitlin A. English ’12Lynn M. King ’12Andrew Kleehammer ’12Michael T. Logan ’12Mary-Ellen E. Stockwell ’11Monique A. Tronchin ’12Marie Nesbitt Promise PrizeDuwaine T. Bascoe ’12William M. North andCarolyn B. North ScholarshipKimberly A.Worling ’13Joseph P. Peperone MemorialScholarshipGarrett T. Lyons ’12Phillips Lytle ScholarshipKenneth L. Bostick ’13Rody Damis ’12Anika H. Patterson ’13Shatorah N. Roberson ’12Savino-Martin ScholarshipMengyi (Melle) Xu ’13Matthew J. SchnirelScholarshipMelissa L. Overbeck ’11Phyllis G. Smith ScholarshipRebecca M. Guerra ’12Erica C. Smith ’12Hon. Michael A. TelescaScholarshipLetecia N.Whetstone ’12SUNY Buffalo LawScholarshipJohn P. Fenski ’11Daniel T. Hawes ’12Harminder Khosa ’12Parker R. MacKay ’12Vogel Book ScholarshipChristopher J. Tyrpak ’11Mark Jay WeinsteinScholarshipRyan P. McCarthy ’12Karen M. Oddo ’12Benjamin D. Ritter ’12Jacob Weissfeld ScholarshipPatrick J. Reinikainen ’12Brent L.Wilson ScholarshipPaul T. Iya ’13Margaret W.WongScholarshipAlexander Bouganim ’12Jonathan P. Cantil ’12Leigh A. Chute ’12Laura A. Groschadl ’12Joseph L. Guza ’12Floyd M. Huntz ’12Christina M. Hynes ’12Daniel P. Kelly ’12Michael T. Logan ’12Arthur J. Martorana ’12Kelly A. O’Brien ’12Marc D. Rider ’12Shao Shuai Zheng ’12

WINTER 201111‘No time like now’“The school needs to beable to have scholarships thathelp to bring in talentedstudents, and it’s just theright thing to do. I hope thatmy classmates and otheralums will help out as well.”– Mark K. Suzumoto ’82Sometimes serendipity makesall the difference – but sometimesit needs a little help.So it was for Mark K. Suzumoto’82, who burned the midnightoil and then some to get into SUNYBuffalo Law School.A native Californian, he was livingin Rochester and engaged to his futurewife, Sonia, a native of the FingerLakes city of Canandaigua. They hadmet in the Midwest as volunteers withVolunteers in Service to America, andshe had returned to Rochester toteach. Suzumoto, who had been recruitingSUNY Buffalo Law studentsto work on VISTA projects, had alreadybeen accepted at another lawschool when Alan S. Carrel ’67, nowvice dean, took him to lunch andmade a pitch for SUNY Buffalo Law .It sounded good, but there was ahitch: It was May, and the applicationdeadline was two months past. If youreally want to be considered, Carrelsaid, your application has to be donefirst thing tomorrow morning.So Suzumoto picked up an application,drove back to his VISTA/PeaceCorps office in Rochester, typed until1 a.m. on an IBM Selectric typewriter,drove back to Buffalo with the completedapplication, and was back at hisdesk in time for work at 9 a.m.He got in – and that long night becamethe seed for a long and supportiverelationship between Suzumotoand his law school alma mater.Alongtime donor, recent co-chair of theAnnual Fund campaign, a member ofthe Dean’s Advisory Council since2004 and one of the hardest-workinglawyers you’ll ever meet, Suzumotohas further cemented his ties to SUNYBuffalo Law with an unrestricted$100,000 gift.“There’s no time like now,”he saysof that decision.“The school needs tobe able to have scholarships that helpto bring in talented students, and it’sjust the right thing to do. I hope thatmy classmates and other alums willhelp out as well. I still have such respectfor the Law School.”His own experience at the school,Suzumoto says, was leavened withboth academically enriching pursuitsand a healthy dose of fun. He servedon the Buffalo Moot Court Board,and went with his team to the regionalsof the National Trial Competition,in Syracuse. He worked on a shortlivedconsumer mediation board, inwhich students helped consumerswith such matters as negotiating warrantycoverage for products. But healso played intramural softball; hiscoed team had some success againstmen’s teams, he says, partly because“we had a couple of women ringerswho had played in high school.”Thenthere was the law student-producedplay.Now, as a business lawyer and civillitigator, he draws on the lessons ofSUNY Buffalo Law in his practice,which focuses on consumer productcounseling and regulatory compliance,including business and litigationadvice on intellectual property, productsliability and trade regulation issues.His new firm, formed just acouple of years ago, is Van Etten Suzumoto& Sipprelle, with offices inWestlake Village, Calif., and Los Angeles.“I am exceptionally proud of myassociation with UB and would recommendthe school to any studentwho believes that he or she has the capacityto grow,”Suzumoto has said.Mark and Sonia Suzumoto havethree sons – all of them Eagle Scouts,and one a UB undergraduate.

12SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYLeadership GivingGift reflects his gratitudeUB Law School was a verydifferent place whenRobert M. Kornreich ’67began his legal education.For one thing, it was still locatedat 77 W. Eagle St. in downtown Buffalo,a brisk walk away from the city’scourtrooms.“The school was tiny –the class was much smaller than it isnow – but it had a very high-qualityfaculty,”Kornreich says.“And it had anexcellent reputation, not just in Buffalobut generally, and it aspired to be anational law school.”After graduation, Kornreich tookthe train back to his native New YorkCity and built a premier securitiesfraud practice with the firm WolfPopper, where he now is a senior partner.Aspecialist in securities class andderivative litigation in federal andstate courts, he is a member of thefirm’s Executive Committee and cochairsits Litigation Department.But he had little occasion ever tobe in Western New York, and it wasonly when his class’s 40th anniversaryapproached that he reacquaintedhimself with SUNY Buffalo Law –and was surprised at what he found.“I hadn’t been there in 30 years ormore,”he says.“But having personalcontact with the school, meetingsome of the professors, the dean,some of the students, and hearingwhat was going on, that made me feelI had a genuine interest in the school.”Responding to an invitation lastyear to join the Dean’s AdvisoryCouncil, he says that service on theDAC has further impressed upon himthe progress SUNY Buffalo Law hasmade and the necessity for alumnisupport for its mission.“When the school calledme, I thought I shouldshow my appreciation forhaving received such agood education thatlaunched my career. ”– Robert M. Kornreich ’67“Until I became a member of theDAC,”he says,“I didn’t have a full appreciationof the Law School’s problemsand the constructive ways theyare dealing with them. I find it extremelyexciting to see what’s beingdone to develop the faculty, improvethe infrastructure, and increase theschool’s ability to fund-raise. … It hasopened my eyes to all that is going onat the Law School. Because I was aDAC member I felt I could play moreof a role – that I had some input intowhat was going to happen.”That involvement now has translatedinto a major gift of $100,000 insupport of the school’s mission, a giftthat Kornreich says reflects his gratitudefor the three years that launchedhis legal career.“I have reached the point in my careerwhere I feel grateful that I pursuedlaw as a profession,”he says.“When the school called me, Ithought I should show my appreciationfor having received such a goodeducation that launched my career. Itwas a combination of guilt, the feelingthat I should give back, plus the factthat this was a good time to get interestedin what’s going on at the LawSchool.”He says he is impressed with DeanMakau Mutua’s ambitions for theschool’s national standing.“The deanhas set the goal at a much higher level,”Kornreichsays,“and it’s alwaysgood to have a goal that’s substantiallyabove where you are, because thatmakes you reach for it.”In addition, he says, the school –though substantially larger than it waswhen he was sitting in torts class andworking on the Law Review – is still asmall enough organization that hisgifts of time and resources can make adifference.“I felt I had a more personalcontact to the recipients of my donation,”hesays.“With some largecharities, your donation gets lost.Andwhere the state has historically beensupportive of the University and stillis, it can’t make the same level of contributionit previously did.“The Law School needs the alumninow more than ever.”

WINTER 201113A growing connection“It would have been virtuallyimpossible for me to go tolaw school if I wasn’t able togo to SUNY Buffalo with thetuition it had. I got anincredible education there.”– Barbara Klippert ’75The resume of Barbara Klippert,a member of the LawSchool’s Class of 1975, listsa Seven Sisters collegewhere she did some of her undergraduatework and a well-known Manhattanuniversity where she earned amasters of tax law degree. But neitherof those institutions, she says, holdsthe same kind of emotional attachmentfor her that SUNY Buffalo LawSchool does.She says her continuing involvementwith the school – she has servedon the Dean’s Advisory Council since2004 and teaches a class in the school’sNew York City Program in Financeand Law – has grown that sense of attachment.“Themore involved I’ve become,”shesays,“the more connected Ifeel to what’s going on in the school.”That involvement has extended togenerous financial support, recentlyincluding a gift of $145,000 – partmultiyear donation, part bequest – tobe used in large part to support scholarshipaid for deserving students andthe New York City Program.Klippert practices ERISA law in theNew York office of the Boston-basedlaw firm Bingham McCutchen LLP.“It would have been virtually impossiblefor me to go to law school if Iwasn’t able to go to SUNY Buffalowith the tuition it had,”she says.“Inaddition, I got an incredible educationthere. I didn’t have any idea whatI wanted to do after law school, andthen I discovered tax in Lou Del Cotto’sclass. It was so engaging to me thatI decided to become a tax lawyer. I reallyowe the success I’ve achieved inlife to my ability to go to UB and theeducation I received. It is very importantto me to give back to the LawSchool and to try to help studentswho are in the same position that Iwas.”Klippert’s class was one of the firstto use the newly constructed O’BrianHall, moving from the Law School’sprevious location in downtown Buffalo.“Itwas not what we expected, butit was what happened,”she says of thatmove to what was then the onlybuilding on the new Amherst campus.But, she says, it was a small class,and “the people were very close.”Shealso served as case and comment editorof the Buffalo Law Review.And in another accident of timing,Congress passed the Employee RetirementIncome Security Act – whatwould become Klippert’s area of specialization– in the fall of 1974, justmonths before her Law School graduation.Similar to tax law, she says,ERISA is “like doing a puzzle.Youhave to be comfortable with codesand very abstract analysis, becausethere are no answers.You have to beable to live in gray.”As she thought about making asignificant gift to the Law School,Klippert says, she was able to structurethe gift to make it feasible financially.“You try to give as much as you feelcomfortable giving on a current basis,”shesays.“It would be a normalthing for me to think in terms of a bequest,which doesn’t immediatelycome out of my pocket. But you alsoneed to be willing to commit certainfunds on an ongoing basis, eventhough in some years it may be moreof a stretch than others. It’s muchmore helpful to the Law School tohave that money now.”Her work with the Dean’s AdvisoryCouncil, she says, has shown herthat she’s not alone in her enthusiasmfor the Law School’s prospects.“These are people who are very committedto the Law School, continuingits legacy, increasing its reputationand making things good for its studentsand graduates,”she says.“Theyfeel pretty passionately about theschool. I am pleased to be part ofthat.”

14SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYLeadership GivingConference center namedfor Cellino & BarnesTwo well-known alumni returned to O’Brian Hall on May 26 as the school’s elegant fifth-floorconference center was officially named in their honor. The Cellino & Barnes Conference Center wasdedicated to recognize a major gift to the school by Ross M. Cellino Jr. ’82 and Stephen E. Barnes ’83. They are shareholdersin the personal injury law firm Cellino & Barnes, with 42 attorneys in six offices across New York State.From left to right,Stephen E. Barnes’83, UB PresidentSatish K. Tripathi,Dean Makau Mutuaand Ross M. CellinoJr. ’82.Below, from left toright, Stephen E.Barnes ’83, UB PresidentSatish K.Tripathi and Ross M.Cellino Jr. ’82Left to right, SUNY Distinguished ServiceProfessor Charles Patrick Ewing, JeannaCellino ’12 and Ross M. Cellino Jr. ’82Left to right,Ross M. CellinoJr. ’82, andparents JeanetteCellino andRoss M. CellinoSr. ’56Vice DeanAlan S.Carrel ’67.Left to right,Annmarie Cellino ’14,Anna MarieCellino ’81, Ross M. Cellino Jr. ’82, Jeanna Cellino ’12and Brigitte CellinoStephen E.Barnes ’83, center,with parentsJohn “Jack”andMarian BarnesFar right,Stephen E.Barnes ’83and Ellen B.Sturm ’01Vice Dean Ilene R. Fleischmann,UB President Satish K. Tripathiand Kamlish Tripathi

Development ReportWINTER 201115The momentum continuesWith many thanks to ourloyal donors and volunteers,SUNYBuffaloLaw School closed outthe 2010-11 fundraising year with successesall around.Overall commitmentsand gifts increased over last year,as didthe Law School’s endowment.And for afourth year in a row,SUNY Law’s AnnualFund raised more than $1 million –another milestone year.These accomplishmentsare a testament to the dedicationand loyalty of the over 2,000alumni and friends who express theirbelief in the importance and value ofSUNY Buffalo Law School throughtheir investment of time,talent and resources.Thankyou so very much.Highlights from the 2010-11 fiscalyear include:• A 46 percent increase in pledges tothe Law School.• A significant increase in the numberof six- and seven-figure commitments,includingthose from MargaretWong ’76,Brian Baird ’83,Pamela DavisHeilman ’75,Mark Suzumoto ’82,Robert Kornreich ’67 and Barbara Klippert’75 profiled in this edition of SUNYBuffalo Law Philanthropy.• An 18 percent increase in the LawSchool’s endowment.• A 9 percent increase in total contributionsto SUNY Buffalo Law .• A record-setting Annual Funddrive,raising a total of $1,180,985.• Over 1,500 meaningful contacts bythe development team with prospectsand donors to cultivate support for theLaw School.Two talented development professionalsalso became part of our team:Jeff Piscitelli,who joined us as developmentofficer in February,and LucyDadd ’04,the new Annual Fund director,whojoined us in May.Jeff and Lucyhave brought energy,enthusiasm andfresh ideas to the development program,and we are already seeing the results oftheir efforts through the new Circle ofAssociate Dean Karen Kaczmarski ’89with DeanMakau MutuaLeaders program,a remodeled 3L classgift program and reinvigorated reuniongiving.Fiscal year 2011-12 is well under way,and we have ramped up our fundraisingefforts on all fronts.The developmentteam is focused on more outreach andmore contacts with our alumni andfriends in an effort to cultivate greatersupport for the Law School.Our AnnualFund – led this year byMichael Battle ’81,DianeBosse ’76 and Richard Gottlieb’85 – kicked off in Septemberwith the LeadershipLetter Signing,and additionalregional events are plannedfor the spring.In addition,the groundwork is being laidfor an ambitious fundraisinginitiative to be launched inthe not-too-distant future –so stay tuned!None of these accomplishmentswould be possiblewithout you – our alumni,friends and dedicated volunteers– whose loyal and generoussupport makes the difference.Thankyou for yourgenerosity and for all that you do to helpcontinue the momentum at SUNY Law.Karen R. Kaczmarski,Associate Dean for DevelopmentPhone: (716) 645-6429E-mail: krkacz@buffalo.eduNext time you’re in John Lord O’BrianHall, take a look at SUNY Buffalo Law ’snew Leadership Donor Wall, recently unveiledon the first floor. The installation,which will be updated periodically, recognizesand honors donors whose giving tothe Law School over a lifetime totals at least$100,000.

16SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYCircle of LeadersA new standardof givingHow difficult would it befor your family to planits budget if you didn’thave a ballpark idea ofwhat your income will be from year toyear? Starting with good informationis half the battle, and that’s true forSUNY Buffalo Law School as well.The need for solid planning is atthe center of Circle of Leaders, a newpledge-based way to give to the LawSchool. Charter members are now beingaccepted; all you have to do iscommit to three years of leadershipgiving and you’re in the Circle!Circle of Leaders members pledgea minimum of $1,000 for each year oftheir three-year commitment. Giverscan choose to give at the Jacob D. Hymanlevel, $1,000 to $2,499 annually;the John Lord O’Brian level, $2,500 to$4,999 annually; or the Edwin &Erma Jaeckle level, $5,000 or more annually.Members of the GOLD Group,graduates from 2002 to 2011, can jointhe Circle of Leaders with a minimumgift of $500 per year.All members receive a chartermember certificate, suitable for framing,and a Circle of Leaders lapel pin.“By serving as a focal point for LawSchool philanthropy, the Circle ofLeaders helps the Law School plan, aswell as connect with more alumni andfriends who would like to be involvedwith the future of SUNY Buffalo Law .It is a positive program all the wayaround,”says Lucy Dadd ’04, assistantdirector of development, who overseesthe program.“The Circle of Leadershelps secure the Law School’s placeA new standard of giving from our most loyal donors. Join a new generation of leaders.Become a charter member of UB Law School’s Circle of Leadersby committing to three years of leadership giving – at the Jacob D. Hyman level,the John Lord O’Brian level or the Edwin & Erma Jaeckle level.IntroducingT H E C I R C L E O F L E A D E R S“The Circle of Leaders helps the Law School plan, as well as connect with morealumni and friends who would like to be involved with the future ofSUNY Buffalo Law.”– Lucy Dadd ’04, assistant director of developmenton a national stage of ideas and actions– a place where our past is rememberedand our future is playedout with energy, intellect and passion.”In addition, by enabling the LawSchool to plan three years out andcount on these pledged resources, theschool is able to progress more efficientlyand effectively in the areas ofstudent scholarships, academic programs,faculty hiring and facility improvement.Long-term private supportis key to securing SUNY BuffaloLaw ’s place as a world-class lawschool.Although undesignated gifts givethe school the most flexibility in addressingareas of critical need, you candesignate your gift to any area of theLaw School. Circle of Leaders membersdo not receive phone solicitations– their pledges serve as their AnnualFund commitment.For information on joining theCircle of Leaders, contact Lucy Daddat (716) 645-2113 or ladadd@ buffalo.edu.

18SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYAnnual GivingProfessor PhilipHalpern, center, withstudents in the NewYork City Programin Finance and LawAlumni givingpowers NYCprogramUnique among SUNY BuffaloLaw School’s diverseprogram offerings,theschool’s New York CityProgram in Finance and Law is fundedentirely by alumni donations – a primeexample of what focused alumni givingcan accomplish.The New York City program is animmersive experience in which a selectgroup of students spend a semester oftheir second or third year in Manhattan,learning from their professors and fromcutting-edge practitioners.“The program doesn’t work withoutthese alumni who contribute their expertiseand their time and their money,and some people do all three,”says ProfessorPhilip Halpern,who heads theprogram for the Law School.“The oneswho give the most in terms of their timeand teaching are usually the ones whogive the most money as well.There’s astrong sense of wanting to give back.”Because SUNY Buffalo Law’s affordabletuition draws many students frommodest family backgrounds,he says,“sometimes it’s a bit of a social and culturalleap”to imagine themselves in thehigh-stakes world of law and finance.“Soit’s very important,”hesays,“for our students to go andlisten to UB graduates who are at thepinnacle of the profession,and have thesense that they too can go there if they’rewilling to harness their energies.It expandsthe horizons of our students.”Programs like this,Halpern notes,areincreasingly important as law firms,squeezed economically like many otherbusinesses,are doing less training oftheir first- and second-year associates.“That puts pressure on law schools to domore for students than to simply teachthem to think like a lawyer,”he says.But Halpern emphasizes that theprogram is about much more than skillstraining – it’s about the context of practice.“There’sa lot of contextual understandingthat goes into the practice oflaw,”he says,“whether it’s a global context,understandinga bureaucracy,representingsomeone before one agency asopposed to another,understanding thecontext of the political economy.That’san amazing opportunity for the students.”David E.Franasiak ’78,a principal inthe government affairs law firm Williams& Jensen,is one of the prime movers ofthe New York City program in financialsupport and academic instruction.“Youcan’t pay back the people who helpedyou,”Franasiak says in reflecting on hiscontributions.“What I can do is do whatthey did for me – help young people getto their next step.That’s where the passioncomes from.”The program is a distinctive attributeof SUNY Buffalo Law,one that attractshigh-quality students with interest in financeand one that takes advantage ofthe Law School’s geographical locationas well.“This has always been a corecompetency of the school,”Franasiaksays.“SUNY Buffalo Law is the SUNYsystem’s only public law school,and becausewe’re in New York,it seems like ano-brainer to have a program that focuseson New York City and its cottage industry,financialservices.”He also notes that the program providesan entrée for students to the somewhatinsular world of high finance:“There’s a big world out there,and forpeople who want to take a chance andrelocate and get involved in financial services,thisis a tremendous gateway.”Andrew Devine ’11 spent his finalLaw School semester in Manhattan andfound the program eye-opening andproductive. “The program was a majorreason I came to UB,and I learned a tonof new information,”Devine says.“Differentspeakers came in that put on aweeklong course in capital markets,bankruptcy,commercial lending – theyreally gave us an opportunity to learn.”

WINTER 201119The GOLD standardAnne Joynt ’05 and Annual Fund Director Lucy Dadd ’04The post-law school years,newly minted lawyers say,aren’t the easiest in one’s life.There’s the hurdle of the barexam,of course,and the uncertain legalemployment market to negotiate,andthe fiscal reality of beginning to repaystudent loans stretching back to the firstyears of college.But for a solidcontingent ofSUNY Buffalo Lawgraduates in theirfirst decade out oflaw school,thoselife complicationsdon’t get in the wayof their continuingengagement,bothfinancial and energetic,withtheschool and its mission.Sure,thecheckbook can be a challenge – but,they say,the Law School has been tooimportant in their lives to set it aside.“For people my age who have graduatedmore recently,it’s about wantingto honor what UB gave us,”says AnneJoynt ’05,who heads the Law School’sGOLD group for graduates of the lastJim ’04 and Christy Lilley ’04 withchildren James and Dianadecade.“There’s a real acceptance thatwe had so many opportunities inschool that alumni support has madepossible.”Joynt,who practices in the area oftoxic torts,particularly asbestos litigation,withthe Buffalo law firm Lipsitz &Ponterio,says she finds about a 50-50split in the group:“Some people arenaturally really interestedin givingback,others not yet.When you leave lawschool many thousandsof dollars indebt,it may feelgood to put theschool behind you.”But,she says,inher own giving sherecognizes the formativeimpact thatthree years in O’Brian Hall has had onher life.“I loved my Law School experience,”shesays.“But also,I really do feel Iowe my career to SUNY Buffalo Law.Iwas recommended for the job I currentlyhave by a research and writingprofessor – it was an unadvertised position.Ihonestly feel that,absent that,Iprobably wouldn’t be here.And I’mgrateful for that.”Jim and Christy Lilley,both membersof the Class of 2004,have an emotionalattachment as well – they met atthe Law School,where she earned theJ.D.and he completed the jointJ.D./MBA program.They were marrieda month after the bar exam; weddingplanning,he says,was a welcome breakfrom the stress of the bar review grind.The Lilleys,natives of Western NewYork,moved first to Pittsburgh,whereshe did merger and acquisitions workwith a large law firm and he worked as afinancial planning adviser to high-levelcorporate executives.They now live inCharlotte,N.C.,where Jim works forWells Fargo in financial planning,estateplanning and income tax consulting;Christy serves as assistant general counselfor Corning Cable Systems in nearbyHickory,N.C.They are the parents oftwo small children: James,2,and Diana,born this past July.“I always knew I wasn’t going topractice law,”Jim Lilley says.“I was oneof those who said,‘I don’t know what Iwant to be, but I know this will helpme get where I want to go.’”And thathas proved true, he says:“Being introducedas an attorney creates instantcredibility.”They,too,have been giving at a leadershiplevel to SUNY Buffalo LawSchool – not that it’s effortless,giventhat both still carry student loan debt,mostly from their undergraduate universities.“Wewere lucky enough tograduate in a very-low-interest-rate environment,”hesays,“and carrying loandebt should not prohibit us from givingback to the school.We’ve been successful,relativelyspeaking,in our jobs,andto not give something back to the universitywould be a mistake.On top ofthat,it’s like a 401(k) match – our giftsare matched by Wells Fargo,and to notgive a dollar here means we would notgive the dollar from the company.”

20SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYAnnual GivingHelp continuethe momentum!Your support of the 2011-12 Annual Fund will help make the difference,building on UB Law’s successes in the following key areas.The numbers are up!• Thomson Reuters, the largest legalpublisher in the United States, ranksSUNY Buffalo Law 48th nationwideand No.1 in upstate New York for thenumber of Super Lawyer graduates.• We ranked 40th under a newmethodology created by MalcolmGladwell in the New Yorker magazineand implemented by Paul Caron ofTaxProf Blog – based on value, LSATscores and faculty publishing.• Up 19 spots in U.S. News & WorldReport to No. 84, compared to 190other ABA law schools.2010-11Annual Fund National Co-ChairsMichael A. Battle ’81National Co-Chair,Annual FundSenior PartnerSchlam Stone &Dolan LLPNew York CityDiane F. Bosse ’76National Co-Chair,Annual FundOf CounselHurwitz & Fine, PCBuffaloExtensive opportunities abound• Over $1 million awarded in scholarshipsto students in the 2011-12 academicyear.• Over $275,000 will be awarded forstudent fellowships in 2011-12.• Alumni mentoring matches eachmember of the first-year class withone of more than 200 mentors, inBuffalo and elsewhere, who sharetheir experiences in the legal world.• Career development alumni programssuch as Network the Nation,D.C. Day, Rochester Day and JudicialCareer Panels provide our studentsRichard E. Gottlieb ’85National Co-Chair,Annual FundMember, DykemaGossett PLLCChicago andLos Angeleswith insights from UB Law graduateson career choices and opportunities.• LAWR (Legal Analysis,Writing andResearch Program), recently extendedto three semesters, includes analysisand writing at every level of acase, and incorporates moot court,trial technique, law journals, professionaldevelopment initiatives andlegal externships.• New York City Program in Financeand Law, a one-of-a-kind 12-weekprogram, allows students to live inNew York City, work with top practitioners,gain exposure to financial institutionsand courts, and combinetechnical expertise with contextualunderstandings.• Clinical Legal Education Programutilizes a law firm model. Studentsreceive hands-on, everyday practicalexperiences in eight specialized areasand learn the basics of legal practicedown to time sheets and billablehours.• Trial Advocacy Program is directedby two respected legal talents, Hon.Thomas P. Franczyk and attorneyChristopher J. O’Brien. Our studentscompete in seven moot courts acrossthe country, gaining valuable courtroomexperience.• Moot Court Program headed byProfessor George Kannar gives futurelawyers the experience ofpreparing for and arguing the “bigcase”in front of esteemed membersof the judiciary, and competing withtheir colleagues.• Bridge Courses, accelerated onecreditcourses during winter break,focus on practical skills and an insideview of the lawyer’s world.• Externships and Judicial Clerkshipsin 2011 provided over 140 placementsand invaluable opportunitiesto help our students prepare for legalcareers.

WINTER 201121Plaque dedicated forMatt Schnirel ’11Outstanding faculty• Professors Guyora Binder and JamesGardner joined Dean Makau Mutuain being named SUNY DistinguishedProfessors, the highest academic rankin the SUNY system.• Four new faculty hires with practicebackgrounds will teach in the keycurricular areas of civil procedure,civil litigation, criminal law and procedure,Constitutional law and laborlaw.We welcome Professors MatthewSteilen,Anthony O’Rourke, SamanthaBarbas and Matthew Dimick.• Two new LAWR instructors with exceptionalanalysis, research and writingcredentials and experience werehired this year, Monica Wallace andBernadette Klor, expanding the numberof instructors in the departmentto nine.Improved facility creates theright first impression• Renovations on the first floor create asense of professionalism and prestigeupon entering O’Brian Hall.A staffedinformation area will provide detailsto students and visitors about eventsand programs at the Law School.• Technology improvements through anew student information portal willgather all student e-mails and calendarsin one place. Flat-screen televisionsprovide daily updates on theLaw School to students and faculty.• A newly refurbished student loungeoffers hard-working law students anarea that is comfortable and pleasingto regroup, share information withtheir colleagues and prepare for theirupcoming tasks.Melissa Overbeck ’11,right,first recipient of the Matthew J.SchnirelMemorial Scholarship,joins Kevin Schnirel,his father,and LaurenSchilling,Matt’s girlfriend,at the unveiling of a plaque in Matt Schnirel’smemory at O’Brian Hall.Schnirel,who was practicing with the small Buffalo law firm Doran& Murphy,was killed along with Michael Doran ’82 in the crash of theirsmall plane in Ohio during a business trip in 2009.Schnirel’s family andfriends established the scholarship in his honor.The eldest of four children,Schnirel earned his undergraduate degreefrom the University at Albany.He worked his way through SUNYBuffalo Law as a law clerk at Doran & Murphy,graduating in 2008,andwas hired there as an associate after graduation,practicing civil litigation.To make a gift to the Annual Fund,please contact Lucy Dadd ’04 at (716)645-2113 or ladadd@buffalo.edu. Orgo online to www.law.buffalo.edu/givingto make your gift there.

42SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYAnnual GivingOur loyal volunteersThank you – we could not do it without you!SUNY Buffalo Law School extends its warmest thanks to the manyalumni and friends who volunteer to help the school achieve its No.1goal of providing an excellent legal education to the best and most deservingstudents.Our volunteers’participation and tireless efforts makethe difference,and we are very grateful to them for all that they do to help theLaw School.Thank you!A very special thanks to our 2010-11 Annual Fund national co-chairs – DouglasW.Dimitroff ’89 (Buffalo),Mary Joanne Dowd ’80 (Washington,D.C.) andMark Suzumoto ’82 (Los Angeles) – for leading the campaign upward to newheights.Under their leadership,the 2010-11 Annual Fund was the most successfulto date – over $1.18 million in gifts – and the fourth consecutive million-dollar-plusyear.They have set the bar high for this year’s national co-chairs!This year,the Annual Fund is led byMichael Battle ’81 (New York City),Diane Bosse ’76 (Buffalo) and RichardGottlieb ’85 (Chicago/Los Angeles).We thank them for serving as our2011-12 national co-chairs,and for investingtheir energies and resources inthis leadership role.We know we willhave another successful year with themleading the way.Our Annual Fund kickoff event –the Leadership Letter Signing – was agreat success thanks to those who volunteeredto write personal notes tofriends,former classmates and colleagues,encouragingleadership giving.Ourvolunteers’notes truly make adifference – last year,more than 60percent of those who received a notemade a gift.And we are already seeingan increase in donations this year dueto these notes,including many Circleof Leaders pledges.We also wish to express our appreciationto our reunion class gift volunteersfor their loyalty,enthusiasm andencouragement of their classmates.This year,the Class of ’76 led the waywith the largest reunion class gift –over $247,000! Many thanks to the devotedmembers of the reunion giftcommittees,and thanks to all whocontributed.Last but not least,thank you tothose who serve on our developmentAnnual Fund National co-chair DianeBosse ’76 and Dean Makau Mutuacommittee,providing advice and supportof our long-term fundraising efforts.Theseindividuals have dedicatedtheir time to help lead the way forward,preparefor the future and ensurethat goals are met.We are so gratefulto have this group involved inbuilding upon SUNY Buffalo Law’sextraordinary foundation.Our deepest thanks to all of the volunteerslisted at right.Your gifts oftime,talent and treasure positively impactthe Law School,and the studentsof today and the future.We could notdo it without you!Kenneth W.Africano ’85Thomas C.Bailey ’74Brian D.Baird ’83Michael A.Battle ’81Richard S.Binko ’82Thomas E.Black Jr.’79Laurie Styka Bloom ’83Jill M.Bond ’85Diane F.Bosse ’76Daniel E.Brick ’69Marc W.Brown ’99Lawrence F.Cataldi ’76Robert B.Conklin ’68Barbara J.Delgross ’77Douglas W.Dimitroff ’89Mary Joanne Dowd ’80Ann E.Evanko ’79Robert J.Feldman ’76John P.Feroleto ’82Cheryl S.Fisher ’76Ellen Katz Forrest ’76Kenneth B.Forrest ’76Lynn D.Gates ’76William A.Gersten ’76Richard E.Gottlieb ’85Garry Graber ’78Richard F.Griffin ’57Gordon R.Gross ’55Brian D.Gwitt ’98Pamela D.Heilman ’75Judith B.Ittig ’71Anne E.Joynt ’05Harvey L.Kaminski ’77Barbara D.Klippert ’75Robert M.Kornreich ’67Karen B.Leeds ’76Francis M.Letro ’79William E.Mathias II ’71Carol M.Matorin ’76Joseph A.Matteliano ’76Dennis R.McCoy ’77Jean Carol Powers ’79Vikki L.Pryor ’78Howard S.Rosenhoch ’76Elizabeth M.Savino ’92William F.Savino ’75Barbara L.Schifeling ’84Robert C.Schwenkel ’82David F.Smith ’78Mark Suzumoto ’82Jeffrey L.Tanenbaum ’76Kevin G.Van Allen ’06Brent L.Wilson ’76Margaret W.Wong ’76Stephen L.Yonaty ’94Bruce S.Zeftel ’77

WINTER 201143When SUNYBuffaloLaw calls“What courses are you taking?”That,says Jasmine Paul,student supervisorof SUNY Buffalo Law School’sStudent Call Program,is the No.1question that student callers hear whenthey reach out to alumni during theacademic year.The Student Call Programis all about connection – renewingties with the school’s alumni,keepingthem informed about developmentsat the school,reconnecting withthe energy of eager law students,andfinding opportunities to participate financiallyin the life of the school.“The Student Call Program allowsus to connect with a large number ofour alumni – over 3,200 contacts madelast year by students,”says Jill M.Domagala,whoas assistant director of developmentprograms oversees the initiative.“It’snot only an important piece ofour Annual Fund,but it’s also a way tokeep in touch with alumni.Spendingjust a few minutes talking with one ofour students is a great way to hearabout what’s new and exciting at theLaw School.”That sense of connection,Paul says,is what makes the program rewardingon both ends of the phone line.Fromwide-eyed first-year students to seasoned3Ls,student callers gather in afifth-floor conference room in theevenings,10 students a night,Mondaythrough Thursday.When they reach analumnus on their list,they update contactinformation and ask what’s new inthe alum’s professional life.Often,Paulsays,the conversation is rewardingly detailed,withthe alumni relishing thechance to give career guidance to theirstudent callers,and the studentssharing news from O’Brian Hall.“A lot of alums want to talk to us,”Paul says.“They ask about our experienceand tell us about theirs. I’ve hadsome really good experiences doingthis. Someone asked me to send himmy resume, and one judge I spokewith over the phone, I actually endedup working with over the summer. Soit’s a good networking opportunityfor us, too.”Paul notes thatfor the studentcallers,the experiencealso developstheir oral advocacyskills.“This is reallyhelping me talk to avariety of differentpersonalities,”sheJasmine Paul says.“We have definitelyhad some interestingphone calls. We are talking toa wide range of people with many differentexperiences. People who graduateda ways back, even in the ’40s,they’re always interesting.And thenthere are the newer grads, who giveadvice about our upcoming years.”Participants in the Student Call Programare looking to build on last year’ssuccessful campaign,which broughtover $164,000 in more than 1,300pledges,exceeding its dollar goal.“We did amazing last year,but wewould really like it to be more,”Paulsays. “We are working harder to makethat happen this year. Participation iskey. Every pledge – no matter the size– counts. As long as they’re pledgingsomething, it also benefits themthrough improving the school’s reputationand rankings.”SUNY Buffalo LawAnnual Fund716-645-2109Buffalo, NYMembers of TheUniversity Pillars SocietyThe University Pillars recognition society was createdby the University to honor individuals who have given$1 million or more to the University over a lifetime. Thenames of University Pillars whose gifts have benefited theLaw School are listed below.Gretchen S. GrossGordon R. Gross ’55Cindy Abbott LetroFrancis M. Letro ’79Gerald S. Lippes ’64Members of TheUniversity FoundersSocietyThe University Founders recognition society wascreated by the University in 1994 to honor individualswho have given at least $50,000 to the University over alifetime. The names of University Founders whosegifts have benefited the Law School are listed below.AnonymousHon. Michael A.Amico ’58Laura AswadBrian D. Baird ’83Stephen E. Barnes ’83Thomas R. Beecher Jr. ’59Joseph W. Belluck ’94Bridget BlackThomas E. Black Jr. ’79Hilary P. Bradford ’53Thomas R. Bremer ’79Peter J. Brevorka ’68Kevin J. Brinkworth ’66David BrownJoan J. CastellaniLawrence P. CastellaniJeanette E. CellinoRoss M. Cellino Jr. ’82Ross M. Cellino Sr. ’56Terrence M. Connors ’71Gary Alan DeWaal ’80Nina A. DorenRobert K. DorenEllen Katz Forrest ’76Kenneth B. Forrest ’76David E. Franasiak ’78Mary P. FranasiakCarol A. GreinerPamela D. Heilman ’75Robert D. HeilmanErma R. Hallett Jaeckle ’36Karen JonesRoger J. Jones ’83Harvey L. Kaminski ’77Barbara D. Klippert ’75Hilda S. KorenErik D. Lindauer ’81Lisa D. LindauerJames L. Magavern ’59William J. Magavern II ’62William E. Mathias II ’71Carol M. Matorin ’76Reginald B. Newman IIWilliam A. Niese ’61Dr. Sandra H. OlsenProfessor R. Nils Olsen Jr.Vikki L. Pryor ’78Jean K. RachlinLauren D. RachlinEllen S. ReisProfessor Robert I. ReisArthur A. Russ Jr. ’67Robert C. Schwenkel ’82Charles Shabsels ’70Susan ShabselsDavid F. Smith ’78Lucy SmithOrin C. SmithMark K. Suzumoto ’82Barbara WolfeThomas F.Wolfe ’61Margaret W.Wong ’76

44SUNY BUFFALO LAW PHILANTHROPYAnnual GivingCounting people,matching dollarsThey’ve been writing tuitionchecks for nearly three years.Now the Law School’s Classof 2012 – mere monthsfrom their graduation day – is workingto make one more contribution to theschool’s economic health.In a tradition that’s as much aboutbuilding the habit of philanthropy as itis about the dollars raised,members ofthe current third-year class are diggingdeep to collaborate on a farewell gift toSUNY Buffalo Law School.“We’re trying to get at least 50 percentof our class to participate,”saysRobert Grimaldi,who chairs the sevenmemberClass of 2012 Class Gift Committee.Hesaid past third-year gift campaignshave recorded from 33 to 46 percentparticipation by class members,but “we’re looking to exceed prior levelsof participation and,in doing so,makean initial contact with future alumniand build on that.”The committee is planning a kickoffsocial event and repeated opportunitiesfor students to pitch in for the gift.Grimaldi,who has worked in theLaw School’s Development Office,acknowledgesthat these are difficult timeseconomically for many young peoplebeginning their careers,including notoriouslycash-poor graduate students.(Though SUNY Buffalo Law graduatesleave with much less debt than those ofmany other law schools.) But,he says“we’re making an appeal to our fellow3Ls,stressing that we’ve all received anexceptional education here at UB,andat the close of these three years,we cancome together and give back,leaving alasting impression on the Law School.”Robert Grimaldi, chair of the Class of 2012 Class Gift Committee, withMichael Mohun ’80, rightThe goal,he says,is to raise at least$2,500 – or about $20.12 from at leasthalf of the class’s approximately 220students.That total figure is important because,forthe first time,an alumnus hasoffered to match the class’s gift up tothat amount.Michael Mohun ’80,acriminal defense attorney in practice inCowlesville,N.Y.,and a longtime financialsupporter of the Law School,saidhe offered to make this challenge giftbecause “the Law School has been goodto me and I thought it was appropriate.The Law School needs private supportas the state’s support for the school diminishes.It’snecessary for the privatesector to step up to the plate and helpthe school so that others will have theopportunity for a public-school legaleducation like we did.”“It’s necessary for the privatesector to step up to the plateand help the school so thatothers will have theopportunity for a publicschoollegal educationlike we did.”– Michael Mohun ’80

Alumni DonorsWINTER 201145Dean’s leadershipdonor receptionHon. H. Kenneth Schroeder ’61and Carol White Gibson ’74Members of the Jaeckle,O’Brian and Hymangiving societies enjoy themselves at theJune 14 reception, hosted by DeanMutua at the Mansion in Buffalo.Thomas Doran,AssociateDean Karen Kaczmarski ’89and Julia DoranFrank Longo ’97 and Katherine Gorham ’97Professor Michael Halberstamand Kate BrownAllan Lewis’69 andDana LewisFrank J. Clark’67 and ArthurA. Russ Jr. ’67Carol Greiner andHon.Ann T. Mikoll ’54Dean Makau Mutuaand Robert P. Fine ’68PeterMarlette,RoganMorton ’97and JosephCardinalKay Brick and DanielE. Brick ’69Dennis R. McCoy ’77 andProfessor Athena Mutua

SUNY Buffalo Law SchoolJohn Lord O’Brian HallBuffalo, NY 14260-1100Nonprofit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDBuffalo NYPermit No. 311Address service requestedPlease join us to honorFrancis M. Letro ’79with the2012 Edwin F.Jaeckle Awardthe highest honor theSUNY Buffalo Law School and theLaw Alumni Associationcan bestow.Friday, Jan. 27, 2012Noon to 2 p.m.The Union League Club38 E. 37th St.New York CityFor registration information visitwww.law.buffalo.edu/AlumniEvent.asp