The faculty of UConn School of Law has recognized the many and varied achievements of its students and graduates with an array of prizes and awards.

The recipients, announced at the end of the academic year, are honored for their academic and extracurricular accomplishments, which may include grades, class participation, clinical work, leadership, and community involvement. Many awards offer a financial component, while others provide books, certificates, memberships, and other gifts.

The 2025 awards and recipients are:

The Honorable Herbert Barall Family Law Award
• Megan Ann Phillips ’25
Established by friends and family of Judge Herbert Barall and awarded to a graduating student who has excelled in the study of family law and has shown a commitment to family law.

The Honorable M. Joseph Blumenfeld Award
• Casey Krieger ’25
Established by friends of U.S. District Judge M. Joseph Blumenfeld and awarded to a student who has rendered outstanding service to clients in a clinic program.

The Elihu Burritt Award
• Devon Murphy ’25
Awarded to the student with the highest academic average achieved at a semester abroad program sponsored by the UConn School of Law.

The Robert S. Carey, Jr., JD ’76 Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company Foundation (CATIC) Foundation Award in Real Property
• Jennifer O’Brien ’25
Awarded for outstanding work in real property law.

The Clark-Janis International Award
• Johanna Weber ’25
Established by Professor Mark Janis and his wife, Janet Janis, in honor of their parents, Martha and Allan Clark and June and Henry Janis, and given to an international student for superior academic achievement.

The Clinical Legal Education Association Certificate of Recognition
• Whitney Krispin ’26
Awarded for outstanding performance in a clinical program.

The Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Award
• Sarina Bhargava ’25
Awarded to a student for outstanding performance in an externship.

The Connecticut Bar Association Labor and Employment Section Award for Excellence in Employment Law
• Ian Russell ’26
Awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of labor and employment law.

The Connecticut Bar Association Real Property Section Memorial Award
• Riley Morrill ’26
Given to the student who has contributed substantially to the development of a sound body of law in the field of real property.

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities Award
• Thomas Daniel Pelletier ’25
Given to a student who, in the judgment of the faculty, has written the best paper addressing a problem in municipal law or another aspect of municipal government, or has completed an internship or service project in municipal government in Connecticut and demonstrates the greatest contribution to excellence in local government.

Excellence in Taxation Award in Honor of Professor Pomp
• James Hallinan ’25
Donated by Thomas Holmgren Class of 2013 to an outstanding student in taxation in recognition of Professor Pomp’s national reputation as the leading scholar, expert witness, and oral advocate in State and Local Taxation.

The Maxwell Friedman Award
• Elinor Schneider ’25
Presented to a student for outstanding achievement in commercial subjects.

The Thomas F. Gallivan, Jr. Memorial Award
• Jackson Reis ’26
Presented by the Law School Alumni Association for outstanding scholastic achievement in property law in honor of the late Thomas F. Gallivan, a lecturer at the Law School.

The Hon. F. Herbert Gruendel ‘84 Award for Excellence in Moot Court 
• Sophia Holt ’25
• Joshua Maddox ’25
Awarded to a student who has completed at least two years of study, meeting the following criteria: (a) Competed in a moot court competition at UConn Law or elsewhere. (b) Demonstrated commitment to the strength of the moot court experience at UConn Law by membership on the Moot Court Board or in other ways, and (c) Demonstrates promise as an appellate advocate.

The Milton W. Horwitz Award
• Bridget Casey ’25
Awarded to a student who has excelled in the 1L Torts course and who demonstrates a dedication to the highest standards of morality and integrity of the profession.

The Insurance Law Center JD Award
• Lindie Gibbs ’25
Presented to a graduating student who has excelled in the study of insurance law or rendered outstanding service to the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal or to the Insurance Law Society.

The Insurance Law Center LLM Award
• Daniel Delgado Jaramillo ’25
Given to the student receiving a Masters of Laws (LLM) in Insurance Law who best exemplifies the law school’s commitment to scholarship in insurance law and service to the community.

Olimpiad Ioffe Award
• Taylor Spalding ’25
Established by friends of Professor Olimpiad Ioffe to recognize a graduating student who has excelled in the study of comparative law or Eastern European law.

Fleming James Jr. Award
• Drake Freiberg ’25
Established in honor of the late Professor Fleming James Jr. to recognize an upper-level student who has excelled in the study of labor law.

Kathryn Mikolinski ’17 Memorial Award for Criminal Law
• Sydney Fernandez ’25
Awarded in memory of Kathryn Mikolinski ’17 to a graduating student who demonstrates excellence in the study or practice of criminal defense law or who best exemplifies dedication to protecting the rights of criminal defendants.

The Distinguished Alumni Professor Kent Newmyer Award in American Legal History
• Adelina Miceli ’25
Established in honor of Kent Newmyer to recognize a student who demonstrates excellence in the study of American legal history.

Joseph F. Noonan Memorial Award
• Joy Hamer ’25
Established in memory of Joseph F. Noonan ʼ48 to recognize a student who combines outstanding legal scholarship with a commitment to public service.

The Alvin Pudlin Memorial First Amendment Fund Award
• Aishah Stovall ’25
Awarded to a student who advances the understanding and appreciation of the rights secured by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The Judge Robert Satter Award
• William Fallon ’25
Awarded in memory of Judge Robert Satter for contributions through a student’s efforts or written work to the advancement or preservation of civil liberties in America.

George and Lorraine Schatzki Award
• Grace Brunner ’25
Awarded by fellow graduates Aaron and Sandra Gersten in honor of Dean George Schatzki to a student for outstanding service to the school.

Paul Schneider LLM ’18 and Bryan Garcia Human Rights and Social Justice Award
• Luis Salazar ’25
• Zoe Allison ’25
Awarded to two students with demonstrated achievement in and dedication to the area of domestic and/or international human rights and a commitment to advancing human rights and social justice.

Thomas J. Staley Award
• Amanda Hoey ’26
Awarded in honor of Thomas J. Staley to a student for distinction in the study of labor law.

William F. Starr Fellowship Award
• Chelsea Connery ’24
Established in honor of the late Professor William F. Starr to recognize the student in the previous year’s graduating class with the highest grade point average.

William F. Starr First Year Award
• Jackson Reis (Day Division) ’26
• Drew David Derubeis (Evening Division) ’27
Established in honor of the late Professor William F. Starr to recognize the students who achieved the highest grade point averages in last year’s day and evening divisions.

Edward L. Stephenson Memorial Award
• Malachi Bridges ’26
Established in honor of the late Professor Edward L. Stephenson and awarded to a student for outstanding scholastic achievement in civil procedure.

Terry J. Tondro Award
• Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’27
Awarded in honor of the late Professor Terry J. Tondro to a student for excellence in the study of land use, historic preservation, affordable housing or urban revitalization.

UConn School of Law Award for Exceptional Achievement in Scholarship
• Patrick Cline ’27
• Tierney Kovacs ’27
• Michela Zaccardelli ’27
Awarded to three students for exceptional achievement in scholarship.

UConn School of Law Award for Outstanding Service to the Law School
• Brice Ashford ’25
Awarded to a graduating students for outstanding service to the law school community.

UConn School of Law International Award
• Monica Mantilla Villamizar ’25
Awarded to an international student receiving a Masters of Laws (LLM) in U.S. Legal Studies who best exemplifies the Law School’s commitment to distinguished scholarship in international studies and dedicated service to the community.

UConn School of Law Pro Bono Award
• Bridget O’Neil ’25
Presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to pro bono work that benefits persons of limited means.

Cornelius W. Wickersham Jr. Award
• Alex Davenport ’25
Given by the Federal Bar Council in honor of Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr. for excellence in the study of constitutional law.

Women Law Students Award
• Lauren Moran ’25
Awarded by WLSA to honor and support a University of Connecticut law student who is using legal skills to serve the community by promoting the interest of women.

The 2025 awards were coordinated by a committee working at the request of Dean Eboni S. Nelson in consultation with faculty members in each subject area. The committee members were Professors Richard Pomp (Chair), Mathilde Cohen, Miguel de Figueiredo, Nadiyah Number, Jenny Kim, Alexandra Lombardi, Lisa Perkins, and Jessica de Perio Wittman, as well as Assistant Dean Christina Mohr.