Class of 2023 Awards and Recognitions
Commencement is a time for shining a light on the achievements and contributions of students, faculty, alumni, and staff.
Graduation Awards and Recognition, Class of 2023
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 law students selected from the upper 10 percent of their class.
Inductees from the Class of 2023: Clara Mar Davis, Claudia Marie Dubay, Sarah Elizabeth Fisher, Thomas James Galvin, Matthew J. Griffin, Kathryn Elizabeth Halkias, Gerald P. Jamison, Leo P. Jobsis Rossignol, Madison Clare Jones, Kaitlin Justison, Darian L. Kanouff, David C. Keyes, Carly Cecile LaForge, Zois Manaris, Carter Swanson McCants, Robert Andrew Nevin, Peter Francis Quinn, John Ellis Schaefer, III, Ian L. Slingsby, Kyung Soo Liu-Katz, Maggie E. Utecht, and Jason Winston
COMPETITION TEAM AWARDS
Order of Barristers
The Order of Barristers, chartered in 1970, is a national honor society that recognizes “graduating law students who excelled as student advocates in written and oral advocacy activities and competitions—moot court, mock trial, and ADR.” Only 10 students can be selected each year.
Class of 2023 inductees: Salem Amare, Megan C. Bodenhamer, Ellie Halfacre, Katie Justison, George Leahy, Julian Miller, Shakuan Smith, Jon-Paul Suttile, Jordan Vandersole, and Allie Zunski
ACADEMIC AWARDS
ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in Health Law
This award recognizes outstanding performance in the study of health law.
Class of 2023 recipient: Kristen Michelle Bahnson
ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Intellectual Property Law
Faculty who teach intellectual property choose the award recipient for his or her outstanding performance in this area of study.
Class of 2023 recipient: Carly LaForge
ABA State and Local Government Law Award
This award, whose recipient is chosen by faculty who teach land use and local government law, recognizes outstanding performance in this area of study.
Class of 2023 recipient: Karlin Foor
American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) Medal of Excellence Award
This award recognizes outstanding performance in bankruptcy law.
Class of 2023 recipient: Monica O’Donnell
ALI-CLE Scholarship & Leadership Award
This award recognizes students who best exemplify a combination of scholarship and leadership.
Class of 2023 recipient: Zois Manaris
Carter Kaplan & Co. International Financial Law Award
This award recognizes student excellence in international financial law.
Class of 2023 recipient: Clara M. Davis
Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Clinical Student Award
Recognizes excellence in clinic fieldwork and exceptionally thoughtful, self-reflective participation in an accompanying clinic seminar, as nominated by the clinical faculty at William and Mary Law School.
Class of 2023 recipient: Ian Slingsby
Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Award
Recognizes the valuable work for justice that law students do through externships and provides schools the opportunity to nominate an outstanding and self-reflective externship student for CLEA’s recognition.
Class of 2023 recipient: Krishant Dania
John E. Donaldson Tax Award
Named in honor of John E. Donaldson, the Ball Professor Emeritus who taught for 35 years at William & Mary Law School, this award goes to the most outstanding tax student or students.
Class of 2023 recipient: Brian Messing
Award for Excellence in International Law
Class of 2023 recipients: Melissa Box and Nancy Rosen
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.
Class of 2023 recipient: Zois Manaris
John G. Kruchko Award in Labor and Employment Law
The generosity of the Baltimore-based firm of Kruchko & Fries makes possible the annual recognition of a graduating student or students who have excelled in labor law and employment relations. The recipient is selected by faculty who specialize in this area of law.
Class of 2023 recipient: Clara M. Davis
Lewis B. Puller, Jr., Veterans Benefits Clinic Award for Excellence (Bozman Award)
Presented in honor of Captain Raymond E. Bozman, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy (in memoriam) & Jeffrey T. Bozman J.D. ’12 U.S. Marine Corps, 2005-2009. The Bozman Award recognizes outstanding character, leadership, and service to the Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic.
Class of 2023 recipient: Maggie Reach
National Association of Women Lawyers Award
This award recognizes a student or students who have 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.
Class of 2023 recipient: Lauren Fernandez
Virginia Trial Lawyers Award
This award recognizes a graduating student, or students, for excellence in trial advocacy skills.
Class of 2023 recipient: Salem Amare
LL.M. AWARDS
Graduate Outstanding Community Member Award
Class of 2023 recipient: Yue (Zoey) Zhang (LL.M.)
Graduate Legal Excellence in Writing Award
Class of 2023 recipient: Gozdenur Ur (LL.M.)
Graduate Legal Excellence Award
Class of 2023 recipient: Andra Tofan (LL.M.)
LAW JOURNALS
William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Best Note
Class of 2023 recipient: Hannah Robertson
William & Mary Environmental Law & Policy Review Award for Outstanding Member
Class of 2023 recipient: Alex Boone
William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, Thomas Jefferson Prize
Class of 2023 recipient: Jordan Pollard
William & Mary Business Law Review, Best Student Note
Class of 2023 recipient: George Leahy
William & Mary Business Law Review, Outstanding Member
Class of 2023 recipient: Taylor Ogelsby
William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice, Best Student Note
Class of 2023 recipient: Angela Tiangco
William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice, Outstanding Member
Class of 2023 recipient: Valerie Brankovic
William & Mary Law Review, Best Student Note
Class of 2023 recipient: Zois Manaris
PROFESSIONALISM AWARDS
Gambrell Professionalism Award
This award honors students who best represent professionalism, public service, integrity, and dedication to the improvement of lawyering skills.
Class of 2023 recipients: Jeff Baek, Megan Bodenhamer, Colin Brady, Clara Davis, Sarah Fisher, Matthew Griffin, Alexa Halkias, Katie Halkias, Darian Kanouff, David Keyes, Carly Laforge, Zois Manaris, Matthew Martin, Tyler Miller, Katy Naef, Anna Rhoads, Kelsie “Elle” Shipley, Daniel Wicklund, and Jason Winston
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.
Class of 2023 recipient: Katey Naef
SERVICE AWARDS
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.
Class of 2023 recipients: Melissa Box, Sylvanna Gross, Linda “Ellie” Halfacre, Tim Intelisano, Zois Manaris, Katy Naef, Kelsie “Elle” Shipley, Shakuan Smith, Angela Tiangco, Alexandra Wallach, and Ting Zhu.
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.
Class of 2023 recipient: Linda Halfacre
Honor Council Recognition
The following member of the class was recognized for participating with distinction on the Honor Council: Zois Manaris
Student Bar Association Recognition
This recognition is awarded to members of the class who have participated with distinction within the SBA.
Certificates were presented to Maddie Braman, Ashali Chimata, Ana Franzoni, Sylvanna Gross, Zachary Hassan, Tim Intelisano, Jam Jamison, Carter McCants, Jordon Pollard, Faith Parker, Rebecca Roberts, Rachel Rogers, Michael Martinez, Rachel Sleiman, Joe Slattery, Kelsey Vita, and Allie Wallach
William & Mary Public Service Awards
Members of each graduating class who have distinguished themselves through volunteer service to clients, organizations, and causes that better their communities are recognized with William & Mary Public Service Awards.
Class of 2023 honorees: Turki Albalawi (LL.M.), Salem Amare, Jeffrey Bauer, Eric Beinhart, Sharon Blevins, Megan Bodenhamer, Alex Boone, Austin Bower, Melissa Box, Madelyn Braman, Valerie Brankovic, Grayson Campbell, Devin Carter, Ashali Chimata, Enaita Chopra, Julia Clements, Andrew Coccoli, Danielle Cosimo-Bradfield, Krishant Dania, Michael Davis, Adam Davis, Vincent DiDonato, Alexandru Doncea, Kathleen Dopkin, Matthew Dorritie, Cullen Enabnit, Ghalia Estaiteyeh, Geraldine Ezinwa (LL.M.), Sarah Fisher, Carlton Fowler, Claire Gaposchkin, Kristen Gartner, Sylvanna Gross, Samaher Hakami (LL.M.), Linda Halfacre, Alexa Halkias, Kathryn Halkias, Hao Han (LL.M.), Lauryn Hardy, Zachary Hassan, Emily Hawkins, Daniel Hillshafer, Anna Jacobeen, Jam Jamison, Madeline Jatczak, Ruth Jones, Emily Kabalin, Darian Kanouff, Catherine Kelly, Charleigh Kondas, David Kriebel, Ruolan Lin, Xinyi Lin (LL.M.), Peng Liu (LL.M.), Matt Martin, Marcel Massarani, Jeremiah Meadows, Tyler Miller, Lydia Mrowiec, Katherine Naef, Victoria Nauman, Kelsey Nickerson, Monica O’Donnell, Harlin Oh, Faith Parker, Nicole Pasho, Stephanie Perry, Katharine Priegues, Peter Quinn, Olivia Ragoowansi, Hannah Robertson, Casey Sawyer, Andrew Scaglione, Shannon Schmidt, Noah Sellars, Elle Shipley, Connor Skelly, Rachel Sleiman, Marc Sloan, Elizabeth Sockwell, Amanda Stevenson, Jon Paul Suttile, Angela Louise Tiangco, Andra Tofan (LL.M.), Cooper Vorel, Alexandra Wallach, Chelsea Wang, Becca White, David Wilde, Zhao Xu (LL.M.), Donghai Yu, Yue Zhang (LL.M.), Ting Zhu (LL.M.), Weston Zielke, Alanna Zunski, and William Zurbo
About William & Mary Law School
Thomas Jefferson founded William & Mary Law School in 1779 to train leaders for the new nation. Now in its third century, America's first law school continues its historic mission of educating citizen lawyers who are prepared both to lead and to serve.