Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2022 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, and this year is no different even as students adapted to the challenges of COVID-19. 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 2022 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.

Emily Maino ∙ Alida Soileau

 

 

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.

Nigel Daniels

 

 

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.

 

Spencer Aitken	Hailey Black	Nicoli Bowley	Sarah Brusseau	Julianne Buchanan	Genna Carver
Salomon Chavez	Nigel Daniels	Darlene Dool	Alexander Franklin	Rachel Green	Owen Hatch
Leonard Horan	Kaitlin Johnson	Nicholas Krueger	Skylar Larson	Megan McDonald	Angelina Morisi
Casey Morris	Amaia Nichols	Ricki Palmisano	Elizabeth Poché	Garrett Rose	Mackenzie Russell
Siera Schroeder	Hilary Smith	Elisabeth Teater	Caroline Turner	Leonela Urrutia	Kevin Whitfield
Karli Wurpel

 

Lawyering Process Awards

Reese Persuasive Writing Award                                      

This award is given to students with the best written briefs in the spring 2021 Lawyering Process program.

Rachael Adkins  ∙  Christina Boyle  ∙  Caroline Brown  ∙  Chase Helseth   ∙  Alana LeFebvre

Mary Mathews  ∙  Reid Melton  ∙  Travis Murphy  ∙  Nicole Nucaro  ∙  Samuel Rhoton

Katherine Rosner  ∙  Jennifer Tuttle

Runners-Up:

Katherine Berry  ∙  Mitchell Dicenso  ∙  Jaime Greenwood  ∙  Cole Mason   ∙  Chasen Miller

Chad Nelsen  ∙  Pelecanos  ∙  Guy Sack  ∙  Cindy Ureno

 

Hartje Objective Writing Award                                      

This award is given to students with the best written memos in the fall 2021 Lawyering Process program.

Mohammed Aliraani  ∙  John Brice  ∙  Caley Carlson  ∙  Danielle Desantis  ∙  Alex Dinkel

Mariah England   ∙  Austin Hoenig  ∙  Taylor Morgan  ∙  Sienna Murphy  ∙  Isabella Pichler

Megan Rijo  ∙  Devon Stoeber  ∙  Kaitlynn Tuohy  ∙  Stephanie Wise

Runners-Up:

Marcus Collins  ∙  Lainey Decker  ∙  Sarah-Elena Dillabough  ∙  Carolyn Fergus  ∙  Anna Hamp

Elizabeth Hejtmancik De Valenzuela   ∙  Erin Mooney  ∙  Samantha Ogden  ∙  Nicole Pla

Alexandra Rebimbas ∙  Mimi Smith  ∙  Alexandra Timbas

 

Wilson Hurt Oral Argument Award                                  

This award is given to the students who delivered the best oral argument in the spring 2022 Lawyering Process program.

Nicolas Allen  ∙  Caley Carlson  ∙  Martina Chesonis  ∙  Samantha Cohen  ∙  Haydn Collard

Wil Doyle   ∙  Emily Garlock  ∙  Marcus Gould  ∙  Josh Hartsfield  ∙  Nicole Lazzeri

Sharon Malhotra  ∙  Courtney Skinner  ∙  Alexandra Timbas ∙  Renada Walcome

 

Experiential Awards

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Civil Litigation Clinic                

Ellen Blatt ∙ Salomon Chavez

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Civil Rights Clinic      

Julieanne Buchanan ∙ Kendrick Davis

 

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Criminal Defense Clinic

Gabriela Duran ∙ Talia Marquez

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Environmental Law Clinic              

Peyton Lindley ∙ Sarah Jean Rodger

 

 

Outstanding Student Lawyer – Immigration Law & Policy Clinic              

Joseph Robertson

 

 

Outstanding Student in a Judicial Externship                     

This award is given to a student who has demonstrated excellence in an externship in judicial chambers. 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.

Troi Davis

 

 

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.

Liangyin Bunsness

 

 

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.

Garrett Rose

 

 

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.

Mesa Jetton ∙ Eric Wolaver

 

Kevin Johnson ∙ Malie Minton ∙ Mekayla Schock ∙ Ryan Walno

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.

Megan Sugrue

 

 

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.

Jon Gretz

 

 

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.

Tonya Kelly

 

 

Outstanding International Business Transactions LLM Graduate

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

Tahani Aldraihem

 

 

Outstanding Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy Graduates

This award is presented to a graduating student in both the Master of Legal Studies and Master of Laws Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy programs for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.

MLS: Catherine Boies

 

LLM: Jenna Farrell

 

 

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.

Summer Fulcher ∙ Blake Jackson ∙ Samuel Parker

 

 

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.

Henali Deol ∙ Brittany Phouminh

 

 

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.

Edward Bowden, Sarah Brusseau, Alexandra Feathers, Leonard Horan, Heidi Metroz, Malie Minton, Camille Moore, Cerridwyn Nordstrom, Elizabeth Poché, Raelyn Schnappauf & Leonela Urrutia

 

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.

Nicoli Bowley

Leonela Urrutia

 

 

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.

Ryan Collins ∙ Stephen Ferry ∙ Anna Goelbel ∙ Emily Maino ∙ Amanda Snavely ∙ Anna Wilbourn

 

John Phillip Linn Labor Law Award   

This award is given to the student who received the highest grade in Labor Law.

Katherine Anthea Cunliffe

 

 

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.

Dana Bradley

 

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.

Eva Vasquez Ochoa