Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Honors Three Pillars of the Legal Community and Rising Stars in 26th Annual Law Leadership Celebration
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University honored three pillars of the local legal community and other rising stars in the legal profession in its 26th Annual Law Leadership Celebration, held virtually for the first time on March 25, 2021.
The Law Leadership Celebration is the signature fundraiser for Haub Law and a celebration to honor individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the legal community. The annual celebration provides the setting for the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award, which honors individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the legal community, the Law School or the practice of law. This year’s recipient was Virginia Wong, Haub Law Class of ’93, a partner with Nixon Peabody, LLP.
A champion of the Law School’s Center for Career and Professional Development, Virginia has actively participated in on-campus recruiting and advocated for hiring students at her firm. “We are grateful for Virginia’s willingness to share her time, expertise and feedback with current students, who benefit from the experience and advocacy of successful alumni like her,” said Haub Law Dean Horace Anderson.
The Law School also honored the memory of two particularly significant individuals: Pace Trustee Emeritus Henry Miller, Senior Partner at Clark, Gagliardi and Miller, P.C., and the Honorable Steven I. Milligram, Haub Law Class of ‘81, a New York State Supreme Court Justice.
In addition, Haub Law celebrated five alumni recipients of the first annual Rising Star Awards, recognizing excellence in practice among alumni in the first 15 years after graduation. Through sponsorships and a journal produced especially for the event, funds are raised to help underwrite the Law School’s outstanding academic programs, faculty and students. The Rising Star Award recipients are Keji Ayorinde, ’08, Associate General Counsel, Facebook; Robyn Downing ’17, Associate, Alston Bird; Caesar Lopez ’12, Chief Administrative Officer, Orlando Soccer; Christopher Messina, ’10, Legal Director, Brooklyn Brewery; and Steven Sarno, ’09, Senior Corporate Counsel, Environmental Compliance, Amazon.
Haub Law also presented a complimentary CLE event on implicit bias in jury selection and litigation, offering diversity CLE credits. Videos of the events will be available shortly.
About Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University offers J.D. and Masters of Law degrees in both Environmental and International Law, as well as a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) in Environmental Law. The school, housed on the University’s campus in White Plains, N.Y., opened its doors in 1976 and has more than 9,00 alumni around the world. The school maintains a unique philosophy and approach to legal education that strikes an important balance between practice and theory. Haub Law launched its Environmental Law Program in 1978, and it has long been ranked among the world’s leading university programs. Pace’s doctoral graduates teach environmental law at universities around the world. Pace’s J.D. alumni are prominent in environmental law firms, agencies and non-profit organizations across the U.S. and abroad. In 2016, the Law School received a transformational gift from the family of Elisabeth Haub, in recognition of its outstanding environmental law programs. For more information about Haub Law, visit http://law.pace.edu
