2007 UB Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Awards

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy welcomes everyone and focuses on the printed program: its information, tributes, and recipient commentary. He then introduces individuals seated on the dais: Laurie Bloom, Mary Penn, Richard Lipsitz, Fredrick Attea, Margaret Wong, Mark Cho, Hon. Thomas Van Strydonck, Rob Boreanaz, Ilene Fleischman, Lucinda Finley, Judge Jeanette Ogden, William Mathias, Alan Carroll, Peggy Grycko, and Dean Nils Olsen. McCoy marks the passing of Prof. Milton Kaplan and Dean Jacob Hyman, both of whom had distinguished careers and contributed to the Law School. He points again to the printed program for its comments on both of these individuals, and then introduces Dean Olsen to the podium. Dean Olsen thanks administrators, faculty, and alumni for their kindness, friendship, generosity, and support, reporting that "we're fifth among public law schools in terms of alumni support," adding that, "The reason the Law School is so great is because of your accomplishments." "What's best," he states, "is that we can have a dinner like this and attract 500 people to honor the man who asks you for money every year."

Keywords: Accomplishments; Alumni; Alumni Association; Contributions; Reputation

Subjects: UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy thanks Lauren and Jean Rachlin for their generosity in support of the OHP. He welcomes Rob Boreanaz, Co-Chair of the Oral History Project, to the podium. The other Co-Chair is Judge Ogden. Rob Boreanaz opens by praising Judge Ogden as the driving force behind this committee; always tirelessly working; always dedicated. He then focuses on the concept of stories as it relates to his development in the practice of law, stating that it's important for young lawyers to have that opportunity as well. He reports that the aim of the project is to capture distinguished individuals of the Law School and the legal community who can record their insight, perspective, and advice so it can be retrieved in the future. He refers briefly to the Westlaw legal resource as analogous to UB Law Alumni's Oral History Project in it's ease of information retrieval through key terms. He provides several examples, accompanied by brief recorded clips. He refers to the project as a valuable source of history of the legal community that will continue to grow. The goal is to have it readily accessible at the downtown Law Library and on the Internet. He implores everyone present to take advantage of it.

Keywords: Advice; Computers / Technology; Law School History; Practice

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy praises event Co-Chairs Laurie Bloom and Mary Penn. Laurie Bloom recognizes the firms, Law School friends, and family of award recipients who have provided support as patrons of the dinner: The Barnes Firm, Brown & Kelly, Collucci & Gallaher, Conners & Mallardo, Delaware North Company, Carter, Seacrest, & Emory, Hiscock & Barclay, Hodgson Russ, Jaeckle, Fleischmann, & Mugel, Kavinoky Cook, Francis M. Letro Attorneys at Law, Lippes, Mathias, Wexler, & Friedman, the Lipsitz family, Lipsitz, Greene, Scime, & Cambria, The Minority Bar Association, Nixon Peabody, Phillips Lytle, and the UB Office of Alumni Relations. She thanks the aforementioned for their support. On behalf of the UB Law Alumni Association, Mary Penn acknowledges the following corporate underwriters: (Platinum) Alan Fenster Associates, Lipsitz, Green, Scime, & Cambria, M & T Bank; (Gold) National Fuel; (Silver) Bar Association of Erie County, United Graphics, SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Business First, Buffalo Law Journal, The Daily Record, The McCue Group; (Bronze) Batavia Legal Printing, Brisbane Consulting Group, LLC, Desmond Biltecoff Group - Merrill Lynch, Forge Consulting, LLC, Insty Prints, Lawley Service Insurance Group, Law Office of Lindy Korn, Plexus Nexus, R L Sonnenberger Land Surveyors, Terry Barnes, Esq, Thompson West, Ticor Title Insurance Company, United Corporate Services, Inc., WNY Chapter of the Women's Bar Assn. of NYS, and Dennis McCoy.

Keywords: Alumni; Alumni Association; Contributions; Law Firms; Practitioners and Faculty; Relationship with UB Law

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy acknowledges and thanks the Dinner Committee: Gloria, Mary, Hillary Banker, Rich DiJocomo, Gail Eagan, David Flynn, Dan O'Brien, R J Staple, Kevin Sypanski, and Mark Warren. Dennis McCoy recognizes and thanks individuals involved with the Alumni Association -- Staff: Pat Warrington, Amy Hypnawoski, and Cynthia Watts; its Officers and current Directors. He welcomes new board directors, Mark Brown, Terry Gilbride, Bob Fieri, Catherine Nagel, David Folcraft, Jr., Charlie Roberts, and Mark Skilmillen; GOLD Group Directors: Jessica Baker, Jennifer McCann, and Jocia Smith. Significant Alumni Anniversaries: Class of 1947, celebrating their 60th Anniversary and the Class of 1957, celebrating their 50th. Members who have paid their dues display a gold star on their name tags.

Keywords: Alumni; Alumni Association; Continuing Role; Contributions; Relationship with UB Law

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy remarks on the importance of alumni support through donations of time and talent. He presents the first award to the Hon. Thomas Van Strydonck, "committed to excellence and fair treatment of all", the central themes in the life of Thomas Van Strydonk. McCoy recalls meeting and becoming acquainted with Van Strydonck in Monroe County, and outlines his career trajectory there along with his volunteer work in that county. In 1998, he was elected Justice of the NYS Supreme Court for the Seventh Judicial District and in 2000 he was appointed Administrative Judge of that District. McCoy returns to Van Strydonck's Naval service and subsequent completion of his Law School education, then presents the Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award for the Judiciary.

Keywords: Alumni; Alumni Association; Career / Early; Career / Professional Experience; Community Service; Elections; Judiciary; Legal Community; NYS Supreme Court

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Mary Penn presents the Alumni Association's Award for Private Practice to Margaret W. Wong of Cleveland. Coming from Hong Kong in 1969, she attended UB Law on scholarship, graduating in 1976. Passing the Bar Exam, she was hired by the City of Buffalo as a Legal and Financial Officer. She moved to Cleveland, briefly joined a law firm, then established her own independent law practice. Coming full circle, she practices immigration law, helping other start a new life in the U.S. Margaret W. Wong & Associates has grown to six attorneys with 35 other staff members, with offices in Cleveland, Columbus, and Detroit. Mary Penn outlines Wong's work ethic, family, and community life. She has won philanthropic awards in Cleveland and is a member of UB Law School's Dean's Advisory Committee, has served as President of the Cleveland Chapter of the Federal Bar Assn., and serves on the Racial Taskforce of the Ohio Supreme Court. The Award is presented fer Wong's leadership as a private practitioner.

Keywords: American Bar Association; Bar Admissions and Exams; Choosing UB Law School; Community Service; Law Firms; Legal Community; Practice; Practitioners and Faculty

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW AS STUDENT; UB LAW: GENDER

Segment Synopsis: Rob Boreanaz presents the Community Service Award to Richard Lipsitz, who enjoys the admiration and respect of his professional associates and the community at large, having served as a lawyer for nearly 60 years, representing labor unions for nearly all of that time. Boreanaz particularly admires his ability to work with young people, imparting his skill and knowledge to young lawyers. He is thought of the Godfather of Labor Law in Upstate NY. His devotion to community service organizations is long term. Boreanaz praises his marriage to Rita for nearly 60 years. In the 1950's Dick defended individuals persecuted during the McCarthy era, successfully represented before the Supreme Court, a group of public employees challenging the constitutionality of the State University at Buffalo's requirement that they execute an oath of loyalty. Boreanaz praises Lipsitz's accomplishments and awards and is current President of the Coalition for Economic Justice.

Keywords: Career / Professional Experience; Community Service; Labor; Law Firms; Mentors; US Supreme Court

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy praises Vice Dean Alan Carrel as epitomizing the word 'developer', characterizing Carrel's career as one of growth and progress. Every institution and person he's been involved with has experienced significant growth and progress because of him. Graduating in 1964 from Hamilton College, he received his Juris Doctorate in 1969 from UB Law where he was on the Editorial Board for Buffalo Law Review. He practiced law for 11 years with Rosen, Gasinow, Robbins, Rich, & Carrell. In 1978, at the request of Tom Headrick and Bill Greiner, he joined the Law School. Alan Carrell has served on the Board of Planned Parenthood of WNY, as President of the Jewish Federation of Housing, the Advisory Board of People, Inc., and the Niagara Frontier Vocational Rehabilitation Center. He has served on the Boards of Temple Beth Zion, the Jewish Federation of Greater Buffalo, NYS Continuing Legal Education Program, Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, and Volunteer Lawyers Project. . He served as the Deputy of the President of U/B. He's served on the Executive Committee of the American Assn. of Law School's Advancement Section. He has contributed to the Women's Bar Assn.of WNY Chapter and the Bar Assn. of Erie County on various committees. McCoy delivers an overview of Carrell's Law School accomplishments. McCoy lists Alan Carrell's many unique accomplishments over his 29 years at UB Law School, then reports on Carrell raising $8.5- million of the $12.5-million dollars contributed to the Law School in the recent capital campaign, he designed and created the only annual fund program at UB run by an individual school rather than the university. Of the $900,000 raised last year, Alan personally solicited over $600,000. Dennis reports that Alan's wife Susan and his family are his spiritual core. He is a prized asset of our NY community and a vital member of our Alumni Association and our Law School family. Dennis McCoy reports that Alan's wife Susan and his family are his spiritual core. He is a prized asset of our NY community and a vital member of our Alumni Association and our Law School family.

Keywords: Alumni; Alumni Association; Buffalo Law Review; Community Involvement; Community Service; Faculty / Professors; Law Professor; Legal Community; Practice; Practitioners and Faculty

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW FACULTY; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Buffalo native, Bill Mathias, completed undergraduate studies at Univ. of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and then attended UB Law School, graduating in 1971, and has been practicing Business Law ever since. He worked at Jaeckle Fleischmann as an Associate for four years, and a Partner for eight years, before joining Lippes, Silverstein, Mathias, & Wexler, a boutique firm dedicated to Business Law. He is currently the firm's managing partner, advising clients on the formation and financing of business entities, representing commercial lenders and borrowers in connection with secured loan transactions and workouts. Two of his major projects were the Buffalo Hyatt Regency and HSBC Arena. Bill Mathias married a Univ. of Penn. classmate from NYC. They have three sons and four grandchildren. He has served as Chair of the Law School's Annual Fund, is Past Director of the UB Law Alumni Association, and a long-time member of the Dean's Advisory Council.

Keywords: Alumni; Alumni Association; Career / Professional Experience; Community Service; Law Firms; Legal Community; Relationship with UB Law; UB Law School general

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Fred Attea is being honored for his service to the Law School as a non-Alumni. He graduated from Fordham Law School in 1964 and has been an avid and long-time supporter of UB Law School. He handles securities and corporate matters at Phillips Lytle, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and healthcare law. He is a founding member of the Dean's Law School Advisory Council, continuing in that position today. Working closely with Peter Pitegoff and Lauren Greene in bringing together two dozen leading state and national experts in nonprofit corporation law as a critical step toward comprehensive review of the NY Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. Fred is also involved on many boards and councils, including his membership on Canisius College's Board of Directors for the Center of Entrepreneurship, the Advisory Board for the NYS Bar Association Business Law Journal, and serves as Chair or Co-Chair of numerous State Bar Committees. Fred is also involved on many boards and councils, including his membership on Canisius College's Board of Directors for the Center of Entrepreneurship, the Advisory Board for the NYS Bar Association Business Law Journal, and serves as Chair or Co-Chair of numerous State Bar Committees. He was a member of Gov. Pataki's Corporation's Advisory Taskforce and has worked for decades to obtain passage of corporate governance laws that are both sound and fair. He currently serves on the Boards of Artpark and the Kavinoky Theatre, the Bishop's Lay and Advisory Committee, the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese Buffalo Board of Trustees, and other local and regional boards. Laurie reports on Fred's hobbies, pastimes, his unique method of painting his cellar stairs, and on his family.

Keywords: Bar Association; Canisius College; Continuing Role; Contributions; Relationship with UB Law; UB Law School general

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS

Segment Synopsis: Dennis McCoy expresses the Law School Alumni Association's appreciation to Ilene Fleischmann for more than twenty years of "tireless and exemplary service".

Keywords: Alumni Association; Contributions; UB Law School general

Subjects: UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS