When the UB School of Law community rallies for special events, it’s more than a good time. It’s a chance to celebrate excellence in our students, honor the great work of our alumni and watch the wheels of justice turn. The result is a reminder of the inspiration at the heart of legal practice, and a renewed dedication to using the tools of law to make an impact where it’s most needed.
In celebration of a longstanding partnership with a member of the judiciary who opened doors and expanded access to dozens of promising young UB School of Law students, the law school and the UB Law Alumni Association presented its highest honor to the Hon. Julio M. Fuentes ’75, U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the Third Circuit. The Edwin F. Jaeckle Award is given annually to a person who exemplifies the highest ideals of the law school and its alumni association and who has made significant contributions to the school and the legal profession.
Judge Fuentes has had a long and revered judicial career, including serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals bench since 2000 when he became the first Hispanic judge to sit on the Third Circuit. In 2016, he assumed senior status before retiring earlier this year.
For many years, Judge Fuentes facilitated opportunities for UB School of Law students to serve in summer clerkships at the highest level. Eleven of those students have gone on to become federal or state law clerks, and 18 of them have pursued careers in Big Law. Nine UB Law graduates have served Judge Fuentes as one of his elbow clerks.
"My hope is that the interns and clerks who have passed through my chambers will continue to be a resource to one another and to future generations of law students. I would encourage students and new lawyers to reach out to people in the community and make connections. I would encourage established attorneys to give back to their communities and to mentor promising young lawyers, especially from a great law school like the State University of New York at Buffalo.” — Hon. Julio M. Fuentes ’75
Watch the event below: