Award Ceremony Celebrates Class of 2010's Contributions and Achievements

On Saturday, May 15, the Law School community gathered in Colonial Williamsburg's Kimball Theatre with soon-to-be graduates, their families and friends to celebrate the Class of 2010's contributions and achievements. Dean Davison Douglas presented awards and special recognitions with help from faculty, administrators and staff, and representatives of the Student Bar Association and Honor Council. Following the ceremony, class members and guests enjoyed a reception in the historic Wren Building's courtyard.

The following awards and special recognitions were celebrated during the ceremony:

Order of the Coif, Class of 2010
Membership in the Order of the Coif is the highest academic honor a law student can achieve. It is equivalent to membership in Phi Beta Kappa for undergraduates and recognizes the scholastic achievements of law students selected from the upper ten percent of their class. Members of the Class of 2010 inducted into the Order of the Coif were Leeron Avnery, Trent James Benishek, Josiah Tyler Butts, Sarah Catherine Cornetto, Jessica Ruth Coulter, Ashley Zema Crenshaw, Leah Kimberly Holt, Michael Allen Hood, Noah Alfred Kuschel, Maggy Jeanette Lewis, Colleen Terese Loughran, Nicole Leigh Mansker, Sean Michael Marotta, Christina Payne-Tsoupros, Amy Kristen Ream, Thomas Dean Ryerson, Stephen James Van Stempvoort, Whitney Zacchetti Weatherly, Rebecca Liane Wharton, and Christopher Grant Wilson.

Order of the Coif, Honorary Member
Coif chapters may elect to honorary membership "those who as lawyers, judges and teachers have attained high distinction for their scholarly or professional accomplishments."  The William & Mary chapter of Order of the Coif was established in 1980; those chosen as honorary members graduated prior to 1980 and achieved distinction in law school and during their careers. The Chapter inducted Robert Michael Fitzgerald '75 as an honorary member of the Order of the Coif. Click here for full story. Fitzgerald is currently a senior partner in the Virginia offices of Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, which was ranked as the top construction law firm in the U.S. in 2009. The Dean added that Fitzgerald has been recognized repeatedly as one of the leading construction lawyers in the U.S., and has tried construction law cases throughout the world, including cases in Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, and Turkey.

Order of Barristers
The Order of Barristers is a national honor society that recognizes individuals who have contributed substantially in an oral argument program either in the administration of an advocacy program or in the development of advocacy skills through competition. All members of the competitive teams of Moot Court, Trial Team and Alternative Dispute Resolution were asked to stand and be recognized for their accomplishments of 2009-2010. Inductees from the Class of 2010 were Amanda Bernadette Bosson, Andrew Gregory English, Jessica Lorraine Hass, Sean Marotta, Justin Michael Neidig, Michael Anthony Nicholas, Adam Clay Reeves, and Barbara Patricia Watkins.

Dean's Certificates
Each year the Dean recognizes select members of the graduating class whose efforts on behalf of the Law School community have been especially compelling. In his remarks, Dean Douglas spoke about the remarkable number of registered student groups active at Marshall-Wythe, which now total more than fifty. They include five student-edited journals, a student newspaper, the Honor Council, the Student Bar Association, four competitive teams, and numerous student organizations, many of which are involved in public service. All students who participated in any student organization were asked to stand and be recognized for their service to the school.  Awarded Dean's Certificates in recognition of their outstanding service were Mairead C. Blue, Christina Mary Carroll, Jessica Ruth Coulter, Janice Lynn Craft, Charles Joseph Crimmins, Amy Elizabeth Dardinjer, Zachariah James DeMeola, Krysta Ranice Edwards, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Elizabeth Fleming, Jessica Lorraine Hass, Ashley Nicole Jarmer, Cassaundra Marie Maimone, Myron Demarcus McClees, Justin Michael Neidig, Michael Anthony Nicholas, Benjamin David Novak, Dusty Donald Parson, Robert James Poggenklass, Adam Clay Reeves, and Adrienne Michelle Sakyi.

ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Health Law
The recipient, or recipients, of this award are selected by members of the faculty who teach health law. The award recognizes outstanding performance in this area. Mairead C. Blue was the 2010 recipient of the award.

Academic Support Program Teaching Assistants
Each year, the Law School chooses a select group of students to work in the Academic Support Program to help their peers maximize their academic success. Recognized for their contributions as ASP Teaching Assistants were Blair Leah Hornstine, Colleen Terese Loughran, Amy Kristen Ream, Andrew Kelly Rudiger, Thomas Dean Ryerson, Naohm Maire Stewart, and Stephen James Van Stempvoort.

ALI-ABA Award
This award recognizes a law student who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership.  The 2010 award was presented to Benjamin David Novak for his work in establishing the Law School's newest journal, the William & Mary Business Law Review.

Benjamin Rush Scholars
Benjamin Rush Scholars are a select group of law students who have distinguished themselves by their research for the Health Law and Policy class. The scholars are responsible for choosing the annual recipient of the Benjamin Rush Medal. This year's Class of 2010 scholars were Mariead C. Blue, Matthew Thomas Mikula, Ashley Nicole Jarmer, Jessica Ann Bonney Reveley, Scott Joseph Upright, and Kevin William Weigand.

BLSA Recognition
The Dean shared the news that the Law School's Black Law Students Association was named the Regional Chapter of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic Region. This is the second year in a row, he noted, that the chapter has received national recognition. He added that earlier this year, BLSA President Myron Demarcus McClees was the recipient of the College of William & Mary's "Recognizing Achievement in Leadership Award." The Dean asked members of BLSA to stand and be recognized.

Drapers' Scholar
Each year the Law School selects one graduating student as the recipient of the Drapers' Scholarship, which is funded by the Ancient Order of the Drapers. The Drapers' Scholar studies for one year at Queen Mary and Westfield College of the University of London, earning an LL.M. degree.  Rebecca Liane Wharton was named the 2010-11 Drapers' Scholar.

William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review Award for Excellence in Scholarship
This award recognizes the most outstanding student note published in the current volume of the journal. The recipient was Jessica Brewer Izzo.

Ewell Award
In 1987, the Student Assembly established an award to honor well-rounded graduating students - both graduate and undergraduate - who best exemplify a liberal arts education through their activities as well as studies.  This award was named in honor of Benjamin Stoddert Ewell, William & Mary's 16th president, who by ringing the Wren Building bell during the Civil War kept the spirit of the College alive until the students, the heart of the College, returned to campus. Christina Mary Carroll, Zachariah James DeMeola, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Benjamin David Novak, and Robert James Poggenklass received this honor.

Family Law Book Award
The Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers co-sponsor a Family Law Book Award to be presented to a graduating student at each Virginia law school who has demonstrated the most promise and potential for the practice of family law. The 2010 recipient from William & Mary was Rebecca Lynne Roman.

Gambrell Professionalism Award
This award honors students from each of the Legal Skills law offices who best represent professionalism, public service, integrity, and dedication to the improvement of lawyering skills. Sara Lynne Chamberlain, Jessica Ruth Coulter, Jennifer Elizabeth Fleming, Aaron Dayton Larrimore, Nicole Leigh Mansker, Sean Marotta, Jeffrey Cantwell Martin, Mary Elizabth Mintel, Christina Payne-Tsoupros, Adam Clay Reeves, Rebecca Lynne Roman, and Christopher Grant Wilson received Gambrell Awards.

Hamilton Prize
This prize is awarded to the student with outstanding performance in legal history.  Mariead C. Blue received this honor.

Herrmann Prize
This prize is awarded to the student, or students, who in the opinion of the Dean, President of the National Center for State Courts, and the Director of the Center for Legal and Court Technology demonstrated the greatest potential for contributing to the enhancement of the efficient administration of justice through the innovative use of technology.  Samantha Elizabeth LeLand was the 2010 recipient of this award.

Honor Council Recognition
The honor system among students is one of the oldest and most important traditions of William & Mary, dating back to 1779. Chief Justice Casaundra Marie Maimone and Deputy Chief Justice Ashley Nicole Jarmer recognized their classmates including Todd Berman, Matthew Charles DiMuzio, Andrew Gregory English, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Bishop Morrison Garrison, Jr., Patrick Cullen Henry II, Amy Elizabeth Hensley, Justin Michael Neidig, Carrie Alane Pixler, Lawton Buchanan Way, and Courtney Carolann Williams for serving on the Honor Council with distinction.

Kruchko & Fries Award
The generosity of the firm Kruchko & Fries makes possible the annual recognition of a graduating student who has excelled in labor law and employment relations.  The recipient is selected by faculty who teach labor and employment law. The 2010 recipient was Christopher John Emden.

Journals
The Dean asked students to stand and be recognized who had served on any of the Law School's five student-edited journals: the William and Mary Law Review, the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, the William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review, the William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law, and the newest journal, the William & Mary Business Law Review.  The Dean noted that in the past year the five journals have published more than 6,000 pages of legal scholarship. He added that the Law Review was ranked as the "19th most cited law review in the United States" and the Bill of Rights Journal, the Environmental Law and Policy Journal, and the Journal of Women and the Law were "among the most cited law reviews in the United States in their subject matter specialty."  

Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys Inc. & McGuire Woods
Chanel Ann Gray was honored with a scholarship provided by the Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys Inc. & McGuire Woods for her commitment to the legal profession and dedication to serving her community and her law school.

Legal Skills Scholar Award
This award is given annually by the Legal Skills Program to recognize graduating students who have received Honors in at least three semesters of Legal Skills, the Law School's innovative two-year program in legal research, writing, professional responsibility, and lawyering skills.  Those recognized this year were Leeron Avnery, Trent James Benishek, Sara Lynne Chamberlain, Sharon Lynn Cordello, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Jessica Lorraine Hass, Nassim Hooshmandnia, Jennifer Allis Kane, Michael Robert Krol, Noah Alfred Kuschel, Nicole Leigh  Mansker, Sean Marotta, Jeffrey Cantwell Martin, Joseph Alfred Massicotte, Matthew Michael McKinney, Mary Elizabeth Mintel, Kristen Dacey O'Connor, Christina Payne-Tsoupros, Andrea Renee Priest, Patrick Desmond Purtill Jr., Amy Kristen Ream, Laura Catherine Reeder, Andrew Palmer Reeve, Rebecca Lynne Roman, Emily Elizabeth Tatum, Scott Joseph Upright, Christopher Grant Wilson, and Damian Yemma.

Legal Skills Teaching Assistants
The Legal Skills Program chooses a select group of third-year students each year to serve as junior partners of Legal Skills law firms. The following junior partners were recognized for their contributions: Hunter Thomas Allen, Trent James Benishek, Sara Lynne Chamberlain, Sarah Catherine Cornetto, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Joseph Alfred Massicotte, Nathan Curtis Mortier, Abigail Elizabeth Murchison, Christina Payne-Tsoupros, Andrea Renee Priest, Adam Clay Reeves, Rebecca Lynne Roman, Whitney Zacchetti Weatherly, and Emily Elizabeth Tatum.

National Association of Women Lawyers Award
This award recognizes a student who has contributed to the advancement of women in society by promoting issues and concerns of women in the legal profession, exhibiting motivation, tenacity and enthusiasm, demonstrating academic achievement, and earning the respect of the Dean and faculty.  The 2010 recipient for her class was Rebecca Liane Wharton.

Oliver White Hill Law Student Pro Bono Award
Robert James Poggenklass was awarded the 2010 Oliver White Hill Law Student Pro Bono Award from the Virginia State Bar.  The award recognizes "extraordinary law student achievement in the areas of pro bono and under-compensated public service work in Virginia" and honors the memory of renowned civil rights advocate Oliver White Hill.

Presidential Management Fellowship Finalists
Class of 2010 members who were finalists for Presidential Management Fellowships were recognized during the afternoon. They were Wes C. Eplen, Jennifer Lynn Farrar, Christopher Todd Hall, and Dusty Donald Parson. The Program's purpose is to "attract to the Federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs."

Spong Professionalism Award
This award is given by the Society of the Alumni of the College of William & Mary to a third-year law student who best exemplifies professionalism and ethics in the Legal Skills Program.  William B. Spong, Jr. (1920-1997) was Dean of the Law School from 1976 to 1985. He also served as a U.S. senator during a long and distinguished career devoted to the public good. The 2010 recipient was Christina Payne-Tsoupros.

Student Admission Ambassadors
Associate Dean for Admission Faye Shealy recognized the following students for their personal commitment, dedication and contributions to our recruitment efforts: Christina Mary Carroll, Zachariah James DeMeola, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Bishop Morris Garrison Jr., Anna Catharine Leist, Benjamin David Novak, Ashley Nicole Jarmer, Robert James Poggenklass, Evan Michael Stepanick, and Kevin William Weigand.

Student Alumni Affairs and Development Office Ambassadors
Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Affairs recognized Christina Mary Carroll, Matthew Charles DiMuzio, and Kathleen Elizabeth Parks for their significant contributions to our development program and their outreach efforts with Law School alumni.

Student Bar Association Recognition
The Law School's student government is called the Student Bar Association. The following members of the Class of 2010 were recognized for their significant contributions to the Law School through their work with the SBA: Mairead C. Blue, Charles Joseph Crimmins, Zachariah James DeMeola, Andrew Gregory English, Aaron Dayton Larrimore, Benjamin David Novak, Kristin Dacey O'Connor, Kathleen Elizabeth Parks, Christine Roushdy, Meezan Qayumi, Adam Clay Reeves, Christia Rey, Elyse Kristine Simmerman, Evan Michael Stepanick, Naomh Maire Stewart, and Andrew Marshall Szilagi.

Thomas Jefferson Prize
The Thomas Jefferson Prize is awarded every year by the William &Mary Bill of Rights Journal to the author of the best Student Note during the journal's end-of-year banquet.  The award is given for the contribution that best addresses a novel and timely issue in constitutional law in a clear and persuasive manner. Ryan Seth Marion was the 2010 recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Prize.

Tournament Winners
Dean Douglas noted that the Law School's competitive programs -  the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, the Moot Court Program, and the National Trial Team - have had outstanding success in recent years. He recognized members of the Class of 2010 who over the course of their law school education had achieved honors in team competitions or were recipients of individual awards in brief writing or as oralists. They included Hunter Thomas Allen, Amanda Bernadett Bosson, Josiah Tyler Benson Butts, Sarah Lynne Chamberlain, Joshua Paul DeFord, Zachariah James DeMeola, Andrew Gregory English, Jessica Lorraine Haas, Kia Ayn King, Maggy Jeanette Lewis, Nicole Leigh Mansker, Sean Anthony Marotta, Mike Anthony Nicholas, Nicholas Ryan Miller, Dusty Donald Parson, Meezan Qayumi, Adam Clay Reeves, Christine Roushdy, Leslie Anne Saar, and Barbara Patricia Watkins.

Community Servants
Rob Kaplan, Associate Dean for Career Services and Public Service Initiatives,  recognized members of the class who contributed at least 35 hours of pro bono legal service or volunteer service to charitable, religious, civic, governmental and educational organizations or causes for the good of the community. The following members of the Class of 2010 were recognized for their work as Community Servants: Thomas Stanley Adams Jr., Ashley Ames Ahlbrand, Nichole Cherise Alling, Julia Marie Bishop, Tabatha Crystal Blake, Mairead C. Blue, Jennifer Elle Bowen, Aubrey Hampton Brown III, Christina Mary Carroll, Amanda Michelle Christensen, Sharon Lynn Cordello, Charles Joseph Crimmins, Amy Elizabeth Dardinger, Zachariah James DeMeola, Emily Irene DeVoe, Christopher John Emden, Jennifer Lynn Farrar, Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Elizabeth Fleming, Bishop Morris Garrison Jr., Megan Elizabeth Gary, Chanel Ann Gray, Katherine Garrett Gray, Nicole Diane Green, Jeffery Sawyer Gulley, Rebecca Faith Hampton, Jessica Lorraine Hass, Amy Elizabeth Hensley, Andrew Paul Hill, Jane Virginia Honeycutt, Nassim Hooshmandnia, Sarah Renee Jinkerson, Rachel Anne Jones, Rebecca Marie Joseph, Jennifer Allis Kane, Stephen William Kiefer, Kia Ayn King, Michael Robert Krol, Katharine Eileen Kruk, Noah Alfred Kuschel, Aaron Dayton Larrimore, Kalin Nicole Locke, Casaundra Marie Maimone, Jason Raymond Marquez, Jeff Cantwell Martin, Joseph Alfred Massicotte, Joseph Francis Mauk, Colin Patrick McCarthy, Myron Demarcus McClees, Alison Theresa McGuire Wood, Victoria Margaret McNamee, Abigail Elizabeth Murchison, Justin Michael Neidig, Michael Anthony Nicholas, Kristen Dacey O'Connor, Melanie Frances Palacios, John-Peter Patrizia, Christina Payne-Tsoupros, Carrie Alane Pixler, Robert James Poggenklass, Andrea Renee Priest, Patrick Desmond Purtill Jr., Amy Kristen Ream, Andrew Palmer Reeve, Jessica Ann Bonney Reveley, Christia Rey, Amy Melissa Rose, Brock Lander Smith, Laura Aurore Stewart, Christopher Lewis Versfelt, Whitney Zacchetti Weatherly, Kevin William Weigand, Chaunacie Louise Wilkerson, and Nikeshia TwanaWomack.

Virginia Trial Lawyers Award
This award recognizes a graduating student, or students, for excellence in trial advocacy skills.  The 2010 recipient was Jessica Lorraine Haas.

William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law - Outstanding Member
Stephanie L. S. Sikora was recognized for her outstanding dedication to and support of the journal.

William & Mary Business Law Review - Outstanding Member
Nichole Leigh Mansker was recognized for her outstanding dedication to and support of the journal.

William and Mary Law Review - Best Student Note
Christopher Grant Wilson received this award in recognition of having written the most outstanding student Note published in the current volume of the Law Review.