Jamila Lee ’15, vice dean for student affairs (left), presents the Dan D. Kohane ’79 Insurance Award to Madison A. Burns ’24 (right) at our 2024 Student Awards Convocation.
Alumni support creates pathways to practice
Law school is a time for exploration, where students discover the vast breadth of legal practice. For some, the possibilities can be a bit daunting. But others are quickly drawn to an area of practice that they hope will become their life’s work.
For those focused students, three new endowed funds—created by generous UB School of Law alumni who share their passions—are making the dream possible. These newly established funds will support students following their hearts into careers in public interest law, real estate law and insurance law. And the awards disbursed will make a real difference to students as they navigate the tricky economic terrain of law school and prepare for their careers.
The funds have even greater impact because they take advantage of a limited-time SUNY incentive, including the SUNY Impact Foundation New York State Charitable Tax Credit Program and the SUNY University Center Endowment Match.
“This is really a win-win for the students,” says Karen R. Kaczmarski ’89, vice dean for advancement. “And it’s all meant to help students afford their law school education. Many of our students live very leanly, and a thousand dollars to a student, for example, is a huge deal. These gifts help to defray living expenses, and they’re very much appreciated by the students.”
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Contact: Karen Kaczmarski, vice dean for advancement, at krkacz@buffalo.edu.
The impetus behind the donations, Kaczmarski says, is twofold: the donors’ appreciation for the rewards of their own career paths, and a desire to expand opportunities for succeeding generations. “These are amazing individuals who want to give back,” Kaczmarski says. “And these funds are a means of providing additional support for talented students so they can achieve in the ways these alums have.”
The newly endowed awards include:
Alberto Benítez ’86
The Manuel and Ana Maria Benítez Public Interest Award, established by Alberto Benítez ’86 and his wife Janice Salas in honor of his parents, and providing financial aid for a student interested in a public interest career.
“One of the many Spanish-language proverbs I learned from my parents is Todos necesitamos de todos, which translates as ‘Everyone needs everyone,’” says Alberto Benítez ’86, a professor of clinical law and director of the Immigration Clinic at George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. “My experience at UB Law was that everyone helped me, and because of that I’ve been able to enjoy a rewarding career helping the most vulnerable populations. The fund is my way of helping those coming after me.”
Marc W. Brown ’99
The Marc W. Brown ’99 and Dr. Shira Brown Award, which provides financial aid for a student participating in moot court or interested in real estate practice.
“Shira and I are very fortunate to be in a position to provide financial support for our future law students,” says Marc W. Brown ’99, a partner with Goldberg Segalla who practices in Buffalo and Manhattan. “On a personal note, my involvement as a student with the Moot Court Board, and my interest and practice in real estate litigation, will hopefully speak to a student interested in these areas.”
The Dan D. Kohane ’79 Insurance Award, given to a graduating student who has performed well academically in insurance law and wants to continue in the field.
Dan D. Kohane ’79
“Insurance coverage serves as the financial foundation for much of civil litigation in the United States and globally, offering critical support for the costs of defending lawsuits and, potentially, a significant source of compensation for those who have been injured or damaged,” says Dan D. Kohane ’79, a senior partner with Hurwitz & Fine in Buffalo. “For almost four decades, I have had the privilege of teaching insurance coverage as an adjunct professor at the law school. Many of my students have gone on to practice in this field, apply their knowledge in related areas or serve as judges, making decisions on cases involving coverage. I wanted to create a legacy incentive to reward and recognize those with a genuine and enduring interest in insurance scholarship, and, of course, support the law school, my alma mater, in its continuing mission to support its graduates.”
One of those recent graduates, Madison Burns ’24, is the inaugural recipient of the Kohane award, conferred at Commencement. She is now an associate attorney, pending bar admission, at Duke, Holzman, Photiadis & Gresens LLP in Buffalo. “This award alleviated the financial stress associated with studying for the bar,” Burns says. “I was able to fully devote myself to studying instead of needing to work. This gave me more time to study and provided peace of mind as to my finances while I studied. And when embarking on a task as mentally challenging as preparing for the bar exam, the value of the financial peace of mind this award gave me cannot be overstated.”