Notre Dame Law School announces awards for 2026 graduating class

On Friday, May 15, Notre Dame Law School recognized its graduating students at the annual Awards Ceremony. Awards were presented for academic achievement, including Honor Roll, Dean’s Circle, Faculty Excellence, and Program of Study distinctions, as well as for excellence in writing, trial advocacy, and moot court. Students were also celebrated for their service to Notre Dame, their classmates, and the broader community. Below, we highlight a selection of this year’s awards and recipients.

Anne C. Hamilton Award

Amanda Soto

Amanda Soto 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.

Amanda has served as president of the Women’s Legal Forum, treasurer of the Student Bar Association, and an articles editor for the Journal of Law, Ethics, & Public Policy. She also participated in the Eviction Clinic, and is a Sorin Fellow with the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture.

Captain William O. McLean Law School Community Citizenship Award

John Shaughnessy

John Shaughnessy 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.

John is a member of the Saint Thomas More Society and served as a community editor for the Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy. Additionally, John was a student in the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic.

Conrad Kellenberg Award

Victoria Foley

Victoria Foley was also 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.

Victoria served as the managing online editor for the Journal of International & Comparative Law and was a student in the Global Human Rights Clinic. Victoria regularly volunteered for nonprofits in the South Bend community, including Reins of Life and La Casa de Amistad.

David T. Link Award

Peris Munene Osborne

Peris Munene Osborne 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.

Peris held leadership roles in both the Student Bar Association and the Black Law Students Association. Additionally, Peris was a student in the Exoneration Justice Clinic.

H. King Williams Memorial Award

Audra Kim

Audra Kim is the recipient of the H. King Williams Memorial Award for her significant contribution to building community at Notre Dame Law School. Audra has served as a class representative for the Student Bar Association. She also served as an associate editor of the Journal on Emerging Technologies.

Joseph Ciraolo Memorial Award

Andrea Michelle Vasquez

Michelle Vasquez was awarded the Joseph Ciraolo Memorial Award, which recognizes a graduating student who exemplifies spirit, service, and significant achievement in the face of adversity. While in Law School, Michelle served as vice president of the First Generation Professionals Student Organization, and was the notes editor for the Journal on Emerging Technologies. Additionally, she was a student in the Global Human Rights Clinic.

Judge Joseph E. Mahoney Award

Nicholas Smith

The Judge Joseph E. Mahoney Award was awarded to Nicholas Smith for outstanding leadership. Nicholas served as this year’s president of the Notre Dame Student Bar Association and the Black Law Student Association. He also served as a research assistant for the Global Human Rights Clinic.

Saint Ivo Kermartin Mediation Award

Alexis Behnke

Alexis Behnke is the recipient of the Saint Ivo Kermartin Mediation Award, which recognizes an outstanding student mediator and is selected by the Mediation Clinic faculty. During her time in Law School, Alexis has been involved in the Women’s Legal Forum, and has served as senior editor on the Journal on Emerging Technologies.

Tia B. Paulette & Erika S. Gustin Award

Andrew Zimlich

Andrew Zimlich is the recipient of the Tia B. Paulette & Erika S. Gustin Award, which recognizes commitment to criminal justice and public interest work through support of the Exoneration Justice Clinic.

In addition to his involvement in the Exoneration Justice Clinic, Andrew has been involved with Moot Court, and has served as a staff editor on the Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy.

Patricia O’Hara Scholarship and Leadership Award

Yuta Inada, Thomas MacPhee, Veronica Maska, Gabriel Powell, and Dennis Wieboldt

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 Notre Dame Law School, and is awarded to the five graduates who best represent a combination of scholarship and leadership.

Yuta Inada was involved in the Global Human Rights Clinic, the International Law Society, and the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, and served on the Notre Dame Law Review.

Thomas MacPhee was active in Moot Court and served as editor-in-chief of the Notre Dame Law Review.

Veronica Maska has been involved with the Notre Dame Law Review as a senior articles editor and the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic, and served as vice president of Jus Vitae.

Gabriel Powell served as the staff editor and managing articles editor of the Notre Dame Law Review. He was also involved as the president of the Federalist Society, and as an oralist on the Moot Court Board’s Showcase Team.

Dennis Wieboldt has been involved in the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic and founded the Notre Dame Graduate Legal History Colloquium.

Other Named Awards

The A. Harold Weber Writing Award

For excellence in essay writing

Dennis Wieboldt

The Arthur A. May Award

To a member of the Barristers Moot Court Trial team who demonstrates a commitment to professional ethical standards and exhibits excellence in trial advocacy

Morgan Hall

Arthur Abel Memorial Writing Competition

Award for excellence in legal writing for the Notre Dame Law Review

Steven Tu

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 for Justice Public Interest Recognition Ceremony in April.

Colton Barta

Lucas Brolin

Jessica Buchanan

Kathleen Casey

Autumn Chassie

Christine Farnberg

Parker Felterman

Holly Fulbright

Morgam Hall

Sydni Hart

Nora Ibrahim

Alesis Juntunen

Alexa Kawlewski

Nathan Kawlewski

Albert Kwon

Allyson Lazarre

Ava Moreno

Peris Munene

Nikki Rafferty

Alexandra Ragland

Sarah Spain

Mikela St. John

Kathleen Stewart

Steven Tu

Tyson Weeks

Gloria Wertjes

Andrew Zimlich

Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Student Award

For excellence in clinical work

Victoria Foley

Dean Konop Legal Aid Award

For outstanding service in the Legal Aid Clinic

Colton Barta

Garrett Hofmann

Edward F. Barrett Award

For outstanding achievement in the art of trial advocacy

Caroline Cannizzaro

International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award

For distinguished achievement in the art of advocacy, chosen by Trial Advocacy faculty

Colton Barta

Erin Hiestand

Femia Tonelli

Katherine Zeda

Jessup International Moot Court Award

For excellence in advocacy

Grace Elias

Camille Golowski

Mariko Jurcsak

Ava Moreno

Mary Pat Peteraon

The Jon E. Krupnick Award

For excellence in the art of trial advocacy

Albert Kwon

Marin Larkin

Jennifer Osita

The Kyle D. Smith Mock Trial Award

For excellence in mock trial

Quinn Kelly

Lardy Scholarship

Amanda Soto

Last year, Amanda Soto received the Lardy Scholarship, which is presented annually to a rising third-year student “who exemplifies courage, love, and understanding toward his fellow man.”

William T. Kirby Award

For excellence in brief writing. Chosen by the Legal Writing faculty based on the student’s writing submission.

Steven Tu

William T. Kirby Award (1L)

For excellence in legal writing during the 1L year

Steven Tu

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

Yuta Inada

Program in Study of Criminal Law

Lucas Brolin

Program of Study in Energy and Environmental Law

Gloria Wertjes

Program of Study in Global Law

Yuta Inada

Kyle Johnson

Program of Study in Intellectual Property and Technology Law

Alexandra Noble

Program of Study in Law, Ethics, and Public Policy

Dennis Wieboldt

Program of Study in Public Law

Thomas MacPhee

Program of Study in Real Estate Law

Hayden Burnight

See the full list of awards in the event program here

Highest Academic Awards

The Law School will recognize our three highest academic honors—the Colonel William J. Hoynes Award, the Dean Joseph O’Meara Award, and the Farabaugh Prize—in early June.