Class Action - December 2023

Hon. Julio M. Fuentes ’75, U.S. Court of Appeals judge, 3rd Circuit, will receive the Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest honor the University at Buffalo School of Law and the UB Law Alumni Association can bestow, on Jan. 19. He is a past recipient of the Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for the judiciary and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council. [Register to Attend]

Hon. Jacqueline E. Sisson ’85, a city court judge in Canandaigua, N.Y., has been appointed co-chair of the New York State Judicial Task Force on Mental Illness. Sisson was the first woman elected to serve as city court judge in Canandaigua. She is also acting judge for Ontario County Family Court and County Court in Canandaigua, and presides over the Finger Lakes Treatment Court, which consists of felony and misdemeanor drug court, veterans court and mental health court.

Terrence M. Gilbride ’88 has been named senior vice president and chief legal officer with the Buffalo Bills. He previously served as a partner with Hodgson Russ LLP, heading the firm’s college and university practice and public-private partnership practice in the Buffalo office. He is a member of the School of Law’s Dean’s Advisory Council and a past president of the Law Alumni Association.

Susan S. Jennings ’90 has been named partner with Cannon Heyman & Weiss LLP in the Buffalo and Albany, N.Y., offices, handling affordable housing and community development matters. She previously served as general counsel and senior vice president with Conifer Realty LLC in Rochester, N.Y.

David R. Adams ’95 received the Robert M. Kiebala Memorial Award as the 2023 Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year from the Defense Trial Lawyers Association of Western New York in Buffalo. Adams is a member with Hurwitz Fine P.C., in the Buffalo office. 

Raymond H. Caso II ’97 has joined Barclay Damon LLP as counsel in the Buffalo office, representing developers and business owners regarding commercial real estate, financing, development and title examination. He was previously a senior attorney with Tully Rinckey PLLC in Buffalo.

Phyliss A. Hafner ’97 has joined Goldberg Segalla as a partner in the Buffalo office, handling cases regarding civil litigation and trial matters. She was previously a partner with Burden Hafner & Hansen LLC in Buffalo.

Jodyann Galvin ’98 has been named vice president of the board of directors for Buffalo Prep, which helps academically ambitious students of color prepare for, obtain admission to, and excel at demanding college preparatory high schools. Galvin is a partner with Hodgson Russ LLP in Buffalo. She is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award for community service and the Distinguished Alumna Award from the School of Law’s Students of Color.

Hon. Cheryl Insinga ’98 was elected a New York State Supreme Court justice, 6th Judicial District, in Binghamton, N.Y. She was previously a partner with Coughlin & Gerhart LLP in Binghamton.

Daniel R. Connors ’99 received the 2023 Sherwood Civility Award from the Defense Trial Lawyers Association of Western New York in Buffalo. Connors is founder of Nash Connors P.C., and co-chair of the litigation department in Buffalo. 

Hon. Jonathan S. Hickey ’01, a confidential law clerk for the New York State Supreme Court, 8th Judicial District, in Buffalo, was recently re-elected town judge in Clarence, N.Y., a position he has held since 2019.

Joshua E. Dubs ’08 has become a principal law clerk with the Erie County Surrogate’s Court in Buffalo. Dubs was previously a partner with Webster & Dubs P.C. in Buffalo and is an undergraduate adjunct faculty member at the School of Law.

Samantha I.V. White ’08 has been promoted to supervising attorney with the Western New York Law Center, in Buffalo. White is also an attorney with the Law Office of Stephanie Adams PLLC in Buffalo.

Karen M. Andolina Scott ’09 has accepted a position as director of the Center for Resolution and Justice with Child and Family Services in Buffalo. Scott previously served as chief executive officer with Journey’s End Refugee Services in Buffalo. She is a past recipient of the UB Law Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award for public service. 

William A. Lorenz Jr. ’12 has accepted a position as a legal deputy clerk with the Erie County Clerk’s Office in Buffalo. Prior to this new position, he was a senior associate in the defense litigation department with Bennett Schechter Arcuri & Will LLP in Buffalo.

Logan C. Geen ’14 has joined Nixon Gwilt Law as counsel, specializing in reimbursement, compliance and other health care regulatory matters, in Rochester, N.Y.

Jason T. Daniels ’15 has been named a recipient of the 2024 Buffalo Business First IDEA (Inclusion Diversity Equity Awareness) Award for his contributions in making the workplace more inclusive, diverse and equitable, in addition to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion throughout Western New York. Daniels is senior associate general counsel with Catholic Health in Buffalo.

John R. Ewell ’16 has become counsel of the global insurance department with Cozen O’Connor, practicing in the areas of insurance coverage analysis and litigation, reinsurance and insurance regulatory matters in New York, New Jersey and nationwide. He was previously a partner with Gerber Ciano Kelly Brady LLP in Buffalo.

Katherine T. McCarley ’20 has become associate counsel with National Fuel Gas Co. in Williamsville, N.Y. McCarley was previously an associate with Underberg & Kessler LLP, practicing litigation in Rochester, N.Y.

Serena E. Mott ’20 has accepted a position as a senior appellate court attorney with the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department in Brooklyn, N.Y. She previously held the position of appellate court attorney with the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, in Albany, N.Y.