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A number of awards and recognitions are presented to members of the graduating J.D. and LL.M. classes each year during commencement week. Below is a list of Class of 2020 honorees recognized during the Law School’s virtual celebration on May 16.

Order of the Coif
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 those law students who rank, without rounding, in the top 10 percent of their class. the Class of 2020 inductees:
Taylor M. Allison
Meagan R. Anglin
Richard J. Batzler
Elizabeth K. Brightwell
Zakery W. Comer
Christine M. D’Alessandro
Lindsey P. Folcik
William M. Howieson
Rebecca K. Jaeger
Mary K. Lapidus
Allie A. Maples
Caitlin M. Parry
Paul L. Rowley
Kelsie M. Sicinski
Emily C. Snyder
Abigail M. Stephens
Charles D. Wallace III
Emily A. Wilson

Lawrence I’Anson Award
The Law School faculty awards the I’Anson Award to a graduating student or students in recognition of great professional promise as demonstrated through scholarship, character and leadership. The award is named in honor of Lawrence W. I'Anson (1907-1990), who earned his undergraduate degree at William & Mary and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia from 1974 to 1981.
Class of 2020 recipients:
Rebecca K. Jaeger
Kelsie M. Sicinski

Thurgood Marshall Award
The Law School Association bestows this honor each year on a member of the graduating class who exhibits the ideals of distinguished public service exemplified by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993).
2020 recipients:
Layla A. Abi-Falah
Benming Zhang

George Wythe Award
The award is named in honor of George Wythe—William & Mary's and the nation's first professor of law—and is given by the Law School each year to a graduating student in recognition of his or her outstanding and selfless service.
2020 recipient:
Ariana Cheng

Thatcher Prize for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Study
The Thatcher is awarded each year at the university commencement ceremony and was created in honor of William & Mary's 21st Chancellor, Margaret the Lady Thatcher. It is awarded annually in recognition of outstanding accomplishment in graduate or professional school study. Selection is made based on scholarship, leadership, service and character. This year’s recipient was recognized during the university’s virtual conferral ceremony.
2020 recipient:
Hillary L. Kody

A. Joseph Jay Award
The A. Joseph Jay Award is presented each year by the university’s Office of Student Affairs for service in support of our community’s values. This year’s recipient was recognized during a virtual ceremony hosted by the Office of Student Affairs.
2020 recipient:
Kelsie M. Sicinski

SERVICE AWARDS

The Cypher Award
This award is given by the university’s Student Assembly to a select number of graduates each year, who have demonstrated exemplary engagement, leadership and service to William & Mary.
2020 recipient:
Christina L. Lowry

Spong Professionalism Award
This award is given by the Society of the Alumni of William & Mary to a third-year law student who best exemplifies professionalism and ethics in the Legal Practice Program. It honors the memory of William B. Spong, Jr., 1920-1997, who served as Dean of the Law School from 1976 to 1985. Before entering academia, Dean Spong represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate from 1966 to 1973, and had served previously as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia State Senate.
2020 recipient:
Caine J. Caverly

Presidential Management Fellowship
The Presidential Management Fellowship Program recognizes outstanding leaders from graduate programs nationwide who have a commitment to public service. In an extremely competitive process in 2020, only 33 finalists of the 4,900 candidates were law students. The following member of the Class of 2020 was recognized as a finalist:
Andrew B. Pardue

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 outstanding.
2020 J.D. recipients:
Layla A. Abi-Falah
Elizabeth K. Brightwell
Caine J. Caverly
Ariana Cheng
Jennifer G. Clements
Damian P. Gallagher
Rebecca K. Jaeger
Michael B. Jordan
Christina M. Kapalko
Hillary L. Kody
Madhavi Kulkarni
Christina L. Lowry
Drew C. Marvel
Kelsey E. McNeill
Alicia Maria Puñales Morejón
Colin D. Neal
Jack J. Notar
Kelsie M. Sicinski
Shawn Syed
Alysa M. Williams
Ashley A. Wilson
Benming Zhang
Class of 2020 LL.M. recipients:
Obaid H. Aljadani
Zhen Cao

Student Bar Association Recognition
This recognition is awarded to members of the class who have participated with distinction in the Student Bar Association.
2020 honorees include:
Alexandra M. Amado
Kate E. Buckley
Caine J. Caverly
Christine M. D’Alessandro
Damian P. Gallagher
Hailey Guerra
Rebecca K. Jaeger
Christina M. Kapalko
Emmalyn M. McCarthy

Honor Council Recognition
The following members of the Class of 2020 were recognized for participating with distinction on the Honor Council:
Michaeli M. Hennessy
Andrew E. Huang
Hilary L. Kody
John V. McGuinness
Kelsey E. McNeil
Emily R. O’Hara
Justin T. Rechel
Kelsie M. Sicinski

Community Service Recognition
These members of each graduating class have distinguished themselves through volunteer service to clients, organizations, and causes that better their communities.
2020 honorees:
Layla A. Abi-Falah
Meagan R. Anglin
Catherine A. Bell
Julie M. Borzage
Meredith H. Buerger
Natalie Cardenas
Ariana Cheng
Casey A. Coleman
Philip J. Delano
Damian P. Gallagher
Eric M. Gilliland
Alyssa N. Glass
Shaun G. Goodfriend
Samuel M. Gross
Michaeli M. Hennessy
Andrew E. Huang
Megan A. Hughes
Briana M. Jackson
Michael B. Jordan
Christina M. Kapalko
Hillary L. Kody
Madhavi Kulkarni
Ameya A. Lele
Brooke E. Lowell
Christina L. Lowry
Allie A. Maples
Joseph T. Melton
Alicia Maria Puñales Morejón
Shannon J. Murphy
Emily R. O'Hara
Caitlin M. Parry
Sarah E. Peck
Gabrielle C. Pelura
Delia N. Root
Gabrielle B. Shea
Kelsie M. Sicinski
Amber I. Stapleton
Jessica L. Strauser
Miku Suzuki
Shawn Syed
Michael D. Tentilucci
Megan C. Tholen
Nicolas R. Thompson
Connor S. Watkins
L. Calum Welch
Alysa M. Williams
Ashley A. Wilson
Emily A. Wilson

George Wythe Society Award
This award is bestowed by the George Wythe Society and recognizes a member of the Law School community who performs outstanding service and demonstrates fidelity to those qualities of character, leadership, and selfless service that distinguished the life of George Wythe.
2020 recipients:
Professor Timothy Zick
Ms. Sherri Donson

LL.M. RECOGNITIONS

LL.M. Academic Excellence Awards
This recognition is given to students who have achieved the highest overall grade point averages in class.
2020 recipients:
Xi Chen
Zhaojie Qiu
Ellen Rehnberg
Kehang Shang
Xinjie You

LL.M. Legal Writing Awards
This recognition is given to students who achieved the highest grades in the Legal Writing class.
2020 recipients:
Xi Chen
Zhaojie Qui
Ellen Rehnberg
Kehang Shang
Miku Suzuki

LL.M. Community Service Awards
Awards for outstanding service to the community were given to two graduates:
Obaid H. Aljadani
Zhen Cao

LAW JOURNAL AWARDS

William & Mary Environmental Law & Policy Review, Award for Outstanding Member
2020 recipient:
Christopher J. Laudenbach

William & Mary Environmental Law & Policy Review Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Best Student Note
2020 recipient:
Chase E. Corey

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, Thomas Jefferson Prize—Best Student Note
2020 recipient:
Caine J. Caverly

William & Mary Business Law Review, Outstanding Member
2020 recipient:
Meredith H. Buerger

William & Mary Business Law Review, Best Student Note
2020 recipient:
Ashley T. Luong

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice, Outstanding Member
2020 recipient:
Elisabeth M. Chisum

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice, Best Student Note
2020 recipient:
Alysa M. Williams

William & Mary Law Review, Best Student Note
2020 recipient:
Madeleine A. Ball

ACADEMIC AWARDS

ABA State and Local Government Award
Recipients of this award are chosen by faculty who teach land use and local government law. It recognizes outstanding performance in this area of study.
2020 recipients:
Lindsey P. Folcik
Benming Zhang

American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence Award
This award recognizes outstanding performance in bankruptcy law.
2020 recipient:
Meredith H. Buerger

ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Health Law
This award recognizes a graduating student for outstanding performance in the study of health law.
2020 recipient:
Albana Zherka

ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual Property Law
This award recognizes graduating students for outstanding performance in the study of intellectual property law.
2020 recipients:
Emily C. Snyder
Michael D. Tentilucci

ALI-CLE Scholarship & Leadership Award
This award recognizes the student who best exemplifies a combination of scholarship and leadership.
2020 recipient:
Paul L. Rowley

Carter Kaplan & Co. International Finance Law Award
This award recognizes student excellence in international financial law.
2020 recipient:
Zakery W. Comer

Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Student Award
This award is given to a student who shows excellence in the fieldwork component of the clinical course based on the quality of the student’s performance in representing individual clients, or in undertaking group advocacy or policy reform projects; excellence in the seminar component of the clinical course based on the quality of the student's reflection in exploring the legal, ethical, strategic, and other pertinent issues raised in the particular clinic; and the extent of the student's contribution to the clinical community.
2020 recipient:
Jessica L. Strauser

John E. Donaldson Tax Award
Named in honor of John E. Donaldson, Ball Professor of Law Emeritus, who taught for 35 years at the Law School, this award goes to the most outstanding tax student.
2020 recipient:
William M. Howieson

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 this 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.
2020 recipient:
Jessica M. Hadley

William Hamilton Prize
The William Hamilton Prize is awarded to the student who has demonstrated outstanding performance in legal history.
2020 recipient:
Jefferson C. Hunt

National Association of Women Lawyers Award
This award recognizes a student who contributes to the advancement of women in society; promotes issues and concerns of women in the legal profession; exhibits motivation, tenacity and enthusiasm; demonstrates academic achievement; and earns the respect of the dean and faculty.
2020 recipient:
Jessica L. Strauser

Special Education Advocacy Award
This award recognizes outstanding service to children with special needs and their families by a student who participated in the PELE Special Education Advocacy Clinic. The award is made possible by the generosity of Claire Maddox ’05 and Robert Ribble in honor of Evan and in memory of Brooks.
2020 recipient:
Emily A. Wilson

Virginia Trial Lawyers Award
This award recognizes a graduating student for excellence in trial advocacy skills.
2020 recipient:
Darrell J. Getman

William & Mary Law School’s Award for Excellence in International Law
This award recognizes graduating students who show the most promise in and commitment to the practice of international law.
2020 recipients:
Layla A. Abi-Falah
Michael B. Jordan

ORDER OF BARRISTERS

Order of Barristers
The Order of Barristers is a national honor society that recognizes graduating law students who have excelled as members of advocacy competition teams or in service to an advocacy program. Only 10 students can be selected each year.
2020 inductees:
Richard J. Batzler
Damian P. Gallagher
Darrell J. Getman
Morgan R. Knudsten
Kelsey E. McNeill
Allie A. Maples
Milton Padilla Jr.
Megan C. Tholen
Jeremy M. Tjia
Conner S. Watkins

GAMBRELL PROFESSIONALISM AWARD

Gambrell Professionalism Award
This award honors students who best represent professionalism, public service, integrity, and dedication to the improvement of lawyering skills.
2020 recipients:
Taylor M. Allison
Madeline A. Ball
Elizabeth K. Brightwell
Caine J. Caverly
Louise W. Ellen
Damian P. Gallagher
Samuel M. Gross
William M. Howieson
Michael B. Jordan
Hillary L. Kody
Stephen J. Marlowe
Abigail M. Mitchell
Audrey Paige Sauer
Kelsie M. Sicinski
Jessica L. Strauser