2024 Convocation Awards

Academic Awards, Overall Achievement Awards, and Awards for Service to the Law School


Convocation awards are given to graduating JD and LLM students who have excelled in their overall scholarship or in community service while at the Law School. 

You may view more details about each award below:

ACADEMIC AWARDS
Category Award Award Description Recipient
Academic Awards Martin Lipton University Graduation Prize To the student with the highest academic average based on five semesters. Madison Lahey
Academic Awards Law Review Alumni Association Award To the student with the second-highest academic average based on five semesters. Pieter C. Brower
Academic Awards Law Review Alumni Association Award To the student with the third-highest academic average based on five semesters. Krishnan Sethumadhavan
Academic Awards David H. Moses Memorial Prize To the member of the LLM class with the highest academic average.

To Be Announced Post-Convocation

(2023 Recipient)
Xinyue Ji

SCHOLARSHIP & ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS (JD only)

Successful nominees for the overall achievement awards will typically have a GPA of 3.5 or above or demonstrate academic excellence by earning an A+ in one or more courses.

Category Award Award Description Recipients:
Overall Achievement Benjamin F. Butler Memorial Award For exemplary distinction in scholarship, character, and integrity. In addition to superior academic achievement, the recipient demonstrates exemplary character and integrity during their time at NYU School of Law.

Zachary B. Becker
Madison Lahey

Overall Achievement George P. Foulk Memorial Award For distinguished academic performance and extracurricular activities.  In addition to excellence in academic endeavors, the recipient demonstrates exceptional leadership in their extracurricular professional endeavors at NYU School of Law and/or in the legal community Erica Liu
Sean M. Uribe
Overall Achievement Maurice Goodman Memorial Prize For outstanding academic achievement and scholarship. This recipient demonstrates their passion for the law through intense study of a subject area resulting in publication in a scholarly journal. The recipient exhibits the promise to become a thought leader within the legal community. Mark Min Seong Kim
Michael C. Mallet
Overall Achievement Frank H. Sommer Memorial Award For exceptional distinction in scholarship and professional excellence. This award is for a student who has achieved exceptional academic distinction and demonstrated professional excellence through participation in community or extracurricular activities. Krishnan Sethumadhavan
Sophia Annalise Young

VANDERBILT MEDALS AND DEAN JOHN SEXTON PRIZE (JD & LLM, Service to the Law School)

Vanderbilt Medals and the Dean John Sexton Prize are designed to recognize students who have made a significant contribution to our community. Specifically, Vanderbilt Medals are given to several students for "outstanding contributions to the School of Law" and the Dean John Sexton Prize to a "law student whose outstanding service to the Law School community exemplifies the values of Dean Sexton."

Category Award Award Description Recipient(s):
Community Service Vanderbilt Medals For outstanding contributions to the NYU School of Law. This award is for students especially active in the Law School or the greater legal community. These students distinguish themselves through leadership in student organizations, community organizations and/or public service initiatives. Like its namesake, former Dean Arthur Vanderbilt, these recipients demonstrate leadership and vision in their endeavors during their time at the Law School.

Mumtaz Abdulhussein, JD
Emma Barudi, JD
Jared A. Bedell, JD
Benjamin J. Carlin, JD
Brian Chen, JD
Sanjay Dureseti, JD
Helen Griffiths, JD
Mariana C. Lopez, JD
Lauren Elizabeth May, JD
Evan Michael Meisler, JD
Natasha Menon, JD
Milena de Souza Lozano Monteiro, LLM
Jessica Marie Moore, JD
Eva-Marie Quinones, JD
Ashley Nicole Williams, JD
 

Community Service Dean John Sexton Prize To a law student whose outstanding community service to the NYU School of Law exemplifies the values of Dean Sexton. This award is for the student who clearly demonstrates a love for the Law School. Like Dean Sexton, this student’s time at the Law School was spent building community and fostering relationships across varying groups of people. The recipient continues the tradition of warmth, collegiality, and community within the Law School fostered by Dean Sexton.   Yvonne A. Diabene
Robert McCarthy

 

SUBJECT AREA & SPECIALIZATION AWARDS (JD & LLM)

Subject area awards are conferred for outstanding achievement in various fields of law. These awards are based on scholarly or other excellence of the type described and can include superior quality work on a paper or note.

Category Award Award Description Recipient(s):
Administrative Administrative Law Prize To a student who has demonstrated excellence in the field of administrative law. Corban G. Ryan
Antitrust Betty Bock Prize in Competition Policy To a graduating student who has produced an outstanding paper in the field of antitrust law and policy, with preference given to a paper of excellence not only in theory and concept but also in the tradition of taking facts seriously. Jackson K. Maxwell
Civil Procedure Weinfeld Prize for Scholarship in Procedure and Courts Designated by the dean for distinguished scholarship in the area of federal courts, civil procedure and practice, evidence and/or trial practice. Charles Hill
Clinic Christian Jarecki '98 Memorial Prize For outstanding work and commitment in a law clinic. Aleksandra Topczewska
Clinic Ann Petluck Poses Memorial Prize Designated by the dean in recognition of outstanding work in a clinical course requiring student practice.

Patrick G. Archer, JD
David L. Barenholtz, JD
Mara Blumentstein, JD
Lizzy Cheshire, JD
Blair Childs-Biscoe, JD
Kate Evans, JD
Alijah Futterman, JD
Addison Jeske, JD
Rachel Ann Marandett, JD
Helina M. Meressa, JD
Peter Rawlings, JD
Joshua Z. Rose, JD
Ry M. Walker, JD
Yanan Wang, JD
Jeremy Zullow, LLM

Comparative Howard Greenberger Award For outstanding achievement in the area of comparative law. Mark Min Seong Kim
Competition, Innovation, and Information Frank T. Diersen Prize For distinction in the LLM Competition, Innovation and Information Law program. Qian Wei Lum
Constitutional Leonard M. Henkin Prize For an article or note on the equal rights portion of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Ryan Shaffer
Constitutional Robert B. McKay Prize in Constitutional Law** To a student who has demonstrated excellence in constitutional law throughout their years at the NYU School of Law. Hannah Walser
Contracts Daniel G. Collins Prize To a member of the graduating class who has demonstrated excellence in the area of contract law. Awarded Post-Convocation
Corporate Compliance and Enforcement Corporate Compliance and Enforcement Prize To a student who has demonstrated excellence in the areas of corporate compliance, corporate enforcement, or individual liability for corporate crime or regulatory violations. Berke B. Gursoy, JD
Hector Correa-Gaviria, JD
Zihan Zheng, LLM
 
Corporation George Colin Award
 
For distinction in the LLM Corporation Law program. Ifeatu Onyekonwu
Criminal Jim Goldfarb '72 Criminal Defense Award To the JD student who best embodies the spirit and values of Jim Goldfarb '72 through their commitment and work towards social justice through Criminal Defense. Kaya A. Lawrence
Criminal Judge Abraham Lieberman Award For outstanding scholarship in the area of criminal law. Morgan Elizabeth Hylton-Farrington
Economics Law and Economics Prize To a student who has demonstrated excellence in the area of law and economics. Andrew G. Lin
Employment NYU Center for Labor and Employment Prize For excellence in employment and employee benefits law. Amelia Goldberg
Jackson Maxwell
Larissa Medeiros Rocha
Peter Rawlings
Entertainment Jack J. Katz Memorial Award To a student who has demonstrated excellence in the field of entertainment law. Amanda Elizabeth Cort
Benjamin A. Goldstein
Environmental Environmental Law Prize To a student who has demonstrated excellence in the field of environmental law. Olivia Nohealani Guarna
Corban G. Ryan
Environmental Environmental Law Prize For distinction in the LLM Environmental Law program.

Awarded Post-Convocation
(2023 Recipient) Elisabeth T. McMorris

Ethics Leonard J. Schreier Memorial Prize To a law student who has exhibited academic excellence in the area of ethics. Sajid R. Ahsan
Celine Tseng

Evidence
David Friedman Memorial Award For outstanding achievement in evidence. Kelsey A. Muniz
Apurva Panse
Human Rights International Human Rights Award To a student with an outstanding academic record in the field of international human rights law. Awarded Post-Convocation
 
IBRLA International Business Regulation, Litigation, and Arbitration Award For distinction in the IBRLA program. Awarded Post-Convocation
Intellectual Property Walter J. Derenberg For outstanding achievement in the area of intellectual property law. Kaitlyn Ezell
International Jerome Lipper Award For distinction in the LLM International Legal Studies program. Sadhika Gulati
Jeremy Zullow

(2023 Recipients)
Lucy Alexandra Forbes
Jessica Palairet
International Jerome Lipper Prize For outstanding work in the field of international law. Beth Kelley
Mark Min Seong Kim
Jewish/Israeli Relations Chuna David and Rose Estreicher Memorial Prize To a law student who has shown the greatest promise in the study of issues confronting the Jewish/Israeli peoples. Judah Bernstein, JD
Vanessa Hites, LLM
LACA Clinical Service Convocation Award Awarded to a graduating member of APALSA, BALSA, LaLSA, MELSA, or SALSA who is an outstanding member of a clinic, has proven their dedication to public service, and plans to pursue a career in public interest law. Kendell Long
LACA Kim Barry '98 Memorial Convocation Prize Awarded to a graduating member of APALSA, BALSA, LaLSA, MELSA, or SALSA who has demonstrated a commitment to international and human rights work and exhibits academic excellence in the best tradition of Kim Barry. Elizabeth Hope Choo
LACA Public Service Convocation Prize Awarded to a graduating member of APALSA, BALSA, LaLSA, MELSA, or SALSA who has proven their dedication to public service and who plans to pursue a career in public interest law. Vanessa N. Holman
Kaya A. Lawrence
LACA Calisha Myers '15 Memorial Convocation Award

Awarded to a graduating JD member of the AnBryce Scholarship Program, Law Review, APALSA, BALSA, LaLSA, MELSA, SALSA, or Women of Color Collective (WoCC) who exemplifies the values and ideals by which Calisha lived her life at NYU Schoo Law School—leadership, humility, mentorship, and community service.

Janet Gahyun Lee
Law and Business Charles D. Klein '63 Law and Business Award For demonstrated excellence in combining the analysis of legal issues and business issues. Malanie Shapsis, JD
Michael Plataniotis, LLM
Law and Business NYU Pollack Center for Law and Business SEED Award for Original Research For excellence in self-directed research utilizing the NYU Securities Enforcement Empirical Database. Zihan Chai
Ryan Huck
Law and Social Enterprise White & Case Award in Law & Social Entrepreneurship
 

For academic excellence and demonstration of a strong commitment to the field of law and social entrepreneurship.

Julia H. Spencer, JD
Mansi Srivastava, LLM
Law Education Aleta Estreicher Graduation Prize To the JD student who best displays the potential for effective, dedicated, humane law teaching in the spirit of Professor Aleta G. Estreicher (Bryn Mawr '70, Columbia Law School '81).  Erica Liu
Law Women/ WoCC Jeannie Forrest Women in Leadership Award To a graduating student member of Law Women or the Women of Color Collective who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and initiative during their time at NYU School of Law.

Mumtaz Abdulhussein

LLM George Colin Award For distinction in the Traditional LLM program.
 
Tom Allchurch
Philosophy John Bruce Moore Award To a third-year JD student who has demonstrated excellence in the area of law and philosophy. Giavanna LaGamba
Public Service Eric Dean Bender Prize For a third-year student who has demonstrated a working commitment to a public service-oriented cause or project outside of and separate from NYU School of Law commitments.

Kaya A. Lawrence

Public Service Public Interest Prize for LLMs For an LLM student who has demonstrated a clear commitment to a public service-oriented cause or project outside of and separate from any NYU School of Law or admission requirement.

Uzma Sherieff

Race Relations Gary E. Moncrieffe Award To the most outstanding student in the area of racism and the law. Awarded Post-Convocation
Real Estate Morris R. Henkin Prize To a student who has demonstrated excellence in the area of real estate. Alec Nadeau
Rights of People with Disabilities Jessica Klurfeld Prize Awarded annually for an excellent student paper or clinical work concerning the rights of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Tamara Matheson-Holmgren

Social Justice Holly Maguigan Social Justice Award For the member of the graduating JD class with demonstrated potential and passion for advocating on behalf of vulnerable populations and advancing gender, class, and racial justice. Madeleine E. Muzdakis
Sports and Entertainment Larry Fleisher Memorial Foundation Prize For extraordinary achievement in the area of sports and entertainment law. Matthew Picon
Taxation
 
David F. Bradford Memorial Prize
 
To a student who has written the best paper in the field of taxation.

Awarded Post-Convocation

(2023 Recipient)
Takato Masuda

Taxation Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Award For distinction in the LLM International Tax program. Valentin Bendlinger
Taxation Harry J. Rudick Memorial Award To a JD student who has demonstrated excellence in taxation throughout their years at NYU School of Law. Nicolas Andrews
Zachary B. Becker
Alexandra M. Haver
Taxation Harry J. Rudick Memorial Award For distinction in the LLM Tax Program. Brennan Heyer
Madison Connolly Koffler
JOURNAL/MOOT COURT AWARDS
Journal Award Award Description Recipient(s):
Annual Survey of American Law Philip F. Cohen Award For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Annual Survey of American Law during the past year. Callen Thomas DiGiovanni
Annual Survey of American Law Seymour A. Levy Memorial Award To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Annual Survey of American Law. Pieter C. Brower
Annual Survey of American Law Norma Z. Paige Prize For the greatest contribution by an articles editor to the Annual Survey of American Law during the past year. Isabel Anna Feuer
Environmental Law Journal Sive, Paget and Riesel Environmental Law Journal Award For outstanding contribution to the Environmental Law Journal by a third-year editor. Olivia Nohealani Guarna
Journal of International Law and Politics Journal of International Law and Politics Prize For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Journal of International Law and Politics. Sruthi P. Rao
Journal of International Law and Politics Journal of International Law and Politics Prize To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Journal of International Law and Politics. Beth Kelley
Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Prize For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law. Alexis M. Biegen
Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Prize To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law. Charles Hill
Journal of Law and Business Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Journal of Law & Business during the past year. Andrew G. Lin
Journal of Law and Business Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Journal of Law & Business. No 2024 Recipient
Journal of Law and Business NYU Pollack Center for Law and Business Award for Journal Achievement To a graduating editor and member of the Board of Editors, who has contributed to the Journal of Law & Business in an outstanding manner during the third year. Brett Leigh Edelblum
Journal of Law and Business NYU Pollack Center for Law and Business Award for Journal Distinction To a graduating editor, other than a senior editor, who has contributed to the Journal of Law & Business in an outstanding manner during the third year. Benjamin J. Carlin
Journal of Law and Liberty Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Journal of Law & Liberty. Preston M. Smith
Journal of Law and Liberty Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize To the graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Journal of Law & Liberty. No 2024 Recipient
Journal of Legislation and Public Policy Thomas Stoddard Award For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Journal of Legislation and Public Policy. Emma Barudi
Journal of Legislation and Public Policy Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Journal of Legislation and Public Policy. Aditya Trivedi
Law Review Edmond Cahn Law Review Award To a third-year editor other than a senior editor who has contributed to the Law Review in an outstanding fashion during the third year. Christopher Kim
Law Review Morton Geller Award To a third-year editor other than a senior editor who has contributed to the Law Review in an outstanding fashion during the third year. Talya Rose Nevins
Law Review Paul D. Kaufman Memorial Award To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Law Review. Colin Heath
Law Review Judge Rose L. and Herbert Rubin Law Review Prize To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Law Review in international, commercial, or public law. Jackson Maxwell
Moot Court Board Chief Judge Judith Kaye '62 Editing Prize To the graduating student who has written an extraordinary Casebook problem and has gone above and beyond their required duties to support the NYU Moot Court Casebook. Mathew R. Swan
Moot Court Board Chief Judge Judith Kaye '62 Writing Prize To the graduating student who has written the second-best moot court problem for the NYU Moot Court Casebook. Saean Kim
Moot Court Board Order of Barristers

The Order of Barristers is a national honorary organization devoted to the development of oral advocacy and brief-writing skills through law school appellate moot court programs.

Sophia Jule Cianfrani
Alexi R. Comella
Amanda Elizabeth Cort
Rachel Sarah Genkin Greene
Linda K. Gilbreath
Natalie Lalama
Justin T. McNamara
Justin G. Simms
Matan Skolnik
 

Moot Court Board Jessup Team Award For participation as the representatives of NYU School of Law in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Anna Dell'Amico
Bhavini S. Kakani
Beth Kelley
Moot Court Board National Moot Court Competition Award For participation as the representatives of NYU School of Law in a National Moot Court Competition. Lindsay Cecile Campbell
Sania S. Chandrani
Amanda Elizabeth Cort
Alexandra Kliger
Janet Gahyun Lee
Kristian A. Lundberg
George Samuel McCall, III
Heather K. Walker
 
Moot Court Board Lawrence Green '77 Prize To a graduating student who has written the most outstanding moot court problem for the NYU Moot Court Casebook, and to the principal editor of that problem. Justin T. McNamara
Moot Court Board Mark Brisman '92 Moot Court Prize For a member of the graduating class who has made the most significant contribution to the Moot Court Board. Sophia Jule Cianfrani
Review of Law and Social Change Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize For the greatest contribution by a third-year editor to the Review of Law & Social Change. Miranda Litwak
Review of Law and Social Change Flora S. and Jacob L. Newman Prize To the graduating student who has written the most outstanding note for the Review of Law & Social Change. Elizabeth Hope Choo
Georgia Whitaker
Review of Law and Social Change Review of Law and Social Change Innovation and Creativity Award To a graduating student who broadens the horizons of the Review of Law & Social Change and advances the mission of the journal. Emma Walker
Review of Law and Social Change Review of Law and Social Change Stewardship Award To a graduating student who has exhibited exemplary leadership with peers and colleagues on the Review of Law & Social Change in the service of producing the highest quality legal scholarship. Alexandra Colin Klein
**Winner of the Robert B. McKay Prize will also be awarded the Wickersham Prize

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