Exceptional Alumni Honored at 2026 Dean’s Council Dinner

The 2026 Dean’s Council dinner was held Saturday, April 25 at Kingsmill Resort. The annual event recognizes those who made a gift to the Law School of at least $2,500 during the calendar year and honors the recipients of the Taylor Reveley and Citizen Lawyer alumni awards.  

The night included remarks from Dean A. Benjamin Spencer, Foundation Board Chair Catherine Marriott ’86, Alumni Association Board Past President Stephanie Rever Chu ’92, second-year law student Breanca White and each of the award recipients.  

The 2025 Taylor Reveley Award, which recognizes an alumnus/a who graduated in the past 10 years and who personifies the citizen lawyer ethos, was given to J. Nicole Medved ’18. Following her graduation, Medved spent five years with the Law School’s Immigration Clinic, first as a Fellow and then as Professor of the Practice. She and her students successfully argued life-changing cases for immigrants throughout Hampton Roads. Medved now works as a Senior Supervising Workers’ Rights Attorney at the Legal Aid Justice Center in Norfolk, Virginia, where she represents workers in civil cases, educates workers on their rights and represents survivors of labor trafficking.  

In her remarks, Medved emphasized the “ripple effects” made by financial contributions to the Law School. Each gift sustains the Law School’s mission to train lawyers who serve their clients and communities, shape the legal system and pursue justice.   

“You’ll never meet my clients, but they all know freedom, safety, security and even prosperity in the United States because of the opportunities you made possible by supporting students like me, and students like my students,” Medved said.  

The Honorable Rebecca Beach Smith ’79 was presented with the 2025 Citizen Lawyer Award, which recognizes exemplary civic-minded alumni who graduated more than 10 years ago. Smith has an extensive legal career, having served as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia since 1989, when she became the first female federal judge in Virginia. Smith served as Chief Judge for the Eastern District from 2011 to 2018 and assumed status of Senior United States District Judge in 2019. She previously served as a United States Magistrate Judge from 1985 to 1989 and practiced with the Norfolk, Virginia law firm Wilcox and Savage, P.C.  

The 2026 Citizen Lawyer Award was given posthumously to Jessica Diane Aber ’06 and accepted on her behalf by her partner, Michael Dry ’02. Aber passed away in March 2025. From 2021 to 2025, she served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where she prosecuted many high-profile cases involving national security and international crime. In his remarks, Dry shared that Aber’s dedication to civic leadership went beyond her position as a federal attorney—she regularly participated in small acts of service that strengthened her community. She believed in the importance of the rule of law and her duty to seek justice. She believed in the power of the legal system to make a positive impact in society.   

“The way to honor Jessica Aber is not just to remember her,” Dry said. “It is to rebuild what she believed in. To restore the trust she spent her career earning, one community at a time. To produce lawyers who understand that the law is not a weapon and not a ladder. It is a promise. A promise we make to each other as a people. Jess kept that promise every day she was alive.”  

Following the presentation of the awards, law student Breanca White offered an address about the importance of building a culture of philanthropy at the Law School. A scholarship recipient herself, White shared how donor support has enabled her to pursue her passions and answer her calling. Although not yet a lawyer, White fully embraces the citizen lawyer identity, serving in numerous capacities throughout the Law School, “not for recognition, simply because this is who I am.”  

White continued, “Serving others is not easy. I recognize your sacrifice. I recognize your dedication, and as I stand here tonight, I hope you recognize the reward your generosity makes possible. I hope too that, like me, you find yourselves growing through the act of giving, evolving as you contribute to the next generation of citizen lawyers.” 

Members of the Dean’s Council and other Law School giving societies are crucial pillars of the Law School’s work to educate and inspire future citizen lawyers. By helping build a culture of philanthropy, donors ensure that the future of the Law School and its students remains bright. Thank you to all those who continue to give back. Any gift, of any size and to any designation, supports the Law School’s vital mission.