Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2023 Student Awards!

 

Welcome

It is our great honor to celebrate the achievements and hard work of our students and student leaders at Denver Law. This year we celebrate our students for outstanding leadership, academic achievement, prolific writing, acute lawyering skills, zealous advocacy, and overall positive contribution to the law school. Each year, outstanding students leave a lasting impact on our law school community. We are ever-so-proud of our students and cannot thank them enough for their contributions to the Sturm College of Law.
 

Please join us in celebrating our 2023 Student Awards recipients by reading our digital program and viewing video remarks celebrating these students’ achievements.

Congratulations!

 

Student Achievement Awards

Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute Annual Prize                                  

Each year, the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute recognizes excellent students who demonstrate outstanding potential for impact in the sustainable development field. This award is given to the student(s) who make significant contributions to the work of RMLUI and the field of land use law. The cash prize is generously funded by Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti.

Darah Fuller ∙ Matthew Nilsen

 

Leonard v.B. Sutton Award

This award is for the best paper in international law and consists of a cash award and the opportunity to attend the Hague Academy of International Law this summer.

Marlene Pierce ∙ Sophia Vander Kooy

Irving P. Andrews Award for Outstanding Law Graduate

The late Irving P. Andrews was one of the most talented trial attorneys in Colorado. He was highly regarded for his masterful oratorical skills, keen intellect, commitment to excellence, strong dedication to under-served populations and an undying love of the law. The Sam Cary Bar Association established this award in the name of Irving P. Andrews to honor a law graduate who has demonstrated academic excellence, professionalism, integrity and respect for the rule of law.

Troi Davis

 

 

 

 

Public Good Distinction                                                             

 

The Public Good Distinction is an honor that Denver Law awards graduating students based upon their demonstrated commitment to public interest law throughout their legal education. Students devote at least 16 credits to public interest coursework and participate in a capstone course in their final year. This is the inaugural year of the distinction.

 

 

Rachael Adkins	Chuck Alcock	Kathryn Banuelos	Daphne Barrera	Allyson Beyer	Christina Boyle
Kayla Choun	Isabel Dufford	Stephen Ferry	Gabrielle Gile	Rebecca Glenn	Sonia Gomez
Matthew Knaster	Benjamin McCarthy	Rena Meisler	Matthew Nilsen	Madeline Rodgers	Joseph Rosales
Katherine Rosner	Guy Sack	Samantha Saverin	Raelyn Schnappauf	Bryan Stacy	Jennifer Sturman
Aleela Taylor	Jordan Thornlow	Juliana Todeschi	Jennifer Tuttle	Liliana Vior Espalter	Caitlyn Wallace
Cora Weatherford	Rachael Willihnganz	Rachel Wilson

 

Experiential Awards

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Advancing Social Change Clinic   

Jennifer Lavoie ∙ Marissa Olivas ∙ Misty Schlabaugh

 

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Civil Rights Clinic      

Kate Berry ∙ Audrey Oliver

 

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Criminal Defense Clinic

Killean Carter ∙ Eliz Espinoza ∙ Dylan Fair ∙ Claire Johnson ∙ Haley Macha ∙ Luke Meidel ∙ Andrew Peterson

 

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Environmental Law Clinic              

Mohammed Aliraani ∙ Carolyn Fergus-Callahan ∙ Rachel Sigman

 

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Immigration Law & Policy Clinic              

Annika Winans

 

 

 

 

Outstanding Student in a Private-Sector Externship          

 

This award is given to a student who has demonstrated excellence in an externship with a private firm. The recipient has engaged in critical reflection about the legal profession, their legal career, and their priorities and values as a lawyer and as an individual. In addition, this student has produced high-quality work in the field, and has demonstrated professionalism and a strong work ethic.

Juliana Todeschi

 

 

 

Outstanding Student in a Public-Sector Externship            

This award is given to a student who has demonstrated excellence in an externship with a nonprofit organization or government agency or entity. The recipient has engaged in critical reflection about the legal profession, their legal career, and their priorities and values as a lawyer and as an individual. In addition, this student has produced high-quality work in the field, and has demonstrated professionalism and a strong work ethic.

Maggie Palmer

 

 

 

Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution

The students receiving this award are recognized for their outstanding skills in the areas of advocacy in international arbitration, client counseling, mediation, and mediation advocacy.

Tyler Davis ∙ Keila Garcia ∙ Erin Kennedy ∙ Malie Minton ∙ Jessica Perkins ∙ Brittany Phouinh

 

 

 

Excellence in Transactional Skills                                        

 

This award recognizes those students who have demonstrated a clear understanding and achievement of the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as a business lawyer in a transactional law practice. In particular, students will have attained general corporate law knowledge, corporate drafting skills, merger and acquisition knowledge, financial literacy, negotiation skills, and critical deal skills.

Ryann Patton Connell

 

 

 

LLM and Masters Programs Awards

Outstanding Master of Science in Legal Administration Graduate      

This award is presented to a graduating student in the Master of Science in Legal Administration program for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.

Winrich Cruz

 

 

 

Outstanding Master of Legal Studies Graduate      

This award is presented to a graduating student in the Master of Legal Studies program for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.

Valerie Jean Scott

 

 

 

Outstanding International Business Transactions LLM Graduate Award

This award is presented to a graduating student in the International Business Transactions LLM Graduate Award program for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.

Jeffrey Newton

 

Student Bar Association Awards

The Student Bar Association Awards are awarded to students, faculty, and staff that are nominated and elected by the student body.

 

 

 

Student Leadership Awards

Most Innovative Program Award

This award recognizes a student who has implemented a new program or significantly modified an existing program which better serves the law school community.

Ashna Basnet ∙ Keila Garcia ∙ Arsh Khan ∙ Mariah Melena ∙ Sadaf Naushad

 

Inclusive Excellence Award

This award is presented to a student who models inclusivity and has demonstrated a commitment to diversity through service and programming. These individuals bring diverse perspectives to the Sturm College of Law community.

Malie Mintonl ∙ Aleela Taylor ∙ Katie Wynn ∙ Pelecanos

 

 

 

 

Student Leadership Award

These awards are given to students who have fulfilled two of the three following criteria: 1) initiated a new student program or organization; 2) significantly improved an existing program; or 3) demonstrated leadership by contributing considerable time, resources, and talents to the law school community.

Adam Estacio, Ashlyn Hare, Kalen Hilliker, Trevor Klein, Kelly Lotterhos, Malie Minton, Camille Moore, Stephanie Wise & Pelecanos

 

 

Outstanding Leadership Award     

This award is presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the law school through consistent service to student organizations, and/or has demonstrated extraordinary community involvement on behalf of the Sturm College of Law.

Michael Kilbourn

 

 

 

 

Juris Doctor Academic Distinction Awards

Clarence L. Bartholic Highest Grade in Legal Profession Award                     

This award was initiated by the Brewer Inn of Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity, which promotes professional ethics. This award honors students who achieved the highest grade in Legal Profession during the prior calendar year (2021). Mr. Bartholic, after whom the award is named, was a 1925 alumnus of the Sturm College of Law.

Allyson Beyer ∙ Emily Davis ∙ Trevor Klein ∙ Chasen Miller ∙ Anna Myra ∙ Isabella Pichler

 

 

Melanie Hardaway Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduate

 

This award is given to graduating student(s) in the top five percent of the class who have made the greatest overall contribution to the law school.

Katelyn Elrod ∙ Trevor Klein

 

Harry Clayton Davis Award                                                

This award is given annually to a student who has made the greatest overall academic progress during their law school career.

Lauren Bielich