Congratulations to our alumni! We would like to hear about your recent achievements -- please send your updates by filling out the alumni information updates form or email us at cualawalumni@law.edu.
Classmates Update
September 2009
James E. McDonald, general counsel to International Biofuels Commission and a member of the law school's Board of Visitors, was profiled in a story titled "Working at the Energy Crossroads," posted on August 5, 2009 to www.law.com, the web site of the National Law Journal. The article traced McDonald's career path and discussed his current position with the commission, a not-for-profit trade and advocacy organization that supports greater production and use of biofuels, including ethanol.
1971
Col. Dayton M. Cramer is vice chair of the military affairs committee for the Florida Bar Association. He has previously served as chair of the bar association's education law committee. Cramer is deputy general counsel at The Florida State University in Tallahassee. He is married to Lennard Smith Cramer and the father of two adult daughters.
1973
Roland E. Olivier joined Pennichuck Corporation, a publicly traded water utility holding company, in Aug. 2008, as general counsel and corporate secretary. He is also president of The Southwood Corporation, the corporation's real estate subsidiary. Prior to joining Pennichuck, Olivier worked for more than 30 years for international manufacturing, computer and software companies. He also spent eight years in private practice at two of New Hampshire's largest law firms.
1978
Phyllis Borzi was unanimously confirmed as assistant secretary of labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration by the U. S. Senate on July 10, 2009. She brings to her new job extensive employee benefit experience including governmental and private practice experience as well as employee benefit leadership in the American Bar Association and numerous other professional organizations. Among other positions, Borzi served as pension and employee benefit counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Labor-Management Relations of the Committee on Education and Labor. She was on the Committee staff for 16 years.
1980
Carol Clifford has been appointed senior advisor for labor affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The announcement came in May 2009 from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Clifford has spent her career as a specialist in labor and employment law and policy. A member of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team, she has most recently served as a consultant and independent contractor specializing on labor and immigration matters. Clifford will focus on the agriculture department's relations with Congress.
1983
R. Todd Luoma was named among the 2009 Northern California Super Lawyers. Published by Law & Politics, the Super Lawyers list is compiled through peer nomination and research. Approximately five percent of the Northern California Bar received the distinction. Luoma is of counsel in the business services practice group of Sacramento - based McDonough Holland & Allen PC. He has also served with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army and Navy Reserves. Currently, Luoma is serving as an intelligence officer for the Office for Administrative Review for Detained Enemy Combatants in Washington. D.C.
1985
Robert B. Judd has been listed in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for Trusts & Estates. Judd is a shareholder with Gunster, Attorneys at Law in Fort Lauderdale. He practices in the area of private wealth services.
1986
John D. Humphreville was named a 2009 Florida Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Media. Humphreville is a partner in the real estate practice of Quarles & Brady in Naples, FL. Each year Law & Politics compiles surveys from attorneys across Florida asking them to vote for the best lawyers they have personally observed in action. The selection process includes peer nominations, review by a blue ribbon panel, research and then a final selection process.
1987
Jennifer Garrison has entered the race for secretary of state in Ohio, it was announced in August. Elected to the state legislature in 2005, the Cincinnati native is serving her third term in the 93rd District. Garrison serves on several committees of the state legislature. In 2008, she received the Ohio Economic Development Association's Distinguished Legislator Award, and this year won the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities' Award for Legislative Excellence.
Richard J. Grossi has been named to head the compliance department of Unity Bank in New Jersey, where he will oversee the bank's internal and external regulatory and compliance responsibilities. Prior to this appointment, Grossi served as vice president in charge of compliance management and as senior legal counsel for Banco Popular. Working out of its New York City headquarters, Grossi had direct oversight of all regulatory issues impacting the bank and its mortgage subsidiary, including the coordination of investigations of identity theft and data breaches.
1988
Capt. Robert A. Sanders, USN, was presented with the 2009 Roy Wilkins Award at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) centennial celebration held at the New York Hilton July 11-16. The NAACP established the Roy Wilkins award to recognize measures service members take to procure civil and human rights of African Americans serving in the military.
1989
Malcolm MacGregor was named to the list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for 2009 by Philadelphia Magazine. He also received the honor in 2005 and 2008. MacGregor is an attorney with Foley Law Firm of Scranton, Pa, where he specializes in trial and settlement complex personal injury cases.
1990
Sandra M. Rohrstaff was elected president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association for 2009-2010 at the Association's annual meeting. Rohrstaff is a partner in Weiner, Rohrstaff & Spivey, PLC in Fairfax, Va. She has been active at VTLA in numerous committee activities, including legislative, continuing legal education and fundraising. She is also active in many local organizations and has served as president of the Alexandria Bar Foundation and the Northern Virginia Women Attorneys Association.
1991
Charley Carpenter is leaving the law firm Pepper Hamilton after 18 years, and residence in Washington, D.C. after 21 years, to start his own litigation form in Missoula Montana.
James J. Tenn, Jr. is serving as the president of the New Hampshire Bar Association for 2009-2010. He assumed leadership on June 27 at the state bar's annual meeting at the Mount Washington Hotel. Tenn is a partner with Tenn and Tenn, P.A., of Manchester, NH, where he practices in the areas of personal injury, medical negligence, criminal defense, family law, and divorce and child custody. He has coached entrants in the NHBA Mock Trial competition and served as host and volunteer for LawLine.
1992
Tracey Jean-Charles founded Johnson Elliott Jean-Charles, LLC in 2007. Co-owned with her husband, the law and research firm specializes in real estate, criminal and juvenile defense, juvenile deprivation proceedings and business litigation. Jean-Charles has served as lead counsel in state, superior and federal courts in Georgia. She is dedicated to pro bono work and was recently acknowledged in the Georgia Bar Journal for her pro bono efforts with the Gwinnett Pro Bono Project. Jean-Charles and her husband Ben have two children and reside in suburban Atlanta.
Kristen E. Rodgers was nominated to serve on the Rhode Island Superior Court by Gov. Donald Carcieri on June 17, 2009. The nomination requires the consent of the Rhode Island State Senate. Rodgers is a partner with Providence-based Blish & Cavanagh, LLP, where she handles complex commercial and business disputes, media law, municipal law, contract negotiations and litigation, tort actions, construction litigation, zoning and various land use matters, and employment law. At CUA law, Rodgers was lead articles editor and contributing student author for Vol. 8, The Journal of Contemporary Health Law & Policy.
1995
Sallye Clark has joined the Washington, D.C. office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. as a member practicing in the communications section. Previously, Clark was a partner with Arent Fox. Her communications practice includes advising satellite operators and integrators on various government-related issues including international market access, landing rights, orbital-slot acquisition and spectrum issues. Clark has served as chair of the Satellite Industry Association's Trade Working Group and currently serves as an industry representative on the president's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) where she focuses on emergency communications and interoperability issues.
John Socknat and Michael Waldron were hired away from Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider to help Patton Boggs LLP expand its presence in the mortgage banking arena. They will be based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Socknat's practice focuses on state and regulatory compliance matters related to the financial services industry. Waldron represents and advises mortgage companies, consumer finance companies, financial institutions and secondary market investors on the complexities of the current marketplace and structuring innovative and compliant lending programs.
1997
David Shapiro was recently elevated to partner at Paley Rothman in Bethesda, MD. Shapiro is a member of the firm's Business/Commercial Transactions, Mergers/Acquisitions, Health Law and Employment Law practice groups.
1998
Alexandra C. Gaugler participated as a panelist for "TARP Enforcement: What the Legal and Financial Sectors Can Expect," on June 18, 2009.The CLE program was co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Young Lawyers subcommittee of the ABA Criminal Justice Section's White Collar Crime Committee, and was held at Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP in Washington, D.C. Gaugler is a senior associate in the Philadelphia law firm of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick and Raspanti, LLP.
1999
Genevievette Walker-Lightfoot married Johnathan Lightfoot on Feb. 14, 2009, at St. William's Chapel at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The couple's reception was held at the National Press Club. Walker-Lightfoot is employed with the Federal Reserve Board.
2000
Joseph L. Felber has accepted a position as patent attorney for Naomi Assia and Co. Law Offices, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
David Whalen is president of La Mancha Media of San Diego, CA. The 501(c) (3) film production company creates free promotional web videos for Third World charities.
2001
Megan Annitto has accepted a position as the director of the Center for Law and Public Service at West Virginia University. While at CUA, Annitto received a certificate in Law and Public Policy and was recognized with the Dulin-Haynes Fellowship. Part of her new position at WVU will involve the oversight of its externship program.
2002
Philip E. Culpepper was recently hired as assistant county attorney for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He is married and the father of Macie, born in 2007 and Eli, born in 2009.
Keeshea Turner Roberts and her husband, Frank, had their first child, Joseph Layne Roberts, on June 16, 2009. The family resides in Fairfax, VA.
2003
Brian R. Della Rocca was recently elected to the Estates and Trusts Section Council of the Maryland State Bar Association. Della Rocca was also recently elected to sit on the board of trustees of the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.
Matt Strawn was named one of 50 "politicos" to watch by Politico, a print and Internet newspaper covering politics and the nation's capital. Strawn was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa in 2008. Politico flagged him as an "under-the-radar" politico who may not be a household name - even in political circles, but who is "sure to make a splash." Strawn grew up in Eastern Iowa and owns the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League.
2004
Liza Terry Craig and her husband, Peter, are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Vivienne Ruth Craig, on June 19, 2009. Liza continues to work for the Department of the Navy, Office of the General Counsel as an associate counsel for acquisition.
Derrick G. Hamlin was appointed district counsel for the Mid-Atlantic Association of Alpha Phi Alpha Chapters in the Eastern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The Law Office of Derrick G. Hamlin, P.C. launched a series video blogs to educate and enlighten the community on relevant legal issues.
2005
Susan Kim Harris, a corporate lawyer in Washington, D.C., has recently been selected one of 5 individuals for the prestigious ABA Ambassadors Program for the 2009-2011 class. The program, administered by the ABA's section of business law, is committed to increasing the participation of lawyers of color in section activities.
Elizabeth Wroe was profiled in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call on July 6, 2009, for an article titled "Hard-Working Staffer Is Steady as She Goes." The story examined Wroe's consistent, straightforward approach to health care reform as health counsel to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) Wroe began working for Gregg as a law clerk while attending CUA law in 2004.
2006
Brooke Rosen was among eight attorneys from the Roanoke, Va. firm of Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore to be named a 2009 Rising Star by the Super Lawyers, a national rating poll conducted by Law & Politics magazine. The Rising Star award honors young lawyers 40 years of age or younger who have been in practice for 10 or fewer years.
2007
Dree Collopy was a panelist on the topic "Declaratory Judgments for Business and Family Practitioners," a professional seminar sponsored by the American Immigration Lawyers Association on Aug. 4, 2009. The program was offered for CLE credit. Collopy is an attorney at Maggio & Kattar in Washington, D.C., where she represents clients in deportation and removal proceedings, asylum matters, waivers of inadmissibility, complex adjustment of status and naturalization, and Section 1447B petitions and mandamus claims in federal court.
Melissa Kenney Ngaruri has joined Rockville, Maryland firm of Patrick J. Hoover, at HooverLaw, a boutique practice concentrating on child advocacy. In addition to her experience in the areas of juvenile, education and special education law, Ngaruri will be providing immigration, CINA and family law representation for families and children in need of legal assistance.
2008
Guy Billauer was honored by Polish President Lech Kaczynski with the Commander's Cross of Merit-one of Poland's highest civilian awards- for his contributions to promoting Polish-Jewish relations. The ceremony took place in Lodz, Poland, on Aug. 27, 2009, during the official commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the liquidation of the Litzmannstadt Ghetto. More than 2,000 people attended including Holocaust survivors, rescuers, and official delegations from Israel, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and the United States.
Elizabeth Pugliese is pleased to announce the opening of her solo practice in Montgomery County, Md. She practices in the areas of domestic violence, divorce, consumer protection and general civil litigation.
In Memoriam
1951
Theodore R. Branthover passed away on Feb. 16, 2009, at the age of 86. He was a resident of Rockville, Md. He was the beloved husband for 61 years of Donna M. Branthover; the father of six children and brother of Jane Branthover. He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and other loving family and friends.
1953
Stanley J. Zlocki passed away on Feb. 1, 2009. He was last known to be living in Kulpmont, PA. After World War II, Zlocki utilized the GI bill to attend Alliance College in Cambridge Springs, PA and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Penn State University in 1950. He entered the Army Air Corps during World War II where he was stationed at Laughlin Air Base as a technical sergeant in the advanced test flight program. He is survived by his wife Norma.
1958
James "Jim" Richard Bucher passed away on Tuesday, May 26, 2009. Born on August 27, 1929, Bucher graduated from Franklin High School in Reisterstown. He received his B.S. in Commerce and Law from the University of Alabama in 1953. Bucher served in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955 when he received his Reserve Commission as a First Lieutenant. Bucher was the husband of the late Eileen Davies Bucher; beloved father of Alexandra D. "Alex" Bucher (Dennis Walker) and Anastasia M. "Stacy" Sampson (Brian); devoted grandfather of Ian James Bucher Maloney; son of the late William "Sug" and Lois "Grammy" Bucher; and brother of the late Jane B. Fanshaw. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 at Marlborough Hunt Club, 5904 Green Landing Road, Upper Marlboro, Md.
1960
Owen Meegan passed away on Jan. 22, 2009 at his home in Salem, MA at the age of 74.
Born in New York City, he graduated from high school in 1951 and attended Boston College, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in1955. He is survived by four grown sons, a granddaughter and his wife, Marie.
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