Notre Dame Law School announces awards for 2024 graduating class
On Friday, May 17, Notre Dame Law School honored its graduating students during the annual Awards Day ceremony. Students received awards for academic performance, including Honor Roll, Dean’s Circle, Faculty Excellence, and Program of Study; for writing, trial advocacy and moot court; and for service to Notre Dame, their fellow students, and greater community. Below, we spotlight some of the awards and their recipients.
For a complete list of all awards, please see our 2024 Awards Day Program here.
Captain William O. McLean Law School Community Citizenship Award and Anne C. Hamilton Award
Maura Burke
Maura Burke received the Captain William O. McLean Community Citizenship Award, named to honor Captain McLean, a former associate dean of Notre Dame Law School. It recognizes a student who has made the greatest contribution to the lives of Notre Dame Law School students. The recipient of the Captain McLean Award is selected by the members of the 3L graduating class.
Maura also received the Anne C. Hamilton Award, named after long-time and beloved registrar Anne Hamilton who passed away in 2018. The award recognizes the graduating student who has done the most to help his or her fellow students.
Maura has served as the public interest representative for the Student Bar Association, president of the Public Interest Law Forum, co-president for the National Lawyers Guild, and director of service for the Women’s Legal Forum. She was also a member of the Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy. Maura was selected as a 2024 Bank of America Fellow, and will complete her two-year fellowship at the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy in Chicago.
Conrad Kellenberg Award
David T. Link Award
Alexandra Lesnik
Alexandra Lesnik was awarded the Conrad Kellenberg Award, which commemorates Professor Kellenberg’s fifty years of service to Notre Dame Law School and local communities. This award acknowledges a student's significant dedication to community betterment through service. The recipient of the Conrad Kellenberg Award is selected by the members of the graduating 3L class.
Alexandra also received the David T. Link Award, presented to graduating students in recognition of their outstanding service in the field of social justice. The award honors Rev. David Link, who served as the Law School’s dean for several years and was a champion for social justice. In his later life he was ordained a priest and ministered to prisoners throughout Indiana.
She also received the Tia B. Paulette & Erika S. Gustin Award for her work and support with the Exoneration Justice Clinic during the Champions of Justice ceremony in April. Alexandra was president of the Exoneration Project, vice president of the American Constitution Society, and a member of the Journal of Legislation. After graduation, she will work as a public defender with The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice.
David T. Link Award
Sebastián Ramírez
Sebastian Ramirez received The David T. Link Award, presented to graduating students in recognition of their outstanding service in the field of social justice. The award honors Rev. David Link, who served as the Law School’s dean for several years and was a champion for social justice. In his later life he was ordained a priest and ministered to prisoners throughout Indiana.
Sebastian has served as president of the LGBT Forum and as academic chair for the Hispanic Law Students Association. As a recipient of the 2024 Bank of America Foundation Fellowship, Sebastian will work with the LGBTQ+ community at Legal Services of Miami after graduation.
H. King Williams Memorial Award
Bernadette Shaughnessy
Bernadette Shaughnessy is the recipient of the H. King Williams Memorial Award for her significant contribution to building community at Notre Dame Law School.
Bernadette has served on the executive boards of Jus Vitae and the St. Thomas More Society, the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy, and has been a student fellow in the Religious Liberty Clinic. After graduation, she will clerk for the Honorable Raymond W. Gruender in the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Joseph Ciraolo Memorial Award
Callie Chaney
Callie Chaney was awarded the Joseph Ciraolo Memorial Award, which recognizes a graduating student who exemplifies spirit, service, and significant achievement in the face of adversity. Callie also received the Tia B. Paulette & Erika S. Gustin Award for her work and support with the Exoneration Justice Clinic during the Champions of Justice ceremony in April. She served as a class representative for the Student Bar Association. Inspired by her work with the EJC, Chaney will return to her home state of Kentucky to practice as a public defender.
Judge Joseph E. Mahoney Award
Joshua Mannery
The Judge Joseph E. Mahoney Award was awarded to Josh Mannery for outstanding leadership. Josh served as this year’s president of the Notre Dame Student Bar Association. He has been a liaison for Notre Dame Law Admissions and involved with the Black Law Student Association. After graduation, Josh will join the Chicago office of Mayer Brown LLP.
Saint Ivo Kermartin Mediation Award
Haley Palmer
Haley Palmer is the recipient of the inaugural Saint Ivo Kermartin Mediation Award, which recognizes an outstanding student mediator and is selected by the Mediation Clinic faculty. She was also involved as an oralist for the Notre Dame Moot Court team and with the Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. She will work for Jones Day in New York after graduation.
Sister Jean Lenz, O.S.F. Leadership Award
Jakim Aaron
Jakim Aaron received the Sister Jean Lenz, O.S.F. Leadership Award, given annually by the University’s Office of Student Affairs to honor a graduate student who has displayed leadership in promoting a more diverse, inclusive campus community for students. This is the first time since 2014 that a law student has won the Sr. Lenz award.
Earlier this year Jakim received a Black Excellence Award at the University of Notre Dame's Black Excellence Dinner in recognition of his outstanding professionalism, leadership, and achievement.
Jakim served as the president of the Notre Dame Black Law Students Association, was a fellow for the Law School Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and a co-chair of the SBA Community & Inclusion Committee. He will work for Adobe in New York.
Patricia O’Hara Scholarship and Leadership Award
K’reisa Cox, Alyssa Desouza, Jared Huber, Arlinda Shehu, and Sachit Shrivastav
The Patricia O’Hara Scholarship & Leadership Award is named in honor of Patricia O’Hara, professor emerita and the first woman to serve as dean at ND Law, and is awarded to the five graduates who best represent a combination of scholarship and leadership.
K’reisa Cox has been involved with the Exoneration Justice Clinic and has published several articles in the Journal of Legislation. After graduation, she will clerk for Judge Blakely on the Northern District Court of Illinois.
Alyssa Desouza has served on the Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy and was a student fellow in the Religious Liberty Clinic. She will return to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York City as an associate after graduating.
Jared Huber has served as executive editor of the Notre Dame Law Review, was president of the Federalist Society, and was a student fellow for the Religious Liberty Clinic. He will clerk for Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk on the Northern District Court of Texas.
Sachit Shrivastav was president of the American Constitution Society, a member of the Notre Dame Law Review, and completed several judicial externships for U.S. District Courts in Indiana and Illinois. After graduating, he will clerk for Chief Justice Collins Seitz on the Supreme Court of Delaware.
Arlinda Shehu served as president of the First-Generation Professionals and was involved in the Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy, and the Women’s Legal Forum. Upon graduation, she will work at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in New York City.
Other Named Awards
The A. Harold Weber Moot Court Award
For outstanding achievement in the art of oral argument as part of the Showcase Moot Court Team
Molly Baldock
William Clark
David Kilduff
Allison Morcus
Haley Palmer
Athanasius Sirilla
The A. Harold Weber Writing Award
For excellence in essay writing
Molly Baldock
The Arthur A. May Award
To a member of the Moot Court Trial team who demonstrates a commitment to professional ethical standards and exhibits excellence in trial advocacy
Daryl Naquin
Arthur Abel Memorial Writing Competition
Award for excellence in legal writing for the Notre Dame Law Review
John Paul Ferguson
Champions for Justice Award
The students receiving the Champion for Justice award have exemplified Fr. Hesburgh’s call to be a lawyer champion with their extraordinary commitment to public service. Awarded at the Champions of Justice Ceremony in April.
Maura Burke
Skylar Cerbone
Callie Chaney
K’Reisa Cox
Anne Daly
Jared Huber
Anthony Imburgia
Jacqueline Kamel
Alexandra Lesnik
Ally Morcus
Daryl Naquin
Hubert Ning
Anne Bennett Osteen
Christopher Ostertag
Claire Ramsey
Bernadette Shaughnessy
Andrea Testin
Sandra Weir
Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Student Award
For excellence in clinical work
Kathleen Ryan
Dean Konop Legal Aid Award
For outstanding service in the Legal Aid Clinic
Summer Taylor
Edward F. Barrett Award
For outstanding achievement in the art of trial advocacy
Kate Hahn
Edward J. Kelly Prize in Elder Law
Annual writing competition for the best essay, article, or legal brief on a topic relating to elder law
Cecilia Morin (2023)
Dylan Van Sky (2024)
International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award
For distinguished achievement in the art of advocacy, chosen by Trial Advocacy faculty
Nathaniel Barry
Samantha Downey
Samuel Gellen
Jessup International Moot Court Award
For excellence in advocacy
Sarah Barritt
Zachary Beculheimer
McKenzie Bush
Tysan Holloman
Huan Nguyen
The Jon E. Krupnick Award
For excellence in the art of trial advocacy
Skylar Cerbone
The Kyle D. Smith Mock Trial Award
For excellence in mock trial
Joshua Mannery
Lardy Scholarship
Presented annually to a rising third-year student “who exemplifies courage, love, and understanding toward his fellow man.” Last year Barrett Cole received the Lardy Scholarship
Barrett Cole
Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition
Annual writing competition for the best law student paper on the topic of legal ethics
Zachary Damir
Tia B. Paulette & Erika S. Gustin Award
For commitment to criminal justice and the public interest through support of the Exoneration Justice Clinic. Awarded at the Champions of Justice Ceremony in April.
Callie Chaney
Alexandra Lesnik
The Whitton Prize
For excellence in brief writing, chosen by the Legal Writing Faculty based on the student’s writing submission
Gabriel Gomez
William T. Kirby Award
For excellence in brief writing. Chosen by the Legal Writing faculty based on the student’s writing submission
Owyn Ferguson
Shivani Prakash
William T. Kirby Award (1L)
For excellence in legal writing during the 1L year
Sarah Barritt
Awards for Outstanding Achievement
Recognizing one graduating student for excellence in courses taken in the following programs of study.
Program of Study in Business Law
Timothy Haltermann
Program in Study of Criminal Law
Jacqueline Kimmel
Alexandra Lesnik
Program of Study in Energy and Environmental Law
Phoebe Eichhorst
Program of Study in Global Law
McKenzie Bush
Program of Study in Global Law
William White
Program of Study in Intellectual Property and Technology Law
Emily Taetzsch
Program of Study in Law, Ethics, and Public Policy
John Paul Ferguson
Program of Study in Public Law
Charles Nugent
Program of Study in Real Estate Law
Joe Allegretti
Highest Academic Awards
The Law School will recognize our three highest academic honors—Colonel William J. Hoynes Award, Dean Joseph O’Meara Award, and Farabaugh Prize —in early June.