Class Action - May '22

Dan D. Kohane ’79 received the Ken Joyce Excellence in Teaching Award at the School of Law’s Commencement ceremony on May 14. He is a senior partner with Hurwitz & Fine, P.C., in Buffalo, where he resides. Kohane is a past adjunct faculty member at the law school.

Oliver C. Young ’80 of Williamsville, N.Y. has been appointed to the New York State Unified Court System’s (NYSUCS) Pandemic Practices Working Group. Young is of counsel with Barclay Damon LLP in Buffalo. He is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for public service.

Julia A. Garver ’83 received the Raymond J. Pauley Award from the Monroe County Bar Association in Rochester, N.Y. She is retired from Merzbach & Solomon, P.C., in Rochester. Garver, a lifetime member of the Law Alumni Association, lives in East Bethany, N.Y.

Hon. E. Jeannette Ogden ’83 received the Dean’s Medal at the School of Law’s Commencement ceremony on May 14. Ogden is a New York State Supreme Court justice, 8^th Judicial District, in Buffalo, where she resides. She is a past president of the UB Law Alumni Association and a past recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award for community service.

Jill L. Paperno ’84 has become civil rights practice senior litigator with the Empire Justice Center in Rochester, N.Y. She previously served as acting Monroe County public defender with the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office in Rochester. Paperno is a past president of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys. She lives in Pittsford, N.Y.

Cheryl L. Johnson ’86 has become a partner with Verrill Dana LLP in the Westport, Conn., office. Johnson focuses her practice on transactional tax matters, entity structuring and operations, business planning and specialized securities law matters. She lives in Bridgewater, Conn.

Michael G. Whelan ’86 has been admitted to the National Academy of Arbitrators, the pre-eminent organization of labor arbitrators in the United States and Canada. Whelan is a retired assistant professor of communication studies at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., where he resides.

Scot Thurman ’89 was named executive director of 360 Youth Services in Naperville, Ill. The nonprofit provides services to youths through substance use prevention education, counseling and housing. Thurman previously served as director of youth and community services for the Aurora Township in Aurora, Ill., where he resides.

Steven J. Weiss ’91 received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Hillel of Buffalo at their 75^thanniversary celebration at UB Center for the Arts. He is founding partner with Cannon Heyman & Weiss in Buffalo, and a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for community service. Weiss is a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council and a lifetime member of the Law Alumni Association. He is a Buffalo resident.

Timothy P. Donaher ’93 received the Charles F. Crimi Memorial Award from the Monroe County Bar Association in Rochester, N.Y. Donaher is a principal law clerk with Monroe County Supreme Court, 7^th Judicial District, in Rochester. He lives in Penfield, N.Y.  

William K. Kennedy ’93 has become president of the Defense Trial Lawyers Association of Western New York, in Buffalo. A partner with Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham LLC in Buffalo, Kennedy lives in East Amherst, N.Y.  

John W. Crowe Jr. ’96 was named to the “Go To Lawyers” list in business law in Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Crowe is managing partner with Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, P.C., in Birmingham, Mich. He lives in Oakland Township, Mich.

Denise Schoen ’97 has become a partner with the Adam Miller Group, P.C., in Bridgehampton, N.Y., handling cases involving real estate and zoning/land use matters. She lives in Sag Harbor, N.Y.   

Hon. Fidel E. Gomez ’99 has become an acting New York State Supreme Court justice, 12^th Judicial District in Bronx, N.Y., where he resides. He previously served as a New York City Civil Court judge.

Steven K. Erickson ’00 had an article “Unreasonable minds and imperfect self-defense” published in the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. Erickson is a forensic psychologist in York, Pa.

Anita C. Butera ’01 has authored the book The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Through the Eyes of Saudi Women, about socioeconomic, political and legal changes in that country. Butera is assistant professor of criminal justice at Canisius College in Buffalo. She lives in Honeoye Falls, N.Y.  

Hon. James S. Giardina ’03 has been appointed a Hillsborough County Court judge in Tampa, Fla. He previously served as owner and lead attorney with the Consumer Rights Law Group PLLC in Tampa, where he resides.

Cavette A. Chambers ’04 of Buffalo has become City of Buffalo corporation counsel. She previously served as senior deputy corporation counsel.

Meghan M. Brown ’06, a partner with Goldberg Segalla LLP in Buffalo, has become vice chair of the firm’s civil litigation and trial practice group. She will manage one of the firm’s largest practice groups, with more than 90 trial attorneys, handling complex and challenging damages cases nationwide. Brown is a Buffalo resident.  

Elizabeth M. Midgley ’06 has become a partner with Hurwitz & Fine, P.C., in the litigation group in the Buffalo office. She was previously a partner with Stillwell Midgley Visco in Buffalo. Midgley lives in West Falls, N.Y.     

Crystal J. Rodriguez-Dabney ’06 (J.D.), ’07 (LL.M.) of Buffalo has become first deputy mayor and chief of staff with the City of Buffalo. She previously served as chief of staff and chief diversity officer of Buffalo State College. Rodriguez-Dabney is a member of the board of directors of the UB Law Alumni Association.     

Candacé McGill Jackson ’09 has become assistant director of employer outreach at George Washington University Law School’s Center for Professional Development and Career Strategy in Washington, D.C. Jackson is a resident of Alexandria, Va.   

Shatorah Roberson ’12 has become staff policy adviser with Tesla in Buffalo, where she resides. She was previously chief diversity officer with the City of Buffalo. Roberson is a past member of the board of directors of the UB Law Alumni Association.  

Anthony R. Scalia ’12 of Rochester, N.Y., has been promoted to partner with Dawson Law Firm, P.C., in Penfield, N.Y., handling corporate and real estate matters.

Henry A. Zomerfeld ’14 received the 2022 Buffalo State Political Science Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. Zomerfeld is a senior associate with Hodgson Russ LLP in Buffalo and a member of the board of directors of the UB Law Alumni Association’s GOLD Group. He lives in Kenmore, N.Y.

Anne Modica Eich ’15 has been promoted to partner with the Modica Law Firm PLLC in Rochester, N.Y., where she resides. She counsels clients regarding Social Security disability, labor and employment, and workers’ compensation.  

Kaileen M. Balzano ’16 of Salt Lake City, Utah, has been elected a shareholder with Strong & Hanni Law Firm in Salt Lake City. Balzano practices in the firm’s insurance defense group.

John R. Ewell ’16 has been promoted to partner with Gerber Ciano Kelly Brady LLP in the Buffalo and Newark, N.J., offices. He is a member of the firm’s insurance solutions practice group. Ewell is a resident of Cheektowaga, N.Y.

Patrick D. Leavy ’16 received the 2022 Sheldon Hurwitz Young Lawyer Award from the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section of the New York State Bar Association. Leavy is an associate with Vahey Law Offices PLLC in Rochester, N.Y., where he resides. He is chair of the Rochester Chapter of the UB Law Alumni Association.