Class Action - December '17

Thomas F. Segalla ’72 received the Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Research Award from the Defense Research Institute. He is a founding partner with Goldberg Segalla in Buffalo and a past recipient of the Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for Private Practice. Segalla lives in Amherst, N.Y.   

Jean C. Powers ’79 was appointed chair of the UB Foundation properties committee. She is a retired partner with the former Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel, in the Amherst, N.Y., office. Powers is a member emerita of the Dean's Advisory Council, a former recipient of the Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumna Award for Community Service and a past president of the alumni association. She lives in Williamsville, N.Y.

Hon. Barbara Howe ’80, Erie County surrogate judge in Buffalo, will receive the Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest honor the School of Law and the Law Alumni Association can bestow. She will be honored at the annual Law Alumni Luncheon in New York City on Jan. 26. Howe is a past recipient of the Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award for the Judiciary, a past president of the Law Alumni Association and has served as an adjunct clinical professor of law at UB, and an adjunct associate professor of sociology. She is a Buffalo resident.

Michael L. Corp ’81 has been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2018 list and selected it's “Lawyer of the Year.”  Corp is a partner with Hancock Estabrook, in Syracuse, N.Y. He lives in Cicero, N.Y. 

Edward C. Robinson ’83 received the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award from the Erie County Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project, in Buffalo. He is a partner with Hurwitz & Fine in the Buffalo office. Robinson lives in Williamsville, N.Y.

Hon. Kathy J. King ’84 was named treasurer of the National Association of Women Judges. She is a Kings County Supreme Court justice in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she resides.

Alberto Manuel Benitez ’86 has been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2018. Benitez is a professor of clinical law and director of the Immigration Clinic at George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. He lives in Alexandria, Va.

Gerard E. O'Connor ’86 of Amherst, N.Y., received the Robert M. Kiebala Memorial Award from the Defense Trial Lawyers of Western New York. O’Connor is a senior trial attorney with Lippman O’Connor in Buffalo.

Cora A. Alsante ’88, a partner with Hancock Estabrook in Syracuse, N.Y., has been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2018. Alsante concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, trusts, planning for the elderly and disabled and estate and trust administration. She is a resident of Jamesville, N.Y.

James P. Kennedy Jr. ’88 has been appointed U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York, in Buffalo. He previously served as interim U.S. attorney and first assistant U.S. attorney. Kennedy lives on Grand Island, N.Y.

Hon. Andrew C. LoTempio ’88 was elected a Buffalo City Court judge. He is a past School of Law adjunct faculty member. LoTempio is a Buffalo resident.

Martin Sanchez Rojas ’90 is director of human resources, safety and general services with Intercos America in New York City, one of the largest contract cosmetic manufacturers in the United States. He lives in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Anne M. Noble ’92 has become executive director of the Bar Association of Erie County, in Buffalo. Noble previously served as president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery Corp. in Rocky Hill, Conn. She will soon be residing in Buffalo.

Ellen Shanahan Becker ’93 has become special counsel with Hamberger & Weiss in the Buffalo office. Becker practices workers’ compensation law, representing insurance carriers and self-insured employers. She is a Buffalo resident. 

Hon. Lynn M. Keane ’93 was elected New York State Supreme Court justice, 8th Judicial District, in Buffalo. Keane previously served as town justice in Orchard Park, N.Y., where she resides.

Laurie A. Vahey ’96 has been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2018. She is a founding partner with Leclair Korona Vahey Cole in Rochester, N.Y. Vahey lives in Pittsford, N.Y.

Lenora B. Foote ’97 received the Attorney Excellence Award from the Erie County Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project in Buffalo, where she resides. Foote is executive assistant to Hon. Gerald Whalen ’83, presiding justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 4th Department, in Buffalo. She is a past president of the Law Alumni Association.

Phyliss A. Hafner ’97 has been accepted as a member of the Trucking Industry Defense Association. She is a partner with Burden Hafner & Hansen in Buffalo. Hafner lives in Amherst, N.Y.

Maritza C. Buitrago-Rodriguez ’99 of Penfield, N.Y., received the Excellence in Indigent Adult Representation in Family Court Award from the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office in Rochester, N.Y. She is an assistant public defender in Rochester. 

Elizabeth M. Klarin ’04 has become counsel with Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman in the Buffalo office. She counsels clients regarding immigration matters, including visas and immigrant permissions for extraordinary ability, specialty occupation, intracompany transferee, business visitor and NAFTA-eligible individuals and employment-based permanent residence. Klarin lives in East Amherst, N.Y.

Zachary R. Benjamin ’05 has become senior counsel with Bond Schoeneck & King in the Syracuse, N.Y., office. He is a member of the firm’s business law practice group. Benjamin is a past member of the Law Alumni Association’s Central New York Chapter. He resides in Skaneateles, N.Y.  

Anne E. Joynt ’05 received the Woman Lawyer of the Year Award from the Women Lawyers of Western New York, in Buffalo. She is a junior partner with Lipsitz & Ponterio and president of the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, in Buffalo. A vice president of the Law Alumni Association, she lives in East Amherst, N.Y.

Joshua E. Dubs ’08 of North Tonawanda, N.Y., received the VIP Award from the Erie County Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project in Buffalo. Dubs is a Buffalo solo practitioner. He is a past member of the board of directors of the School of Law’s GOLD Group.

Nicholas J. Tardif ’08 has been named director, business & legal affairs – litigation at Universal Music Group in New York City. He manages civil litigation and intellectual property enforcement. Tardif was previously corporate counsel with Elsevier, Inc., in New York City. He resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Laurie A. Baker ’09 has become a partner with the new firm Meyers Buth Law Group in Orchard Park, N.Y. The firm counsels clients regarding criminal defense, civil litigation, personal injury and sports/entertainment law. Baker was previously a solo practitioner in Hamburg, N.Y., where she resides.

Kurt R. Denniston ’09 has joined Bond Schoeneck & King as an associate in the Buffalo office. He is a registered patent attorney and handles cases involving intellectual property and technology. Denniston is a resident of Ontario, N.Y.

Brandon C. Rose ’09 was promoted to a partner with McManis Faulkner in the San Jose, Calif., office. Rose is a member of the firm’s family law group. He is a San Jose resident. 

Vincent M. Miranda ’10 was named to the board of directors of the Food Bank of Western New York, in Buffalo. Miranda is a senior associate with Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman in Buffalo. He is a past member of the board of directors of the School of Law’s GOLD Group. Miranda lives in East Amherst, N.Y.

Richard M. Scherer Jr. ’10 was appointed to the board of directors of the Delaware Soccer Club in Buffalo. Scherer is a senior associate with Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman in Buffalo, where he resides.   

Gregory P. Fair ’14 has become associated with Ferrara Fiorenza in East Syracuse, N.Y. Fair practices education and employment law. He is a resident of Skaneateles, N.Y.

Anthony R. Faraco ’14 has joined Bouvier Law in Buffalo, where he resides. He practices litigation, handling toxic tort and personal injury cases. Faraco was previously an assistant public defender with the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office in Rochester, N.Y.

Vanessa C. Gabriele ’14 has joined Bouvier Law in Buffalo. Gabriele counsels clients regarding matrimonial and family law. She previously practiced with J. Adams & Associates in Williamsville, N.Y. She resides in Buffalo.

Ryan G. Ganzenmuller ’15 is an associate with Barclay Damon in the Buffalo office. He handles cases involving torts and products liability defense, commercial litigation and professional liability. Ganzenmuller is a Buffalo resident.

Matthew J. Smith ’16 has become associated with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham in Buffalo. Smith focuses his practice in contract disputes, business litigation and personal injury litigation. Smith previously served in the U.S. Navy, and engaged in anti-terrorism in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.