�鶹��Ƶ

Image

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at �鶹��Ƶ hosted a sold-out 31st Annual Law Leadership Dinner on March 12, 2026, at Westchester Country Club, raising a record-breaking fundraising total of over $500,000 in support of the Law School’s academic programs, faculty scholarship, and student opportunities.

The Law Leadership Dinner is Pace Haub Law’s signature annual fundraiser, bringing together alumni, members of the legal profession, faculty, students, and friends of the Law School to celebrate the achievements of distinguished alumni and rising leaders within the Law School and broader legal community. This year’s celebration also marked the kickoff of the Law School’s 50th anniversary year, a milestone that will be commemorated through a series of events and programs throughout 2026.

“Tonight we observe one of our most meaningful traditions,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. in his remarks to the audience. “The true measure of a law school is not found in numbers—it is found in outcomes. It is found in the people who leave our classrooms and go on to lead, to serve, to build, to advocate, and to make a difference in the world.”

As part of the anniversary recognition, members of the Law School’s first graduating class—the Class of 1979—were honored during the evening’s program as pioneers who helped establish the foundation of what has become a nationally recognized institution.

“Fifty years ago, this Law School came into existence,” Anderson said. “What began as an ambitious vision has grown into a nationally recognized institution that has shaped generations of lawyers, judges, policymakers, and leaders,” he continued. “As we launch our 50th anniversary year, we celebrate not only this milestone, but the example set by that first class and carried forward by every generation of alumni who followed.”

The Law Leadership Dinner also honored three alumni leaders whose careers exemplify the values of leadership, service, and professional excellence that define the Pace Haub Law community.

This year’s distinguished honorees included:

• Robert T. Adams ’86, Mediator, National Arbitration and Mediation
• Lisa A. Linsky ’84, Partner, McDermott Will & Schulte
• Joseph A. Ruhl ’90, Regional President, Westchester County, Orange Bank & Trust Company

Image

In addition to recognizing established leaders in the profession, the Law Leadership Dinner also honored emerging alumni through the presentation of the Shining Star Award, which recognizes graduates whose early career accomplishments reflect excellence, promise, and commitment to their communities.

This year’s Shining Star recipients were:

• Zachary Berliner ’18, Counsel in Lowenstein Sandler LLP’s Environmental Law & Litigation Group
• Liberta “Libby” Barcia ’22, Associate at Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP
• Eve Lincoln ’17, Town Justice for New Windsor and Assistant County Attorney in the Orange County Family Law Unit
• Joshua Brachfeld ’23, Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

“These alumni are already making a meaningful impact in their professions and communities,” Anderson said. “They are not only succeeding in their respective fields, they are already serving as examples for future generations.”

The evening also highlighted the continued success and momentum of the Law School as it enters its 50th year. In recent years, Pace Haub Law has maintained its #1 national ranking in Environmental Law by U.S. News & World Report, while students, faculty, and alumni continue to make an impact through scholarship, advocacy, and global engagement.

The 2026 Law Leadership Dinner was made possible in large part through the support of generous sponsors. Proceeds from the Law Leadership Dinner support the Law School’s academic initiatives, experiential learning opportunities, and scholarships that enable students to pursue their legal education and careers.

2026 Leadership Award Dinner sponsors

Haub Presenting Sponsor: Lubert-Adler Partners, LP

Justice Sponsor: Robert T. Adams, Pace Haub Class of 1986

Partner Sponsors:

• Susan S. Brown, JD ’87 and J. Frank Brown
• Lisa A. Linsky, JD ’84
• Ringler

Ambassador Sponsors:

• Orange Bank & Trust Company
• Bleakley Platt & Schmidt
• Cuddy & Feder
• Morgan Levine Dolan
• Sacks & Sacks
• Zaremba Brown

Associate Sponsors:

• Ahumty Demers & McManus
• Buttafucco & Associates
• DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr
• Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek
• Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano
• Fabiani, Cohen & Hall
• Gjelaj Law
• Harmon Linder Rogowsky and Hack and Rose
• Kennedys
• Liakas Law
• McDermott Will & Schulte
• Merson Law
• National Arbitration and Mediation
• O’Connor & Partners
• Oresky & Associates
• Pillinger Miller
• Hon. Terry Jane Ruderman, JD ’80 and Jerry Ruderman
• Joseph A. Ruhl, JD ’90
• Siegel & Coonerty LLP and ESS Settlement Services
• St. Philip the Apostle Foundation
• Universal Commodities Trading, Inc.
• William Schwitzer & Associates