Notre Dame Law School Honors Two Alumni at Annual Rev. David T. Link Public Interest Banquet | News | The Law School

Three smiling people pose. A woman in a black and white tweed jacket and bow stands left of a man in a brown suit, gold bow tie, glasses, and an ND lapel pin. A man with a grey beard in a plaid grey suit, blue tie, and an ND lapel pin stands right. — *Notre Dame Law School Dean G. Marcus Cole with Andrea Kirby '18 J.D. and Rudy Monterrosa '01 J.D.*

On October 1, Notre Dame Law School students, faculty, alumni, and community partners gathered for the annual Rev. David T. Link Public Interest Banquet, a celebration honoring those whose careers embody an unwavering commitment to justice and service. Hosted by the student-led Public Interest Leadership Council (PILC), the event not only recognized distinguished work in public interest law but also paid tribute to the enduring legacy of Dean David T. Link.

Each year, the banquet also recognizes two honorees whose work reflects that legacy through the presentation of the South Bend Community Award and the Rev. David T. Link Impact Award.

Dean G. Marcus Cole opened the program with a tribute to the man behind the name of the banquet, former Law School Dean Rev. David T. Link. He recalled how Link served as a mentor and moral voice to him for many years. After devotedly caring for his wife Barbara before her passing, Link answered a deeper calling — becoming a priest and dedicating his ministry to serving prisoners in Northern Indiana.

“He never took a day off,” Cole said, “because he said, ‘They don’t get a day off, so I don’t take a day off.’”

For Cole, Link embodied the command of Matthew 25 to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, and visit the prisoner, setting a powerful example for Notre Dame Law School’s community.

A man with grey hair and beard, wearing a plaid suit and blue tie, speaks at a clear podium. A blue banner behind him displays the University of Notre Dame seal and "Notre Dame Law School." — *Rudy Monterrosa*

South Bend Community Award: Rudy Monterrosa ‘01 J.D.

PILC co-chair and second-year law student Madeline Ward introduced the recipient of the South Bend Community Award, Rudy Monterrosa, a Notre Dame Law alumnus and adjunct professor whose career has woven together criminal, immigration, and family law with community advocacy. As founding attorney of The Monterrosa Law Group, LLC, he leads a practice that serves clients across Indiana in criminal defense and family law and represents immigration clients nationwide and around the world.

In accepting the award, Monterrosa said, “I am beyond humbled to be recognized by student leaders. As a former law student, I remember the challenges of that journey, and I accept this award on behalf of the many clients, advocates, friends, family, law students, and faculty who have made up my community.”

He recalled how Dean Link welcomed students, especially first-generation students, into his home and into the life of the Law School. Monterrosa recalled Link’s call to become a “different kind of lawyer,” one who sees dignity and humanity in every person. Connecting that vision to his own journey, Monterrosa spoke of being raised by immigrant parents, witnessing gaps of access and justice, and choosing a career defending the voiceless in criminal and immigration law. He challenged the crowd to continue to “get into some good trouble,” quoting John Lewis, as part of that shared mission.

A woman in a light tweed jacket and black bow tie speaks at a podium with the Notre Dame seal. A screen shows a blurred image of Father John Jenkins, with "University of Notre Dame | The Law School" below. An audience sits at tables. — *Andrea Kerby*

Rev. David T. Link Impact Award: Andrea Kerby ‘18 J.D.

PILC co-chair, second-year law student Haley Palumbo, introduced the Rev. David T. Link Impact Award recipient, Andrea Kerby, senior attorney in the Criminal Records Relief Department at Cabrini Green Legal Aid. In accepting the award, Kerby reflected on what drew her to public interest law and what guides her daily. “Father Link spent his final years answering the highest call — ministering to inmates and prisoners, those most in need of justice, mercy, and compassion,” she said.

She emphasized that at Notre Dame Law School, public interest was not an afterthought but a calling nurtured by faculty who embraced her vision. After joining CGLA, she immersed herself in criminal records relief work.

She described the stakes starkly. “In Illinois, a criminal record is created at the moment someone is arrested, and it remains public indefinitely. That record can prevent people from getting a job, housing, education, or even basic public benefits. A law student once asked me, she said, ‘How can you reconcile innocent until proven guilty within this system?’ And the answer is simple. You can’t.”

She spoke of the emotional reward of watching clients rebuild their lives, finding jobs, securing housing, and protecting their families. She cited Proverbs 31 as a guiding principle. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of the needy.”

Over the past few years, the Rev. David T. Link Public Interest Banquet has become a signature event for Notre Dame Law School, reminding all who attend that the law is not merely a profession, but a vocation.

This year’s banquet deepened that tradition by bringing forward voices rooted in both the local community and the national landscape. As Dean Cole reminded the audience, “You can do a lot worse in your life than living up to the example of David Link.” Whether in South Bend or Chicago, in criminal defense or legal aid work, Monterrosa and Kerby stand as embodiments of that challenge.