News » Alumni Class Notes

Sunny Hostin, J.D. ’94, was named the Alvin McKenna Alumnus of the Year Award and asked to give the keynote address at the 2012 Black Law Students Association awards banquet at NDLS this year.

Shannon Buffum has joined the Harris Beach law firm in the Buffalo office as an associate in the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group. She also serves as the Educational Institutions Industry Team.

Megan E Bryson has been listed on the Connecticut Rising Star list for 2011-2012. Bryan works in the Law Offices of Paul A. Lange and focuses her practice on Litigation, Insurance, and Transactional Work in the area of aviation law.

Leslie Budewitz’s first book: Books, Crooks, and Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Crinimal Law and Courtroom Procedures (Quill Driver Books) has received the 2011 Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction.

Stephanie Martin has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Inc. Martin is an associate at Adams and Reese.

David L Guevara has co-designed and edited a book titled Environmental Liability and Insurance Recovery, published in May 2012 by ABA Book Publishing and sponsored by the ABA’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. Guevara is a member of Taff Stettinius & Hollister LLP’s Environmental Law and Litigation practice group.

Jorge Narvaez-Hasfura has been appointed an honorary Independent Advisor and Member of the Sounding Board of the Mexican Taxpayers’ Ombudsman. Narvaez-Hasfura works for Baker & McKenzie.

Thomas W. Cushing has been selected to fill a vacancy on the Lyons Township High School’s Board of Education. Cushing is Of Counsel at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP in Chicago, Illinois.

Patrick J. Kilbane has been elected president of the Notre Dame Club of North Florida. Kilbane is a an attorney in the Jacksonville office of GrayRobinson, P.A.

Frank Pimentel has transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Buffalo, New York as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

George Ng, a partner at Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. was recently recognized by M&A Advisors with their Top 40 Under 40 Award.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Guaderrama has been confirmed by the Senate as District Judge for the Western District of Texas – El Paso Division.

Diane M. Haller has been named among the top five percent of attorneys in Arizona by Southwest Super Lawyers for 2012. Haller focuses her practice on Real Estate Law.

Kevin E. Griffith has been recognized as a “Leader in their Field” by Chambers USA 2012. Griffith is with Porter Wright in Ohio and specializes in Labor and Employment Law.

Christopher R. Schraff has been recognized as a “Leader in their Field” by Chambers USA 2012. Schraff is with Porter Wright in Ohio and specializes in Natural Resources and Evironmental Law.

Matthew Moberg has been promoted to senior associate at Porter Wright. Moberg has represented institutions in regulatory compliance matters and the purchase and sales of assets and real estate.

Laura A. Weiler has received the 2012 James B. Haddad Award in recognition of consistent high-quality advocacy and contributions to the improvement of the justice system. The award is presented by Illinois’ State Appellate Defender Board of Commissioners. Weiler is an Assistant Appellate Defender for the Illinois Office of the State Appellate Defender.

James L. Guse has joined the Portland office of Ball Janik LLP as an Associate in the firm’s Insurance Recovery, Construction Defect and Litigation practice groups. His practice focuses on the representation of individual and corporate policyholders in insurance coverage disputes.

Max Siegel has been named chief executive officer for USA Track and Field. Siegel has previously served as president of global operations for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; a senior vice president at Sony/BMG; the owner of Rev Racing and a major player in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.

Brendan T. Fitzpatrick has joined the law firm of Goldberg Segalla LLP as a partner in their Garden City office.

Robert M. Hanlon Sr. has been named a 2012 New Jersey Super Lawyer. Mr. Hanlon concentrates his practice in the areas of product liability, transportation, and catastrophic personal injury. He is an attorney with Golberg Segalla.

Kathleen Kerrigan has been confirmed as a U.S. Tax Court judge. Before working for Congress for 14 years, Kerrigan was a Partner at Baker and Hostetler LLP, working in the government affairs practice group.

Carolyn A. Blessing has joined Locke Lord LLP as an associate in their litigation practice, based in the Chicago office.

Robert J. Konopa, partner at Tuesley Hall Konopa, has been named to the 2012 Indiana Super Lawyers. Konopa is recognized for his work in civil litigation defense, personal injury plaintiff, and business litigation.

Nita N. Upadhye has started a solo law practice in London, England. Upadhye specializes in U.S. immigration services to global businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, and other professionals.

Maggie Myers has joined the Dallas office of Winstead PC as an associate in the Corporate, Securities/Mergers & Acquisitions practice group. Myers has represented a Fortune 500 company as well as a major printer company in a short-form merger.

Adam B. Fischer has joined Pepper Hamilton law firm’s Pittsburgh office as an associate in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group.

Edmund J. Adams, Of Counsel to Frost Brown Todd LLC, will be presenting an 18-hour seminar as a Visiting Professor of Bankruptcy Law at the Turiba School of Business in Riga, Lativia. Adams will be teaching a comparison of the American Chapter 11 reorganization system to the new Latvian Insolvency Law. Adams is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

Chris Mugica has been selected as a 2012 Rising Star by Thomson Reuters. Mugica is an associate at the Austin office of Jackson Walker LLP.

George D. Molinsky has been listed as a 2012 Leading Lawyer by Cincy Magazine. Molinsky is an attorney at Taft Stettinuis & Hollister LLP and specializes in emerging companies.