Celebrating women who have made a meaningful and inspiring contribution to the legal community
Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 6 p.m.
Carlyle on the Green
Bethpage State Park
Hosted by
Judge A. Gail Prudenti Interim Dean, Hofstra Law
Platinum Sponsor to our Generous Supporters
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
for their support and charitable donations to this event, as well as to our sponsors listed below.
Catalano Gallardo & Petropoulos, LLP
Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
Hofstra University
Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP
Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
Rivkin Radler LLP
Special thanks to Carlyle on the Green and Just Cause Band!
Cocktail Reception
Welcome
Judge A. Gail Prudenti
Interim Dean and Executive Director of the Center for Children, Families and the Law, Hofstra Law
Stuart Rabinowitz President, Hofstra University
Keynote Address
Kathleen C. Hochul
Lieutenant Governor of New York State
Dinner
Awards Presentation
Dessert
Entertainment by Just Cause Band
Your gift supports the programs of Hofstra Law, including the Center for Children, Families and the Law.
Welcome to our second annual Outstanding Women in Law reception.
Tonight’s honorees truly are outstanding. They are advocates for the underrepresented, they are leaders in the workplace and in the community, and they are role models for young women aspiring to join the legal profession. We are proud to honor such a diverse and accomplished group of women.
On behalf of Hofstra University and the Maurice A. Deane School of Law, congratulations on receiving this honor and thank you for joining us tonight.
I also want to thank our many sponsors for this evening’s event. Your support allows Hofstra Law and our Center for Children, Families and the Law to continue to prepare our students to become future outstanding lawyers.
Your participation in tonight’s reception is invaluable.
Once again, I want to thank all of our honorees, sponsors and guests, and I hope you enjoy the evening!
Judge A. Gail Prudenti Interim Dean and Executive Director of the Center for Children, Families and the Law
Keynote by Kathleen C. Hochul
As Lieutenant Governor, Kathy Hochul chairs 10 Regional Economic Development Councils that have transformed the state’s economy by building upon regional strengths through long-term strategic plans. The Councils include leaders from academia, business, labor and not-for-profits and, to date, have invested $4 billion into more than 4,100 projects across the State. The Lieutenant Governor also chairs the State Workforce Investment Board which addresses the number one concern of businesses: the lack of skilled workers.
Governor Cuomo appointed Lieutenant Governor Hochul to chair the Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Abuse and Addiction. In this capacity, she convened eight outreach sessions across New York State to hear from experts and community members in search of answers to the heroin crisis and works to develop a comprehensive strategy for New York.
Hochul spearheaded Governor Cuomo’s Enough is Enough campaign to combat sexual assault on college
campuses beginning in 2015 hosting and attending more than 30 events to date. As the highest ranking female elected official in New York State, she continues to be a champion for women and families. In 2016, Governor Cuomo named her to the New York State Women’s Suffrage 100th Anniversary Commemoration Commission and she was elected chair.
She represents Governor Cuomo across the state and has visited each of the State’s 62 counties twice, logging nearly 100,000 miles — enough to circle the globe four times. Hochul tours main streets, meets local business owners, visits college campuses and meets regularly with mayors, supervisors and other community leaders. The Lieutenant Governor builds support for the Governor’s initiatives including the minimum wage increase, paid family leave, ethics reform and infrastructure investment.
The Lieutenant Governor holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and a law degree from Catholic University in Washington, DC.
Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Judge Joanna Seybert was appointed Jan. 12, 1994, after nominations by Presidents George H.W. Bush and William Clinton. She currently sits in the EDNY Central Islip Courthouse and has been a Senior Judge since Jan. 13, 2014. Judge Seybert served as a Nassau County District Court Judge from 1987-91 and a Nassau County Court Judge from January 1992-December 1993, and then was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Before becoming a judge, Judge Seybert worked at the Nassau County Attorney’s Office. She began her career as a trial attorney with The Legal Aid Society and the Office of the Federal Defenders. She is a 1971 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law and is a lifetime director of the Alumni Association of same.
Judge Seybert is a member of the Federal Judges Association and has served as a director and officer. Since 1999, she has been involved in the International Association of Judges, having served as a Vice President, a member of the Presidency Committee, President of the Asian, North American and Oceanian Regional Group, and is currently the IAJ’s representative to the United Nations. Judge Seybert was appointed by Chief Judge John Roberts to the U.S. Judicial Conference’s International Judicial Relations Committee and served from September 2008-14. She is a member of the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association and the International Association of Women Judges, and is a member and National Delegate of the Federal Bar Association.
“I am honored to be recognized by such a prestigious law school. I hope to exchange ideas with the students and alumni of Hofstra.”
Judge, Suffolk County Supreme Court
Judge Denise Molia was elected to the Suffolk County Family Court in November 2012, where she is currently the Acting Supreme Court Justice. She was an Associate Justice of the Appellate Term, Second Department (9th and 10th Judicial Districts) from 2007-12. From 2003-16, she served as a Committee Chair and Board Member for the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics. She was also a member of the Judicial Campaign Ethics Subcommittee. During her career on the bench, she has presided in various parts within the Court: a Dedicated Matrimonial Part, the Guardianship (Article 81) Part, a Civil Trial Part, and the Calendar Control Part.
Judge Molia was also the Chair for the Board of Trustees of the Suffolk County Supreme Court Law Library from 2007-13, and was a former Member of the Board of Governors at St. Charles Hospital & Rehabilitation Center in Port Jefferson, New York, from 2003-04.
She is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association, and a former Co-Chair of both the Bench-Bar and the Supreme Court Committees. Her past and present memberships include the New York State Association of Justices of the Supreme Court, the Columbian Lawyers Association, the Suffolk County and New York State Women’s Bar Associations, the National Association of Women Judges, and the Suffolk County Women in the Courts Committee.
“I am grateful for many things in my life, but one that continues to stand out is my tenure at Hofstra Law School. Hofstra provided me the quality legal education that prepared me to successfully pursue my legal career. My accomplishments throughout my legal career are shared with Hofstra Law.”
Judge, Nassau County Supreme Court
Judge Denise Sher is currently Acting Supreme Court Justice in the Nassau County Supreme Court. Serving since 1995 as a Nassau District Court Judge, she was the first female Judge elected as President of the Board of Judges. Known for her legal expertise and excellent courtroom management, she was appointed Supervising Judge of that Court.
As a practicing attorney, Judge Sher served over many years as a Hempstead Deputy Town Attorney, in private practice and as an Adjunct Professor at Marymount Manhattan College. She is a graduate of Hofstra Law and a summa cum laude graduate of Queens College. She is listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and is a Phi Beta Kappa.
Judge Sher’s actions have earned her numerous honors and awards, including the Honorable Edward J. Hart, Jr. Memorial Award from the New York State Fraternal Order of Court Officers, the Woman of the Year award from the Court Officers Benevolent Association of Nassau, the Achiever’s Award from the L.I. Center for Business and Professional Women, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Living the Dream Award, the Volunteer Lawyer Award from the Nassau County Bar Association, the Pathfinder Award from Hempstead Town, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Hofstra Law, the Long Island Top 50 Women Award from Long Island Business News, the Distinguished Service Award from the Jewish Lawyers Association, the Lifetime of Community Service Award from the UJA Federation of New York, the Stephen Gassman We Care Award from the Nassau County Bar Association, the Distinguished Honoree Award from Yashar Judges and Lawyers Hadassah, the Woman of the Year award from the Italian American Court Officers of Nassau County, and the Judge of the Year award from the Long Beach Lawyers’ Association.
“I am honored and humbled to receive such a prestigious honor. I have always tried to help and encourage other women along the way. I stand on the shoulders of so many inspirational women who have come before me.”
Supervising Court Attorney, Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court, and President, Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association
An active member of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY), Linda Morrone is currently the President of the Suffolk County Chapter, where she has initiated a scholarship fund for a deserving college student bound for law school on Long Island. She has also served as a Committee Co-Chair of the Suffolk County Bar Association’s Surrogate’s Court Committee and the Committee on Women in the Law. In addition, she is on the Board of Directors of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Suffolk County.
A magna cum laude graduate of Fordham University (B.A., 1977) and a graduate of the Fordham University School of Law (J.D., 1980), Ms. Morrone is currently the Supervising Court Attorney of the Suffolk County Surrogate John M. Czygier, Jr.’s Law Department. She has been a member of the Surrogate’s Court Law Department since 1997. Earlier, she served for five years as Principal Law Clerk to Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Newmark. She began her career in 1981 as a Trust and Estate Administrator for (then) Chemical Bank, where she was employed for eight years, followed by three years with Citibank’s Estate Planning Unit.
Ms. Morrone continues to serve as a committee co-chair and as a delegate to the WBASNY, whose primary mission is to promote the advancement of women in society and in the legal profession, as well as the fair and equal administration of justice.
“As humbling as this recognition is, it will encourage me to continue to
fulfill the mission enunciated by the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York: the advancement of women in society and in the legal profession, as well as the fair and equal administration of justice.”
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Attorney, Pegalis & Erickson, LLC, and President, Nassau County Women’s Bar Association
Linda Oliva has been a distinguished attorney for plaintiffs in medical negligence cases for over 25 years. She handles all aspects of pretrial litigation and appeals representing patients in cases involving breast cancer, birth injury, surgical, neurosurgical, cardiac, and women’s health care negligence.
Ms. Oliva is President of the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association. She is active in community groups as a patient awareness advocate and in Breast Cancer awareness, and patient support groups.
Ms. Oliva is named to the 2017 Best Lawyers List in New York. In 2016, she was named an Outstanding Woman in Law by Hofstra Law’s Center for Children, Families and the Law. She was named to the New York Metro Super Lawyers lists in 2016, 2015 and 2014. In 2013, she was named one of Long Island’s Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business by Long Island Business News. In 2012, she was featured in the Long Island Business News’ “Who’s Who in Women in Professional Services.” In 2011, she was the Nassau County Women’s Bar Foundation’s Courage Award recipient. She is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers’ Association, the American Association for Justice, the Nassau County Bar Association, the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association, and the Columbian Lawyers Association of Nassau County.
Ms. Oliva obtained her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Hofstra University.
“I am so honored to be part of this prestigious group of talented and dedicated women.”
Partner, Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
Terese Arenth is a partner with Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP, in the firm’s Garden City, New York, office, and serves as Chair of its Marketing, Advertising & Promotions practice group within its Intellectual Property Department. While concentrating her practice in promotional marketing/advertising law, she also has significant involvement in the firm’s cybersecurity, commercial litigation, intellectual property and unfair competition practice areas.
Ms. Arenth’s experience includes counseling clients in all aspects of direct marketing promotions, with emphasis on promotions involving social media, sweepstakes, contests and cause-related marketing. Her expertise includes promotion rules and regulatory compliance, as well as telemarketing, endorsements, mobile marketing, advertising compliance, COPPA and promotion-related agreements. She also handles matters involving a variety of sponsorship and licensing agreements, privacy policies and website terms of use. As an experienced litigator in complex arbitrations and litigation in both state and federal courts, she focuses on TCPA claims, trademarks, copyrights and domain name disputes.
Ms. Arenth frequently serves as a speaker and author on advertising-, marketing-, and intellectual property law-related topics, including contributing to the Brand Activation Association’s Dierson treatise on Promotion Marketing Law and Aspatore’s “Inside the Minds” series on Recent Developments in Advertising Law. As a member of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law Section, she served two terms as Chair and two terms as Vice Chair of its Promotions & Marketing Law Committee.
Ms. Arenth was recognized by Long Island Business News as one of Long Island’s Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business for two consecutive years.
“I am honored to be recognized by Hofstra as an Outstanding Woman in Law. I have been fortunate to have mentors and role models play significant parts in my career path and development. I hope to pay it forward by serving a similar role to young women entering the profession.”
Partner, Cullen and Dykman LLP
Cynthia Augello is a partner in the firm’s Commercial Litigation Department. She has represented clients of the firm in matters involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, whistleblower claims, covenants not to compete, civil rights issues, education-related issues, sexual harassment and discrimination based on disability, religion, race and sex under the New York State Human Rights Law, the New York City Human Rights Law, Title VI, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title VII.
Ms. Augello is the co-founder of the firm’s e-discovery practice area, where she handles all aspects of e-discovery for the firm and the firm’s clients. Additionally, she has advised firm clients on cybersecurity issues. She frequently writes blog posts and articles concerning news and issues in e-discovery, education, employment, mediation and cybersecurity. She is admitted in New York, New Jersey and California.
In addition to her commercial litigation practice, Ms. Augello is the current President-elect of the Federal Bar Association Eastern District of New York Chapter and the Chapter Liaison to the Federal Bar Association’s Pilot Mentorship program, which pairs law students with practitioner mentors. She has also coached several high school mock trial teams in preparation for county or state mock trial competitions and has acted as a judge in the Federal Bar Association’s annual Thurgood Marshall Moot Court Competition.
“To me, an Outstanding Woman in Law is a woman who has taken her law degree and used it to make a difference. For me, I enjoy sharing my story with young women to teach them that they can do anything if they set their minds to it.”
Partner, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Andrea Brodie is a Partner at Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP in the Family Law group.
Ms. Brodie is actively involved in numerous legal organizations, including the Nassau County Bar Association’s Board of Directors and Matrimonial Committee, the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association’s Executive Committee as Treasurer, the New York Family Law American Inn of Court, and the Nassau Academy of Law as an advisory member. Ms. Brodie currently serves as Co-Chair, with the Hon. Jeffrey Goodstein, on the Steven J. Eisman New Lawyer/Judiciary Relations Task Force. She previously served as a Co-Chair of the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association’s Matrimonial and Family Law Committee. She was a Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Committee and served as the Young Lawyers Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Board of Directors.
Ms. Brodie was selected as a 40 Stars Under 40 by Star Network in 2016 and a Top 40 Under 40 by The National Advocates in 2015 and 2016. She has been selected as a Rising Star in New York Family Law by Super Lawyers since 2013. She received the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association’s Bessie Ray Geffner Memorial Award in June 2012 and the 2012-13 Young Alumni Award from the Honors College at the University of Arizona.
Ms. Brodie received her J.D. from Hofstra Law with a Concentration and Citation of Excellence in Child and Family Advocacy.
“It is an honor to be recognized by my peers as someone who made meaningful contributions to the legal community and to the advancement of women. It is inspiring to be among truly noteworthy, and well-deserving, women.”
Associate, Nancy Burner & Associates, P.C.
Britt Burner joined Nancy Burner & Associates, P.C. in March 2014, and since that time she has been the driving force behind the Manhattan office.
Immediately after taking the bar, Ms. Burner started working at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP in New York City as a litigation associate and then became an Assistant District Attorney in the Sex Crimes Bureau at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. She then went on to be an associate at a Manhattan firm, focusing her practice on Elder Law and Estate Planning.
Ms. Burner received her undergraduate degree from Boston College and her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School, where she was a Notes & Comments Editor of the Brooklyn Law Review. She is licensed to practice law in New York State.
Ms. Burner is a member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Planning section, serving as Vice Chair of the Legislation Committee. She previously served as Vice Chair of the Medicaid Committee and as the Production Editor of the section’s journal. She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates section and is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, serving on the Board of Directors for the New York Chapter. She is currently serving her third term as Secretary of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on the Legal Problems of the Aging.
“I traveled through several areas of the law before landing in the position I am in today. This journey helped me to determine what area I enjoy most and where I feel I can be most effective. I am honored to be recognized among so many accomplished female lawyers.”
Professor of Legal Writing and Assistant Faculty Director of International Programs, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Juli Campagna was born and raised in Chicago, and is admitted to practice in Illinois. She is the oldest of nine children. She went to a Benedictine high school, and thanks the phenomenal Benedictine sisters for all they taught her. She studied Romance languages, both ancient and modern, as an undergraduate and graduate student, and first worked as a translator of Spanish, French and Italian. After getting a master’s degree in linguistics, with a specialization in teaching English as a second or foreign language, she taught ESL locally and internationally. After becoming a lawyer, and today, in teaching law and legal skills, she relies heavily on her first-career background, knowledge and experience.
Professor Campagna worked in international audit and law firms before, during and after law school. During her six years with (the former) Arthur Andersen, she had a 70 percent international travel schedule that she was young enough to enjoy. She often worked on research and training projects for and with the firm’s clients, associates and partners. This hybrid experience of practice, research and teaching — to advance shared goals held by international stakeholders — truly prepared her for what she does today.
Professor Campagna joined the Hofstra law faculty in 2010, moved to New York, and now teaches both the “traditional” J.D. law students and the international law students. She holds her students in great esteem. Teaching the world’s future lawyers is an honor. During summers, she teaches in law schools and law firms around the world, particularly in Latin America and Europe.
“This award means everything to me. I neither studied nor practiced law in New York. I am radically ‘unconnected’ here. None of this worked against me at Hofstra, however. Instead, Hofstra immediately welcomed me and has given me opportunities to give opportunities to others. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”
Partner, Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Kathryn Cole is a partner at Farrell Fritz, P.C., in Uniondale, New York, where she specializes in commercial litigation and is the co-founder of the firm’s E-Discovery practice group.
Before joining Farrell Fritz, Ms. Cole was an associate at Davis Polk, and a law clerk for the Honorable Richard C. Wesley, at both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and during Judge Wesley’s tenure at the New York State Court of Appeals. She graduated magna cum laude from St. John’s University School of Law, where she was the Executive Notes and Comments Editor of the St. John’s Law Review, and an academic and merit scholarship recipient.
Ms. Cole has published extensively in Law Reviews and legal periodicals alike and currently authors a biweekly blog focused on issues of E-Discovery in litigation (www.allaboutediscovery.com). She is involved in multiple Bar Associations and charitable activities, including the Advisory Committee on New York Civil Practice, the American Bar Association, the Nassau County Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association, EDNY Chapter, where she held the position of first female President of the Chapter.
Ms. Cole has an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating; has been selected to Super Lawyers New York Metro Rising Stars (Business Litigation), 2012-16; and has received various honors from Long Island Business News, including the 40 Under 40 Award, Leadership in Law Award, and Who’s Who in Women in Professional Services acknowledgement. In addition to her full-time legal career, Ms. Cole is the proud mother of two wonderful children.
“I have worked to attain professional leadership roles in a field typically dominated by males and to develop skills that allow me to be a competent attorney with a successful practice. This award tells me my energy was well invested and that efforts to improve diversity in the profession matter!”
Jack and Freda Dicker Distinguished Professor of Health Care Law and Director, Gitenstein Institute for Health Law and Policy, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University; Co-Director, Hofstra University Bioethics Center; Professor of Science Education, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine
Janet Dolgin (B.A., Barnard College; J.D., Yale Law School; Ph.D., Princeton University) is the Jack and Freda Dicker Distinguished Professor of Health Care Law at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Professor of Science Education at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, and a member of Hofstra’s MPH faculty. She is director of the Law School’s Gitenstein Institute for Health Law and Policy and co-director of the Hofstra University Bioethics Center.
Before joining Hofstra Law, Professor Dolgin taught anthropology at Columbia University and served as an associate at Davis, Polk & Wardwell in Manhattan. In 1988-89, she was a Fulbright scholar at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She is the co-author (with Professor Lois Shepherd) of Bioethics and the Law, a casebook intended for use by practitioners and in law school teaching. It is structured around a life-span approach to bioethical questions. In addition to topics generally covered in accounts of bioethics, the book includes analyses of public health (including bioterrorism), access to health care and conflicts of interest faced by health care providers.
Professor Dolgin lectures widely in the United States and abroad about health care law, bioethics and family law.
“The law, at its best, aims to promote and safeguard social justice. The Gitenstein Institute for Health Law and Policy (which I direct) and Hofstra Law’s other Centers share that aim. I am proud to represent Hofstra Law School’s work this evening.”
Partner, Jaspan Schlesinger LLP
Sally Donahue is a partner at Jaspan Schlesinger LLP in the Trusts and Estates practice group. She concentrates in Surrogate’s Court litigation, an area in which she has more than 20 years of experience. She also handles estate planning, estate administration and guardianships.
Ms. Donahue was a Court Attorney-Referee at Nassau County Surrogate’s Court from 2006-11. Additionally, she practiced for many years at two prestigious law firms on Long Island in the areas of trusts and estates, guardianships and commercial litigation. After graduating from law school, she was a Law Clerk for a federal District Judge and a federal Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of New York.
Ms. Donahue taught Legal Ethics for many years at Adelphi University’s Lawyers’ Assistant Program. In 1990, Ms. Donahue received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Touro Law Center, where she was a Dean’s Fellow, entitling her to a full academic scholarship. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree, summa cum laude, from Adelphi University in 1986. Ms. Donahue is a member of the New York State Bar Association Surrogate’s Courts Committee and is Co-Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association Surrogate’s Court Trusts and Estates Committee. She is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs for the New York State Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association. She also is a member of the Touro Law Center Alumni Executive Board and the Touro Law Center Dean’s Advisory Board.
“I am honored to receive Hofstra Law School’s Outstanding Women in Law award. Practicing in the areas of trusts and estates and guardianships allows me to help people in great emotional distress. I also enjoy contributing my time to various bar associations. I appreciate being recognized for my efforts.”
Beth Dorfman is a Managing Director in the Bank of America Legal Department, where she and her team advise executive management overseeing the consumer bank and the retail broker-dealer.
Ms. Dorfman joined the company in 2001 as Managing Director and General Counsel of Fleet’s brokerdealer subsidiaries, overseeing both the legal and compliance departments. From 2004-08, following the Fleet/Bank of America merger, she was the Chief Legal Officer of Banc of America Investment Services, managing the team that supported the retail broker-dealer business and the integration with the consumer bank. From 2009-12 following the Bank of America/Merrill Lynch merger, she managed the team that supported Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as well as all the merger transition work.
Earlier, Ms. Dorfman was a managing director and senior counsel at Societe Generale and its predecessor Cowen & Co. She started her legal career as in-house counsel at Prudential Securities.
Ms. Dorfman is on the Board of the SIFMA Legal and Compliance Society and served as its President from 2006-08. She is also on the Board of the Financial Women’s Association, where she co-chairs the mentoring committee and runs a highly successful mentoring program for inner-city high school girls. She also served from 2013-15 on the Board of the Merrill Lynch Women’s Exchange, where she led a women’s recruitment and retention initiative. She currently oversees the mentoring program for the Bank of America Legal Department.
Ms. Dorfman received her B.A. from SUNY Binghamton and her J.D. from Hofstra Law.
“I am honored to receive this award. I am grateful for the support of my family, colleagues and mentors who have helped me achieve my successes. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment to pay it forward serving as a mentor and role model helping others achieve their dreams.”
Associate, The Siegel Law Firm PC
Before practicing law, Janet Esagoff worked as a fashion designer and partner in a very successful family fashion business, designing eveningwear for women, teens and girls. After 9/11, she went back to college to complete her bachelor’s degree, a gift she believed she owed her newborn, her first daughter; it really turned out to be a gift to herself. She started at Hofstra Law at age 35 with four kids at home. Today, her oldest son is 24 and a business client of her firm, and her youngest, her beautiful daughter, is now 15.
Ms. Esagoff concentrates her law practice in the areas of real estate and civil litigation. Besides this Outstanding Women in the Law Award, she has also been honored as a Super Lawyer Rising Star since 2013, selected as a Women of Distinction by the New York State Senate and named to the Women’s Roll of Honor by the Town of North Hempstead.
Ms. Esagoff is an active volunteer as well. She served two terms on the Board of Trustees of the Great Neck Library Association, including as its President, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Iranian American Bar Association, New York Chapter. To give back to the profession that she loves, she has taught pre-trial skills at Hofstra Law as a Special Faculty Instructor, and she serves as a high school mentor for the Nassau County Bar Association. She is also a certified life and dating coach who believes in second chances in all domains.
“To be recognized as an ‘Outstanding Woman in Law’ is to be acknowledged as an Influencer and Advocate in our society at large — one who sets goals and reaches them, one who meets challenges head-on, learns without resting on her laurels, and passionately serves her clients and community.”
Brooklyn Borough Chief, New York City Law Department
Patria Frias-Colón is the Brooklyn Borough Chief in the New York City Law Department’s Family Court Division, where she supervises the juvenile delinquency practice. There she responsible for handling all cases having to do with juvenile justice-involved youth.
Previously, Ms. Frias-Colón served the New York City Department of Education (DOE) as the Assistant Deputy Counsel to the Chancellor in the Administrative Trials Unit. Before joining the DOE’s General Counsel’s Office, she served the city as an Assistant District Attorney for the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. She also worked an Adjunct Professor at St. John’s University’s School of Education.
Ms. Frias-Colón has been honored for her legal aptitude and community service. The Dominican Justice Commissioner and the Dominican university UNAPEC jointly honored her for being an exceptional jurist. She was also honored by the Association of Dominican-American Supervisors and Administrators (ADASA) with the Leadership and Excellence in Education Award for her outstanding leadership and dedication to the children of the New York City public school system.
Ms. Frias-Colón graduated from Hofstra Law and attained her Bachelor’s from the University of Rochester. She is married to Robert Colón and is the proud mother of three wonderful children: Lida, Nairobi and Galen.
“This is about sharing one’s story with others, and I humbly hope my story can motivate others to pursue their dreams.”
Owner, The Law Offices of Friedman & Friedman, LLP
With more than 30 years of matrimonial and family law experience, Friedman & Friedman, Attorneys At Law Founding Partner Sari Friedman has made her mark in the courts, the community and the homes of families in New York state and across the nation. Her motto — “Every family is unique and a cookie-cutter legal approach is not effective” — has carried her through each case.
Ms. Friedman’s pure professional drive to provide one-on-one attention to every client has led her to many milestone moments. Most recently, she led her firm — with offices in Garden City and White Plains — to win an appeal in a high-profile Long Island same-sex marriage case (Counihan v. Bishop). In this case, the Appellate Court ruled that the non-biological spouse “is a parent” of the child born during the marriage as much as the birth mother. This ruling set a precedent for other same-sex families going through the same situation when an upstate New York judge ruled in a May 2014 case that “in a same-sex marriage the non-biological spouse has the same common law parental rights as the biological mother if the marriage ends in divorce.”
A dedicated advocate for a father’s basic right to have a bonding relationship with his child, Ms. Friedman is General Counsel for the Fathers’ Rights Association of New York State and Long Island, where she attends monthly meetings and offers pro bono consultations. She also lectures about matrimonial law at Marino Institute Continuing Legal Education Seminars and has published insightful family law articles.
“Being recognized among this year’s Outstanding Women in Law is a distinction I hold with great pride. I hope it will help Hofstra Law graduates, especially young female graduates, realize their potential and envision their successful law career because there are no limits when you put in your full effort.”
Member, Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.
Patricia Galteri is the Chair of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.’s Wills, Trusts & Estates practice group in Garden City, New York. Her practice includes the development of estate and family business plans to ensure the tax-efficient transfer of wealth to the next generation while meeting the specific personal goals of her clients. She implements such plans through the use of wills and grantor trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, generation skipping trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts and other arrangements designed to transfer property at little or reduced gift tax cost to selected beneficiaries. Nomination of agents under Powers of Attorneys and Health Care Proxies also play an important role in effecting her clients’ intentions.
In addition, Ms. Galteri supervises the preparation of probate and administration documents, provides advice in the marshaling and preservation of estate assets, and is knowledgeable in all aspects of estate administration and post-mortem estate tax planning. Her in-depth knowledge of the preparation of federal and state estate tax returns enables her to defend positions on gift and estate tax returns under audit.
Ms. Galteri is called upon to appear in Surrogate’s Court to provide counsel to fiduciaries and beneficiaries, in the interpretation of ambiguities in wills and trusts in construction proceedings, and to participate in contested probate and accounting proceedings.
“I am especially proud to be included amongst the honorees of outstanding women whom I am pleased to call my peers, all of whom strive every day to deliver exceptional legal services in her chosen area of practice while simultaneously helping those in our communities live better.”
Former President, CEO and General Counsel, Jewelers Vigilance Committee
Cecilia Gardner is the former President, CEO and General Counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to compliance with laws pertaining to the jewelry industry. She now serves on the Board of Directors of CIBJO (an international confederation of jewelry trade associations) and is Chair of its Ethics Commission. She also serves as General Counsel and Director of the U.S. Kimberley Process Authority Institute, which administers the use of Kimberley Process certificates required for export of rough diamonds from the U.S. She is also the former General Counsel to the World Diamond Council, an international association whose purpose is to end the trade in conflict diamonds.
A graduate of Smith College and Hofstra Law, Ms. Gardner’s professional career included positions as an Examining Attorney with the Department of Investigation of the City of New York, and as a federal prosecutor at the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, she specialized in narcotics, money laundering, organized crime and white-collar cases. Her work included numerous international investigations and prosecutions, and she was awarded the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance. She was an Adjunct Professor at Hofstra Law, where she taught Advanced Criminal Procedure and International Criminal Law.
Ms. Gardner currently has a solo law practice and advises jewelry industry members and the international community on the responsible sourcing of precious metals, color gemstones and diamonds.
“Caps off a diverse and fulfilling career at the law school where it all started!”
Principal, Genoa & Associates, P.C.
Marilyn Genoa is a principal of the Law Firm of Genoa & Associates, P.C., concentrating in the areas of real estate, business representation, and alternate dispute resolution. The former CEO of a manufacturing company, her pragmatic approach to problem-solving has enabled her to help resolve many difficult and diverse situations. The elected Village Justice for the Village of Old Brookville, she is an Officer of the Nassau County Magistrate’s Association.
The importance of helping to make the world a better place was instilled by Ms. Genoa’s family at an early age. A past President of the Theodore Roosevelt American Inn of Court and of Yashar, the Attorneys’ and Judges’ Chapter of Hadassah, she continues to serve on the Boards of both organizations, as well as on the Board of The Safe Center LI (formerly the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence).
A former Director of the Nassau County Bar Association, Ms. Genoa is a member of its WE CARE FUND’s Advisory Board and a Delegate to the New York State Bar Association. The present and former Chairperson of numerous committees within the Nassau County Bar Association, she is the immediate past Chair of the Advisory Council of the Nassau County Bar Association Mediation and Arbitration Panels and has co-chaired the NCBA’s High School Mock Trial Program for the past 12 years. Her proudest accomplishments are her two daughters, Jamie and Alexandra.
Ms. Genoa received her B.A. from Boston University, her M.S.W. from Adelphi University, and her law degree from Hofstra Law.
“It is an honor to be recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Law. To be recognized as ‘outstanding’ in anything is humbling, but the three words together makes this recognition very special. Each time women are recognized for their contributions another crack is added to the glass ceiling.”
Vice President and Head of Law, Radiology, Bayer
Shirell Gross is currently Vice President and Head of Law for Bayer’s Radiology business — U.S., where her team supports Americas Region, Product Supply and several global functions such as Regulatory, Quality and its Informatics Business. She also counsels U.S. Corporate Security. Previously, she was Senior Counsel Head of Law Global Commercial operations for Bayer Diabetes Care.
Earlier, Ms. Gross was Corporate Counsel at Quest Diagnostics, starting in litigation management and then later supporting Regional laboratories, the Chief Medical Officer, and Joint Ventures. Before Quest, she was an Associate at Aaronson, Rappaport Feinstein and Deutsch, representing physicians and hospitals for professional liability claims. She started her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County, New York. She received her B.S. from Northeastern University and her J.D. from Hofstra Law.
Ms. Gross serves on the Board’s Legal Committee for the medical device trade association AdvaMed. She is also a sought-after industry speaker for issues such as professional development, diversity and legal issues within the health care industry. She was a 2016 honoree of the Top Blacks in Healthcare Award by Black Doctors.org and John Hopkins.
Ms. Gross’ community involvement includes serving as Vice Chair for WNET (Channels 13 and 21), teaching Sunday School, volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Paterson and Passaic, New Jersey, and being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Jack and Jill of America Inc. She is married to Jazz musician and educator Mark Gross Sr., and they have two sons, a seventhgrader and a college senior. She resides in New Jersey.
“I am so very honored to be recognized by my Alma Mater and the Legal community for my contributions to the profession and to Women. I believe it matters what we do with our gifts, and supporting others to succeed has made my journey so much more enjoyable.”
Associate Court Attorney, Nassau County Supreme Court — Law Department
Sarika Kapoor is an Associate Court Attorney at the Nassau County Supreme Court Law Department. She has shown a commitment to excellence not only in the practice of law but in all her endeavors since she was young.
At Queens College, Ms. Kapoor was Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude. At Hofstra Law, she was a recipient of the Walter Sackur Scholarship, the Senior Notes and Comments Editor for the Hofstra Journal of International Business & Law, a member of the Hofstra Moot Court Association, the sole recipient of the Best Brief Award at the Hofstra Moot Court Competition and, more recently, on various occasions, a guest lecturer at the Law School and a diversity program panelist.
Ms. Kapoor’s professional accomplishments include her being appointed to the Committee on Character and Fitness in the Second Judicial Department, a former member of the Hofstra Law School Alumni Association Board, and a member of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Board of Directors as well as a member of almost a dozen committees, including the WE CARE Advisory Board, which she currently co-chairs.
In all these endeavors, Ms. Kapoor brings charm, wit, intelligence, focus and caring. She leaves a positive influence and serves as an inspiration to all she comes in contact with.
“Being recognized as an Outstanding Woman in the Law is a huge honor in itself, but an even greater privilege to be placed in such distinguished ranks as the other honorees, many of whom are my colleagues and friends. Together, we proudly bring women’s strengths into the spotlight.”
Chief Counsel, New York State Courts Access to Justice Program
Rochelle Klempner is the Chief Counsel of the New York State Courts Access to Justice Program. She primarily works on technology-based tools, self-help resources and volunteer lawyer programs to help litigants navigate the court system when they do not have an attorney. This includes the development of plain language forms, publications and videos and the creation, implementation and promotion of New York State DIY Form document assembly programs.
Ms. Klempner is the primary author and designer for several websites, including the New York City Civil Court’s Civil, Housing and Small Claims websites, the e-filing-unrepresented website, and the nycourthelp. gov website. She has authored numerous publications, including law review articles on document assembly and unbundled legal services, best practice guides for court systems on document assembly and Court Help Centers, and self-help publications for landlords, tenants and small claims litigants.
Ms. Klempner is a frequent presenter and trainer for court staff and the public on limited scope, document assembly, web development, online tools, e-filing, collateral consequences and other access to justice-related topics. She is a member of several Self Represented Litigation Network working groups. She is a 2009 Bernard Botein medal recipient from the New York City Bar Association for outstanding contribution to the administration of the courts.
Ms. Klempner has worked for Justice Fern A. Fisher since 1993. Before joining the court system in 1991, she worked in a law firm specializing in tenant representation. She received her J.D. from Hofstra Law in 1987.
“Winning this award is great validation of what I’ve achieved to date and an honor to be recognized by my alma mater. I feel proud to be able to set an example for my daughter that hard work and being passionate about what you do leads to success.”
Deputy General Counsel, Catholic Health Services of Long Island
Mickey Kranz received her Juris Doctor degree with distinction from Hofstra Law in August of 1982 (Class of 1983) and has practiced health care law for more than 30 years. In addition to many years in private practice, she served as General Counsel at Cabrini Medical Center in New York City for more than 13 years and has been Deputy General Counsel at Catholic Health Services of Long Island since 2011. She has represented hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, hospices, physician practices, other health care providers and programs for special needs populations in matters ranging from physician and IT contracting, financing, real estate, HIPAA and data security, corporate and regulatory issues and hospital medical staff matters.
Ms. Kranz is a past volunteer and current member of the Board of Trustees of Cabrini Immigrant Services, a not-for-profit organization that provides citizenship readiness and justice programs for immigrants, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes and a food pantry. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she volunteered with the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation, for which she was honored in 2007 by the Supreme Court of Louisiana and the Louisiana State Bar Association, and assisted the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans in obtaining a Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund grant to help with the rebuilding of its sanctuary.
In her current position, Ms. Kranz oversees a majority-female legal department and is a resource and mentor to newly admitted attorneys and interns who are starting their careers in health law.
“I am humbled by the nomination and that my co-workers took the time and spent the effort to nominate me. It is a wonderful return on my investment in mentoring other attorneys. My current department is a long way from being the only woman attorney in an 18-attorney firm!”
Deputy County Attorney and Special Legal Counsel, Department of Social Services, Office of the Nassau County Attorney
Martha Krisel currently serves as the President of the Nassau County Bar Association, a multi-faceted membership organization dedicated to ensuring access to justice for Nassau County’s residents and to protecting the highest standards of the legal profession. She is employed as a Deputy County Attorney for the Office of the Nassau County Attorney, currently serving as Special Legal Counsel to the Nassau County Department of Social Services, Co-Chair of Nassau County’s Task Force on Family Violence, and the FOIL Officer for both the County Executive and the Sheriff’s Department.
Ms. Krisel was admitted to practice in New York State in 1981 and has focused on municipal law since 1993. Before joining the Office of the Nassau County Attorney in 2006, she served as Village Attorney in Rockville Centre for 10 years. She was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016.
Ms. Krisel frequently writes and lectures on a range of municipal issues, including procurement, land use and fair housing. She has served as a Best Practices Moderator and Panelist at the Annual Land Use Conference for land use officials, co-sponsored by the Nassau County Planning Commission and Hofstra University (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). Significant awards include Long Island Business News’ Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business (2016), New York Law Journal’s Lawyers Who Lead by Example (2011), the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders Award of Merit (2009), and the Nassau County Bar Association President’s Award (2009).
“Recognition as an Outstanding Woman in Law is a wonderful milestone in a career that has spanned 36 years and has combined meaningful work as a municipal attorney with significant contributions as a professional volunteer.”
Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel — Mutual Funds and Intermediary, Neuberger Berman
Gariel Kutner is Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel — Mutual Funds and Intermediary at Neuberger Berman, where she advises on issues arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and matters pertaining to the day-to-day management of the mutual funds for which Neuberger Berman serves as investment adviser.
Before joining Neuberger Berman, Ms. Kutner was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at AXA Equitable Funds Management Group LLC and an Associate at Kramer Levin Naftalis and Frankel LLP, where she practiced primarily in the areas of registered investment companies and investment advisers.
Ms. Kutner is also an Adjunct Professor at Hofstra Law School, where she teaches investment management law, and is active in industry associations, including service on committees and working groups of the Investment Company Institute. She is also a member of the Committee on Investment Management Regulation of the New York City Bar Association and a member of the Business Law Advisory Committee for Hofstra University.
In March 2014, Ms. Kutner was recognized as a Rising Star of the Mutual Fund Industry by Institutional Investor’s Fund Industry Intelligence.
“It is such an honor to be among some of the most talented women in the industry. I am so grateful that Hofstra Law School continues its exemplary efforts toward supporting women in their legal careers, and I am certainly a beneficiary of those efforts.”
Partner, Catalano, Gallardo & Petropoulos, LLP
Michele Levin, a partner at Catalano Gallardo & Petropoulos, LLP, is a skilled litigator whose practice is concentrated in the defense of complex litigation matters and professional liability and employment claims. She graduated cum laude from Binghamton University and received her J.D. from Hofstra Law, where she was a member of the Labor Law Journal and graduated with Dean’s List distinction.
Ms. Levin serves as defense counsel for medical providers, healthcare facilities, nursing homes, and employers, and also serves as lead counsel for medical providers in multi-district litigations. Known for her attention to detail and her commitment to her clients, Ms. Levin’s record of success in her twenty years of practice is unparalleled. She has excelled in obtaining pre-trial dismissals, favorable jury verdicts, and successful appeals. Martindale Hubbell has rated her AV Preeminent, which is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. She has also served as a panel speaker for CLE lectures and as an attorney advisor for a local high school’s Mock Trial Team.
“I am extremely honored to accept this prestigious award and join the ranks of other women who have excelled in the legal profession through dedication. This recognition has renewed my passion and commitment to my clients, mentoring, and the law.”
Principal, Mauro Lilling Naparty LLP
Caryn Lilling is a principal of the firm, having joined Mauro Lilling Naparty LLP 25 years ago. As an Appellate Advocate and Litigation Strategist, she has handled hundreds of civil appeals in state and federal courts. Her name appears on opinions in a wide variety of practice areas, and she has published extensively on various topics in her field. She is a frequent lecturer for in-house counsel, insurance companies, hospitals and bar associations.
In addition to the more traditional roles of appellate counsel, Ms. Lilling’s firm is called upon to aggressively define and defend damages. Numerous insurance companies, corporate clients, and hospitals turn to Ms. Lilling and her team to develop pre-trial, trial and mediation strategies on a national stage to mitigate damages in catastrophic injury cases.
Ms. Lilling has earned Martindale Hubbell’s highest peer review rating of AV, having been designated as Preeminent in appellate practice. This distinction is awarded to less than 5 percent of all U.S. lawyers. She has also been named as one of the top women attorneys in the New York Metro Area specializing in appellate practice as spotlighted in the New York Times Magazine, and the firm was recognized by the New York Law Journal as the seventh-largest women-owned firm in New York state.
Ms. Lilling is an active member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), the Defense Research Institute (DRI), and the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC).
“For me, this award is an opportunity to inspire other young women in law. Twenty-five years ago, upon graduating law school, I could never have imagined this recognition. It serves as a gentle reminder that one is often far more capable than they ever dream possible.”
Partner, Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.
Kimberly Malerba is a partner at Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., where she chairs the Employment Law practice group. She handles all matters involving the employer-employee relationship. Her areas of concentration include human resources counseling and guidance, wage and hour compliance, employment discrimination, workplace harassment prevention, policy development, and social media-related employment issues. She has defended against claims such as sexual harassment and age, race, national origin and disability discrimination for clients in diverse industries.
In her counseling practice, Ms. Malerba regularly advises employers on best practices concerning misclassification of employees, disability accommodation and leave-related issues, reductions in force, restrictive covenants, hiring and separations from employment, and employee performance management.
As a featured lecturer, Ms. Malerba has participated in various continuing education programs offering continuing credits for legal and professional education, and human resources certification credits. These programs educate professional audiences on a wide variety of employment law topics. She is also frequently sought out by the media for her insights on employment law-related topics. She regularly provides in-house training for employers on a range of employment law-related topics, including workplace harassment prevention, FMLA and ADA compliance, social media, and wage and hour best practices.
Ms. Malerba is a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association. She was also honored by Long Island Business News as one of the 40 Under 40 Long Islanders for her business achievement and community service and is on LIBN’s list of Who’s Who in Labor Law.
“It is meaningful to me to be recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Law because I seek to be a role model for other female professionals and my four children by striving for excellence in everything that I do.”
Executive Assistant District Attorney, Office of the Nassau County District Attorney
Maureen McCormick is Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas’ Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Cases, Intergovernmental and Community Relations. In 2006, she founded the Vehicular Crimes Bureau in Nassau County after spending almost 20 years in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, where she began her career. She is trained in collision reconstruction, standardized field sobriety testing and crash data retrieval.
Ms. McCormick created the award-winning Choices and Consequences Program, which has educated more than 75,000 Nassau County high school students about drunk, drugged and reckless driving. She lectures to various law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and hospital associations. She is a member of several traffic safety and legislative committees and is also a contributing author of the New York State DWI Trial Manual and the Vehicular Homicide Manual.
Ms. McCormick continues to try high-profile vehicular crimes cases. She successfully argued two DWI depraved murder cases before the Court of Appeals. She is a member of the New York State Impaired Driving Advisory Council and helped draft statewide regulatory changes and legislation, including the Nassau County Social Host Law, Leandra’s Law, and the Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and Assault statutes. She recently devised a plan to close the treatment gap for victims of addiction.
Ms. McCormick is the recipient of a number of awards, including a MADD Lifetime Achievement award, the William T. Smith Award, the NHTSA Public Service Award, the National Traffic Safety Award for Prosecutors, and New York State Prosecutor of the Year.
“This recognition symbolizes my gratitude as a woman prosecutor that I work for a female District Attorney with the highest professional and ethical standards. It highlights an accomplishment that my parents believed in ahead of their time and my daughters take for granted: that anything is possible for women.”
Deputy General Counsel, Hofstra University
Jennifer Mone currently serves as Deputy General Counsel and Equal Rights and Opportunity Officer for Hofstra University. Previously, she served as Deputy General Counsel for a global manufacturer, marketer and retailer of nutritional supplements, managing that public company’s domestic and international litigation and advising the company on global compliance, policy and regulatory issues. Before joining the in-house bar, she worked as a litigation associate at New York law firms in commercial litigation and white collar criminal departments.
Ms. Mone earned her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and, upon graduation, served as Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Loretta A. Preska, U.S.D.J., S.D.N.Y. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Long Island, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to aid the poor through personal service.
Ms. Mone is the recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Fordham Law Alumni Association’s Long Island Chapter and was named to the 2015 Irish Legal 100 List, an honor awarded annually by the Irish Voice newspaper, comprising some of the most accomplished and distinguished lawyers of Irish descent from across America.
“I am honored to be recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Law by Hofstra Law School and its Interim Dean, the Honorable A. Gail Prudenti. Hofstra Law and its Center for Children, Families and the Law continues to make a real impact representing children and families in crisis.”
Partner, Genser Dubow Genser & Cona LLP
Melissa Negrin-Wiener is a partner at Genser Dubow Genser & Cona. She manages the Government Benefits Department, concentrating her practice in the areas of Medicaid eligibility planning, asset protection planning, disability matters, guardianships, estate planning and Veteran benefits. She also supervises the preparation of Medicaid applications for nursing home care, home health care and community benefits.
Ms. Negrin-Wiener is a State Certified Court Examiner, Court Evaluator and Counsel to Guardian and incapacitated persons and is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is also an Advanced Elder Law Mediator trained by the New York Peace Institute. She has been a legal expert for Newsday’s “Ask the Expert” column and is a frequent lecturer at professional organizations.
Ms. Negrin-Wiener currently serves as co-chair of the Healthcare Committee of the Hauppauge Industrial Association of Long Island. She is the immediate past President of the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association.
Ms. Negrin-Wiener has been named by Long Island Business News as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business. She has also received the prestigious Leadership in the Law award. She received the 40 Under 40 Rising Stars on Long Island award from Long Island Business News and the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney award from Touro Law School. She has been featured in Long Island Business News and profiled in the Suffolk Lawyer for her charitable works, including her work on behalf of Senior Dreams Come True, GDGC’s nonprofit, which grants wishes for low-income seniors.
“It is an honor to be recognized by Hofstra Law School as an Outstanding Woman in Law. Ensuring the advancement of women is important to me professionally and personally. As the mother of two daughters, I hope we continue moving in the right direction to help all women achieve greatness.”
Associate, Nixon Peabody LLP
JoAnna Nicholson is a senior attorney in Nixon Peabody’s Health Care practice group. She represents hospitals and health systems, academic medical centers, government departments and agencies, physician practices, biotechnology companies, medical device manufacturers, health care information technology companies and financial institutions. She has a varied practice within the industry, with a focus on fraud and abuse, corporate transactions and health information privacy.
Ms. Nicholson graduated from Syracuse University Newhouse School of Telecommunications in 1995 and spent the first decade of her professional life in the radio advertising sales industry. She chose to steer her talents in a different direction, and attended Hofstra Law, graduating in 2008. During her time there, she was a member of the Hofstra Law Review and the President of Hofstra Law Women, and participated in the Duberstein Moot Court competition. She began her legal career at a regional law firm in Manhattan.
In the time since she graduated from Hofstra Law, Ms. Nicholson has striven to give back to the Hofstra community through mentoring students, assisting them to obtain employment and participating in the Hofstra Law Alumni Association through co-chairing its Career Services Alumni Committee. She has developed continuing legal education programs for graduates, participated in webinars with Hofstra Law’s Gitenstein Institute for Health and Law Policy and has recently been appointed as an Adjunct Professor with Hofstra Law’s Health Law LL.M./M.A. program.
“Hofstra Law has provided me with significant opportunities and tremendous support during my education and legal career, and I have endeavored to give back to this wonderful institution. To be the recipient of this distinguished award from the institution to which I owe so much is a great honor.”
President and Legal Director, Women Enabled International (WEI)
Stephanie Ortoleva is the founding President and Legal Director of Women Enabled International (WEI), a nonprofit organization which works at the intersection of women’s rights and disability rights and educates and advocates internationally for the human rights of women and girls with disabilities, through collaborations with organizations of disabled women worldwide.
WEI works at the United Nations and other multilateral organizations to ensure the inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in national and international human rights law, policy and development programing. WEI is recognized as innovative and groundbreaking and serves as a prime resource for disabled women’s rights advocates globally.
Under Ms. Ortoleva’s leadership, WEI has expanded and now has a staff of nine and a growing budget. Recently, Women’s E-News recognized Ms. Ortoleva as a leader for women’s rights for the 21st century. As a woman with a disability herself, she brings the development, academic and legal perspectives to her work as well as her personal experience.
Before founding WEI, Ms. Ortoleva served as an attorney and human rights officer at the U.S. Department of State, where she was awarded the prestigious Franklin Award in 2009 for her outstanding work on human rights matters. She graduated from Hofstra Law with outstanding honors, served on the Hofstra Law Review and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and in the State of New York.
“This award is important to me since I strongly believe in using the law for good, to advance the human rights of all, especially those who often do not have access to justice.”
Partner, Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP
Ellen Savino is a Partner at Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP, practicing real estate and banking law. She represents major institutional lenders, credit unions and business owners. She has extensive experience handling all aspects of real property law, including institutional financing, real estate sale, acquisition and leasing transactions as well as real estate-related litigation. She also serves as counsel to New York State Sen. Carl Marcellino of the Fifth Senate District.
In 2016, Ms. Savino was recognized as a Long Island Power Woman in Business by the Star Network. In 2003 and 2008, she was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women on Long Island by Long Island Business News. She also had the distinction of receiving the Class of 2002 Business Recognition and Leadership Award from the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Ms. Savino is a trustee and past President of the Glen Cove Library Board. She formerly served as an affiliate instructor teaching real property law for the Paralegal Studies Certificate Program at Hofstra University.
Ms. Savino received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Hofstra University. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Chi. She is admitted to the New York State Bar, Second Judicial Department and is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Ms. Savino resides in Glen Cove with her husband, John, who is also an attorney, and her 12-year-old twin boys, Ryan and James.
“I am truly honored to be recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Law. It gives me great pride to be selected to be part of such an esteemed group of women. This honor is especially meaningful to me since Hofstra is my alma mater, both undergraduate and Law school.”
Of Counsel, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP
Rachel Scelfo is Of Counsel to the Land Use and Zoning practice group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP. She has vast experience in representing corporations, developers and individuals in a myriad of zoning and land use matters. Her practice includes the preparation, filing and managing of applications for change of zones, site plan review, subdivisions, variances and special use permits in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Ms. Scelfo has also served as counsel to several village boards. From 2003-05, while a Senior Assistant Town Attorney for the Town of Babylon, she served as counsel to its Zoning Board of Appeals.
Ms. Scelfo earned her Juris Doctor from Hofstra Law in 2002. From Stony Brook University in 1999, she earned a Master of Arts in Political Science, with an emphasis in public policy.
A member of the Babylon Village Zoning Board, Ms. Scelfo also serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Art League of Long Island and as Vice President of the West Babylon Public Library Board of Trustees. The Nassau County Bar Association has recognized her as an Access to Justice Pro Bono Honoree, and she has earned an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.
Ms. Scelfo resides in Babylon Village with her husband, John Farrell, and children, Scarlett and Brady.
“I am extremely honored to have been selected as a recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Women in Law award and feel proud to have my accomplishments and commitment to my community acknowledged by my alma mater, alongside the achievements of the other women honorees.”
Director of Legal Services, The Safe Center LI
Lois Schwaeber, Director of Legal Services with The Safe Center LI, has been working in the field of domestic violence since 1993. She was appointed Director of Legal Services for the then-Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 2001. She trains and supervises the Legal Department, which provides direct legal representation to victims of domestic violence, stalking, elder abuse, and rape/sexual assault in civil legal proceedings including family offenses, dating violence, elder abuse, custody/visitation, child/spousal support, paternity and immigration proceedings, the Family Court Advocacy Program, which provides legal information and support to walk-in victims, and The Pro Bono Project, which recruits and trains volunteer attorneys to provide representation to victims.
Ms. Schwaeber organizes, conducts and participates in many professional forums and trainings and runs clinics in unserved and underserved communities. She has authored several articles addressing intimate partner violence, representing victims of domestic abuse, and custody/visitation.
Ms. Schwaeber has received many awards and honors, including the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York’s Joan L. Ellenbogen Award, the Touro Law Center Alumni Council’s Public Interest Award, and the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association’s Virginia C. Duncombe, Esq., Memorial Award for Exceptional Contributions to Women’s Legal Education. She was honored by the Nassau County Judicial Committee on Women in the Courts for her work with them in 2006 and 2009.
Ms. Schwaeber is very active in other public interest and community-based philanthropic and legal organizations and serves as a member of local and state committees, task forces and advisory committees.
“I am very honored to be recognized by my esteemed colleagues of the legal community. I hope that recognition of the work I do with victims of abuse will be an inspiration to young lawyers looking for more than monetary satisfaction in their careers.”
Deputy Inspector General for Welfare, Office of the New York State Inspector General
Jessica Silver is the Deputy Inspector General for Welfare for New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott. Under Ms. Silver’s leadership, the Inspector General’s Welfare Fraud Investigative Unit has carried out significant and complex public assistance fraud investigations. In coordination with federal and state law enforcement, her unit identified more than $3.4 million in fraud in 2016.
Ms. Silver began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Queens County, where she specialized in prosecuting domestic violence and violent felony offenses. She also served as an Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau, where she investigated and prosecuted white collar and public corruption cases. She was the lead attorney on the IG’s investigation into the Nassau County Police Department’s Forensic Evidence Bureau and led the inquiry into the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Forensic Biology Department in 2013. As a result of the investigative findings in those cases, significant procedural safeguards were implemented in crime laboratories throughout the state.
Ms. Silver has provided extensive training to the New York Welfare Fraud Investigators Association on public assistance fraud and ethics. As a volunteer, she has delivered lectures about cyberbullying to middle school students and mentored high school moot court participants. Jessica proudly earned her J.D. in 2003 from Hofstra Law and her B.A. in 2000 from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
“I am honored to receive this award and grateful for the recognition it bestows on my professional accomplishments and volunteer work. This award has strengthened my commitment to ensuring integrity in government and encouraging the minds of young women and men interested in pursuing a career in the law.”
Partner/Director, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
Debra Silverman is a Partner/Director of Garfunkel Wild, P.C. She is a member of the Business, Health Care, HIPAA Compliance and Insurance Regulatory practice groups. She represents hospital systems, teaching and community hospitals, faculty practice plans and physician group practices, with an emphasis on managed care contracting, health care delivery networks, accountable care organizations, clinical integration, physician arrangements, antitrust and regulatory matters. Along with administering the firm’s managed care group, she handles direct negotiations with major managed care organizations (including Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, CIGNA, United Healthcare and EmblemHealth, as well as Medicare and Medicaid managed care plans) for fee-for-service, accountable care and full-risk arrangements.
A frequent lecturer for the Healthcare Financial Management Association, Ms. Silverman was also a contributing author of the New York Health Law Update. Ms. Silverman was selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. She graduated cum laude from Princeton University and received her J.D. degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law.
“I’m honored to receive a 2017 Outstanding Woman in Law award, which recognizes and celebrates women in the law profession. I hope to be an inspiration to young ladies who are entering law school and those who are currently practicing law.”
Partner, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Judy Simoncic started her legal career working in the Oyster Bay Town Attorney’s Office before joining Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP in 1992. She became the first woman named Partner in 2003. She concentrates her practice in the areas of zoning, land use, environmental, municipal, and real estate law. She represents national franchises, Fortune 500 companies, national corporations, and large real estate development companies as well as individual real estate developers in the development of both residential and commercial properties throughout Long Island.
Ms. Simoncic appears on behalf of her clients before municipal boards on a diversity of zoning applications such as variances, special use permits, change of zones, site plan approval, and major and minor subdivisions. She has secured zoning approvals for senior housing projects, retail and office complexes, multiple dwelling projects, planned unit developments, assisted living facilities, equestrian facilities, public storage facilities, fitness clubs, public utility facilities, and restaurant franchises.
Ms. Simoncic’s skills in land use and zoning have impacted a number of pivotal projects, including the subdivision of the former Northrop Grumman Corporation campus involving 700 acres of land in Bethpage, the subdivision and redevelopment of approximately 65 acres of The Long Island Home/South Oaks Hospital Campus property in Massapequa, the subdivision of 108 acres of land known as the former Winthrop Estate in the Village of Old Westbury, and the subdivision and preservation of the Smithers Estate in Mill Neck.
Ms. Simoncic also represents clients in a variety of litigation matters, including Article 78 Proceedings and District Court proceedings relating to zoning matters.
“As a Hofstra Law graduate, I am extra honored. I am proud to work at Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana since 1992 and was humbled when I was the first woman named Partner. It’s amazing to see how many great women attorneys we have on L.I. now.”
Professor of Legal Writing and Assistant Dean for Legal Writing and Adjunct Instruction, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Amy Stein has taught at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University since 2000. She is a Professor of Legal Writing and Assistant Dean for Legal Writing and Adjunct Instruction. During her years at Hofstra Law, she has been involved in creating a curriculum that not only gives students a solid foundation in the law, but also helps prepare them for the rigors of practice. She has had the pleasure of mentoring hundreds of students, many of whom stay in touch with her long after they graduate.
Professor Stein devotes much of her time to educating others about the law. She frequently speaks at legal writing conferences and is an active member of the Legal Writing Institute, most recently co-chairing that organization’s One-Day Workshop Committee. She is often invited to present CLE programs at various locations, including the Nassau County Bar Association. She is also regularly invited to speak at the New York State Bar Association Law Youth and Citizenship programs.
Professor Stein serves as co-chair of an annual high school moot court competition, hosted by Plainview-Kennedy High School. She serves as a volunteer brief grader for the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, sponsored by the National Black Law Students Association, as well as for the Capitol University Family Law Moot Court Competition. She has been recognized by Long Island Business News as one of its 40 Under 40 award recipients; she has also been awarded the Woman of Distinction Award in Education by the Town of Oyster Bay.
“One of the most deeply satisfying aspects of being a law professor is the impact that you have on the lives of the students that you interact with — both inside and outside of the classroom. Receiving recognition for this endeavor is humbling and deeply appreciated.”
Partner, Stern Law Firm
Elyse Stern practices in the fields of personal injury, medical malpractice and general negligence. She is a partner in the Stern Law Firm and serves as a trial attorney, handling all aspects of litigation. She has had significant settlements and verdicts.
In view of her accomplishments, Ms. Stern has been acknowledged by her peers and has been repeatedly selected as a Rising Star, an award issued by the prestigious Super Lawyers.
“It is an honor to be recognized, especially because I chose to go to law school later in life. I am glad I can offer services to the community and appreciate the opportunity to make a real difference for my clients and their families.”
Associate, Law Office of Perham Makabi
Jessica Fildes graduated from the Ohio State University in 2008, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. After working in politics, she wanted to help people in need more directly, so she decided to pursue a career in law.
While in law school, Ms. Fildes advocated on behalf of children, persons with disabilities and survivors of domestic violence through internships with the Nassau/Suffolk Law Services’ Protection and Advocacy Project, Administration for Children’s Services, Mental Hygiene Legal Service, The Legal Aid Society’s Disability Advocacy Project and Domestic Violence Practice, Hofstra Law’s Youth Advocacy Clinic, and the HIV Law Project.
Additionally, Ms. Fildes served as an Associate Editor on the Hofstra Law Review, earned a Gold Level Pro Bono Program Certificate, and was awarded the Weissman & Laskin Public Justice Foundation Fellowship, Charles H. Revson Law Student Public Interest Fellowship, and two Public Justice Foundation Fellowships. She graduated Hofstra Law in June 2014.
Ms. Fildes then served as a law graduate intern for Her Justice, helping low-income women, often survivors of domestic violence, secure divorces and assistance in family court. Since March 2015, she has been working as an associate attorney for the Law Office of Perham Makabi, where she fights to secure legal status for immigrants, including children who have been abused and neglected by their parents, clients who fear persecution in their native country, and people whose removal would cause extreme hardship to their spouse or children.
“I am greatly honored to be recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Law. I have dedicated my life to helping people in need, and this recognition affirms that my work is appreciated and motivates me even more to provide legal services to people who are suffering and need assistance.”
Associate, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Nicole Forchelli concentrates her practice in tax certiorari and municipal law. She most recently was a trial attorney in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office where she managed over 50 cases at a time and did extensive preparation of witnesses for trials and hearings. She conducted many trials and hearings where she secured convictions and favorable results. She has also served as a clerk in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Second Department, where she reviewed and researched many matters before the Court.
Before law school, Ms. Forchelli was a legal assistant at Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP, where she researched and drafted memoranda; reviewed contracts; conducted due diligence for property acquisitions, including title and survey review; assisted in the preparation and presentation of legal arguments and applications for various forms of land use relief at hearings before zoning and other municipal boards.
Ms. Forchelli is admitted to practice before the Courts of the State of New York. She has been spotlighted as a Ones to Watch by Long Island Business News and profiled by the New York Real Estate Journal in 2015 and 2016. Most recently, she was honored by RotaCare with the Champions for Families award.
“It means a lot because I am proud to be an attorney. My first job was as an Assistant DA at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for four years. Currently, I am on my third year at the Firm, where I am enjoying the camaraderie of the Tax Certiorari group.”
Attorney, Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP
Ana Getiashvili joined the Meltzer Lippe Litigation and Labor & Employment practice groups in 2014. She assists employers on issues such as discrimination and sexual harassment investigations, employee leave, worker classification and compensation practices, Form I-9 compliance and background checks. She drafts and prepares employment contracts and employer policies and handbooks. She also assists in commercial litigation matters.
Before joining Meltzer Lippe, Ms. Getiashvili was a legal intern for the Hofstra Law Asylum Clinic and a Teaching Assistant. She founded the American Academy in Tbilisi Summer School in the Republic of Georgia by obtaining a $64,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recruited 102 underprivileged children from city orphanages and Internally Displaced Person camps and awarded them full educational scholarships.
In law school, Ms. Getiashvili was Senior Notes and Comments Editor of the Hofstra Law Review, received the Gina Maria Escarce Memorial Award, and authored the article “Safe Localities Through Cooperation: Why the Secure Communities Program Violates the Constitution.” She is fluent in Georgian and Russian and is admitted to the New York State Bar.
“Awards like this symbolize the significant role female attorneys play in breaking the ‘glass’ ceiling, advocating for equal pay, and fighting gender discrimination. It also reminds us of our neverending duty to continue educating and empowering the next generation of women — future leaders of the world.”
Associate, Rivkin Radler LLP
Diana Rivkin focuses her practice on insurance defense and no-fault insurance fraud issues. She conducts examinations under oath to investigate suspicious claims and litigates on behalf of insurers to recover from fraudulent medical providers.
Ms. Rivkin graduated from Hofstra Law, where she was the Articles Editor for the Family Court Review. During law school, she interned for U.S. District Court Judge Arthur D. Spatt of the Eastern District of New York. In addition, she interned for the New York State Grievance Committee, 10th Judicial District, and was selected to be a student member of the New York City Bar Association’s Professional Discipline Committee.
Ms. Rivkin is active in not-for-profit organizations that focus on the advancement of women as well as the protection of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. While an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, she served as an intern in the sexual and domestic violence services section of the University’s Women’s Center. In recognition of her work, she was invited to attend the 14th anniversary of the signing of the Violence Against Women Act, hosted by Vice President Joe Biden. She is an executive board member of Rivkin Radler’s Women’s Initiative.
Ms. Rivkin also is an involved member of Resurrection Lutheran in Garden City, where she serves as the Junior Choir Director. She also teaches confirmation to seventh-grade students and is an active member of Resurrection’s hand bell choir.
“It is a privilege to be recognized for this achievement. The issue of female advancement has always been an important issue, and feels particularly pertinent right now. I am beyond proud to be in the company of such inspiring women who are also committed to this valuable objective.”
Associate, Moomjian, Waite & Coleman, LLP
Lynda Vaillant is a corporate associate at Moomjian, Waite & Coleman, LLP, where she practices in the areas of corporate and securities law, including mergers and acquisitions, finance, securities regulation and corporate governance. She represents both private and public companies as well as start-up companies in various stages of financing and development.
Ms. Vaillant practiced in the New York City office of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP before joining MWC in 2012. She is a 2008 graduate of Hofstra Law, where she was the Managing Editor of Articles for the Family Court Review. She graduated from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 2005 with a B.S. in Business, with a concentration in Finance and International Business and a minor in Psychology.
“As a working mother, I can feel exhausted and frustrated at times, but with this award, when I look into my children’s eyes as I balance a travel mug and briefcase in one hand and schoolbags, stuffed animal and suit jacket in the other, I know it’s all worth it!”
Bayer is proud to sponsor Hofstra Law’s Outstanding Women in Law reception. Congratulations to all of this year’s distinguished honorees, including Shirell A. Gross, Esq., Vice President and Head of Law, Radiology, at Bayer. Your tireless efforts in the field of law have enhanced the profession and the communities it serves.
2017 Outstanding Women in Law Award
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Your leadership and teamwork honors our commitment to empower women across our company and the communities we serve.
We celebrate your success.
— Your Bank of America teammates and friends
THE NASSAU COUNTY WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION
IS SO PROUD OF ITS MEMBERS FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS
AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LEGAL COMMUNITY
WE CONGRATULATE YOU FOR BEING OUTSTANDING WOMEN
IN THE LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HONORABLE DENISE L. SHER.....................JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
LINDA M. OLIVA ....................................... COMMITMENT TO WOMEN IN THE LAW LEADERSHIP AWARD
ANDREA M. BRODIE......................................OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
HON. MARILYN K. GENOA..............................OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
MARTHA KRISEL............................................OUTSTANDIND WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
LOIS SCHWAEBER........................................OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
SARIKA KAPOOR...........................................OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
SARI M. FRIEDMAN.......................................OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
KIMBERLY B. MALERBA................................OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE LAW AWARD
NICOLE S. FORCHELLI..................................EMERGING LEADERS AWARD
The Officers and Directors of the Nassau County Bar Association
Congratulate this year’s Hofstra Law Honorees Outstanding Women in Law
Hon. Denise L. Sher
Terese L. Arenth
Cynthia A. Augello
Andrea M. Brodie
Kathryn C. Cole
Sally M. Donahue
Janet Nina Esagoff
Sari M. Friedman
Patricia Galteri
Hon. Marilyn K. Genoa
Sarika Kapoor
Linda M. Oliva
Margaret D. Kranz
Michele R. Levin
Caryn Lilling
Kimberly B. Malerba
Melissa Negrin-Wiener
JoAnna Nicholson
Rachel Scelfo
Lois Schwaeber
Judy Lynn Simoncic
Nicole S. Forchelli
Ana Getiashvili
Diana E. Rivkin
And Join In Honoring All Of This Year’s Honorees At Hofstra Law’s Outstanding Women In Law Awards and Dinner
The Theodore Roosevelt American Inn of Court Congratulates its Members, the Hon. Denise L. Sher Judicial Excellence Award Recipient and Hon. Marilyn K. Genoa, Sarika Kapoor, and Lois Schwaeber Outstanding Women in the Law Awards Recipients As well as all of the other award recipients. Congratulations to Hofstra Law on its outstanding work on behalf of Children, Family and the Law.
Jessica M. Baquet Partner, Jaspan Schlesinger, LLP
Catherine R. Everett Associate, Ahmuty, Demers & McManus
Tracy L. Frankel Partner, Farber Brocks & Zane L.L.P
Marianne Monroy Partner, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
Melanie Wiener Associate, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Elizabeth M. Aboulafia Partner, Cullen and Dykman LLP
Leslie A. Berkoff Partner, Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
Sharon N. Berlin Partner, Lamb & Barnosky, LLP
Lisa A. Cairo Partner, Jaspan Schlesinger, LLP
Maria Gasparis Managing Partner, Tsunis Gasparis Lustig Ring and Kenny LLP
Roslyn Goldmacher President and CEO, Long Island Development Corporation
Heather P. Harrison Counsel, Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Holly R. Holecek Partner, LaMonica Herbst & Maniscalco, LLP
Amy Hsu
Associate, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Lauren M. Levine Partner, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
Christine Malafi Partner, Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP
Marijana Matura Associate, Shulman Kessler LLP
Jessica C. Moller Member, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC
Allison C. Shields President, Legal Ease Consulting, Inc.
Leslie H. Tayne Founder and Head Attorney, Tayne Law Group, P.C
Karen J. Tenenbaum Partner, Tenenbaum Law, P.C.
Valerie M. Cartright Attorney
Dolores Fredrich Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Hofstra University
Linda Galler
Professor of Law, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Christina Gaudio Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County
Jennifer A. Gundlach
Senior Associate Dean for Experiential Education and Clinical Professor of Law, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Lisa LoCurto Nassau County Chief Deputy County Attorney
Linda Mejias Principal Law Clerk, Supreme Court, Nassau County
Victoria Moore
Principal Law Clerk, Suffolk County Family Court
Lisa M. Petrocelli
Executive Director and Managing Attorney, Hofstra Law Access to Justice Incubator
Madeline Singas Nassau County District Attorney
Harriet R. Weinberger
Director, Office of Attorney’s for Children, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Stephanie M. Alberts
Associate, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Katie Barbieri
Associate, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Roseanne P. Beovich
Senior Associate, Genser Dubow Genser & Cona LLP
Bronwyn M. Black Partner, Black and Black
Suzanne Q. Burke Attorney, Harding, Burke & Hogan, PLLC
Nancy Burner
Founding Manager and Partner, Nancy Burner & Associates, P.C.
Jennifer B. Cona Partner, Genser Dubow Genser & Cona LLP
Ilene Sherwyn Cooper Partner, Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Robin Burner Daleo Associate, Nancy Burner & Associates, P.C.
Judith A. Eisen
Partner/Director, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
Ellen L. Flowers Senior Partner, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Emily F. Franchina Founding Shareholder, Franchina & Giordano, P.C.
Cheryl L. Fratello President and Founder, Fratello Law, P.C.
Mary P. Giordano Founding Shareholder, Franchina & Giordano, P.C.
Sharon Kovacs Gruer Attorney, Sharon Kovacs Gruer, P.C.
Saundra M. Gumerove Attorney, Saundra M. Gumerove & Associates
Ellen G. Makofsky Principal, Makofsky & Associates, P.C.
Doris L. Martin Partner/Director, Garfunkel Wild, P.C.
Mary E. Mongioi Partner, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Linda Morrone Supervising Court Attorney, Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court
Joan Lensky Robert Member, Kassoff, Robert & Lerner, LLP
Donna J. Turetsky Partner, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP
Irene V. Villacci Attorney, Irene V. Villacci, Esq., P.C.
Danielle M. Visvader Associate, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Mary Ann Aiello Partner, Mary Ann Aiello PC
Maria DeMarco Begley Of Counsel, Franchina & Giordano, P.C.
Penelope J. Blizzard-McGrath Founder, Law Office of Penelope J. Blizzard-McGrath
Allyson D. Burger Associate, Saltzman Chetkof & Rosenberg LLP
Michele Capetola Attorney, Law Offices of Anthony A. Capetola
Jacqueline M. Caputo Associate, Anthony E. Core, P.C.
Amanda L. Carlson Attorney, Catterson & LoFrumento, LLP
Kim M. Ciesinski Partner, Schwartz & Ciesinski, LLP
Cynthia Diaz CEO, Up and Running Legal & Spiritual Advocates
Elizabeth L. Diesa Partner, Tabat, Cohen, Blum & Yovino, P.C.
Donna England Member, England & England, P.C.
Charo Ezdrin Attorney, Law Offices of Charo Ezdrin, P.C.
Florence M. Fass Partner, Fass & Greenberg, LLP
Meredith Sales Friedman Partner, Van Horn and Friedman, P.C.
Lisa M. Gardner Associate, Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C.
Alisa J. Geffner Partner, Samuelson, Hause, Samuelson Geffner & Kersch, LLP
Nancy E. Gianakos Partner, Albanese & Albanese LLP
Elena L. Greenberg Partner, Fass & Greenberg, LLP
Jacqueline Harounian Partner, Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C.
Cheryl M. Helfer Partner, Helfer & Helfer LLP
Joy Jankunas Associate, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Elena Karabatos Partner, Schlissel Ostrow Karabatos, PLLC
Carolyn D. Kersch Partner, Samuelson Hause Samuelson Geffner & Kersch, LLP
Karen D. McGuire
Founding Member, McGuire Condon, P.C.
Randi M. Milgrim Partner, Mejias Milgrim & Alvarado, P.C.
Gayle Rosenblum Partner, Rubin & Rosenblum, PLLC
Debra L. Rubin Partner, Rubin & Rosenblum, PLLC
Gail B. Saul Attorney, The Saul Law Firm, LLP
Lisa R. Schoenfeld Partner, Schlissel Ostrow Karabatos, PLLC
Jill C. Stone Attorney, Jill C. Stone, Esq., PC
Megan E. Woolley Attorney, Megan E. Woollet, Esq.
Melissa Studin Young Member, Jill C. Stone, Esq., PC
Betty Atlas Partner, Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan LLP
Deborah A. Aviles Partner, Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP
Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard Managing Partner, Pegalis & Erickson, LLC
Lauren B. Bristol Partner, Kerley Walsh Matera & Cinquemani P.C.
Carolyn Caccese Partner, Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro LLP
Rebecca K. Devlin Associate, Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP
Hayley B. Dryer Associate, Cullen and Dykman LLP
Simone M. Freeman Associate, Amato Law Group PLLC
Danielle B. Gatto Associate, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Amanda Gurman Attorney, Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck, LLP
Sara Wyn Kane Partner, Valli Kane & Vagnini LLP
Elizabeth Kase Partner, Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP
Laurel R. Kretzing Partner, Jaspan Schlesinger, LLP
Kimberly D. Lerner Partner, Lerner and Lerner, PC
Judith A. Livingston Senior Partner, Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore
Rhonda L. Meyer Attorney, Pegalis & Erickson, LLC
Domenique Camacho Moran Partner, Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Rondiene E. Novitz Managing Partner, Cruser, Mitchell & Novitz, LLP
Linda M. Oliva Attorney, Pegalis & Erickson, LLC
Denine C. Pagano Partner, Keller, O’Reilly and Watson, PC
June D. Reiter Partner, Catalano Gallardo & Petropoulos, LLP
Carol L. Schlitt Founding Partner, The Schlitt Law Firm
Rachel Schulman Attorney, Rachel Schulman, Esq. PLLC
Natasha Shishov Associate, Jaspan Schlesinger, LLP
Andrea Tsoukalas Partner, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP
Elizabeth Usinger Associate, Cullen and Dykman LLP
Debra L. Wabnik Partner, Stagg, Terenzi, Confusione & Wabnik, LLP
to Success”
memorable gift that will last a lifetime!
The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University invites you take advantage of an exciting opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the Law School with a custom brick on the “Pathway to Success.”
Now is your chance to support the Fund for Hofstra Law by recognizing a special family member or faculty member, or commemorating a special event. This truly unique gift provides support of innovative programs that benefit our students and community. These bricks on the “Pathway to Success” line the walkway outside Joan Axinn Hall, home to Hofstra Law’s Clinical Program and Office of Enrollment Management.
Our thanks to an outstanding school,
For honoring an outstanding lawyer,
Margaret D. Kranz Deputy General Counsel, CHS
Catholic Home Care • Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center • Mercy Medical Center
Good Samaritan Nursing Home • Good Shepherd Hospice • Maryhaven Center of Hope
Our Lady of Consolation Nursing & Rehabilitative Care Center • St. Charles Hospital
St. Catherine of Siena Nursing & Rehabilitation Care Center • St. Joseph Hospital
St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center • St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center®
On behalf of Hofstra University and the Maurice A. Deane School of Law, congratulations to our 2017 Outstanding Women in Law honorees and thank you to our sponsors for your generous support!