Awards and Honors

Fordham Law School recognizes students and faculty for their achievements with a series of graduation awards.

Award Descriptions

THE ABRAHAM ABRAMOVSKY AWARD is presented to a member of the graduating J.D. class in recognition of their outstanding performance in Trial Advocacy.

 

THE CHAPIN PRIZE is awarded to the student in the graduating J.D. class who has attained the highest weighted average throughout law school. This prize was established in memory of Professor H. Gerald Chapin, who served on the faculty of the Law School from its founding in 1905 until his death in 1920.

 

THE CLASS OF 1911 PRIZE is given to a student who has written the best paper on a topic selected by the Dean.

 

THE JOSEPH R. CROWLEY AWARD is presented to the graduating J.D. student who has shown academic achievement and concern for others, as demonstrated by participation in volunteer activities. It is presented in memory of the associate dean and professor of law who served on the faculty from 1957 to 1985.    

 

THE MARY DALY PRIZE in Legal Ethics is awarded to the graduating J.D. student who publishes the most significant writing relating to lawyers’ professional responsibility and/or the legal profession. It was established by the directors of the Stein Center for Law and Ethics in memory of their beloved colleague Mary Daly, who directed the Stein Center in the 1980s and ’90s.

 

THE DEAN’S MEDAL OF RECOGNITION, the highest honor the Dean can confer, is presented to a person selected by the Dean who has shown outstanding commitment to the ideals of the Law School through their service to its community across their career.

 

THE DEAN’S SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD is given to a student in the graduating J.D. class who has made a singular and distinctive contribution to the Law School community.

 

THE FEINGOLD FAMILY PRIZE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE recognizes a commitment to public service by a graduating J.D. student not only throughout their Fordham Law career but a broader commitment beyond law school through their choice of employment following graduation.

 

THE BENJAMIN FINKEL PRIZE is awarded to that member of the graduating J.D. class who has excelled in the course in Bankruptcy. It is named in memory of a distinguished alumnus who was long a practitioner in this field, Benjamin Finkel, LAW ’27.

 

THE GRADUATE STUDENT COMMUNITY PRIZE is awarded to the graduating LL.M. or M.S.L student who made a singular and distinctive contribution to the law school community of the Fordham Law graduate student community.

 

THE HUGH R. JONES AWARD in law and public policy is presented to the student in the graduating J.D. class who has attained the highest combined weighted average in the subjects of Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, and Professional Responsibility. The prize is named in honor of the distinguished former member of New York’s highest court.

 

THE EUGENE J. KEEFE AWARD is presented to the person or organization that has made the most important contribution to the Fordham community. It is presented by the Student Bar Association in memory of a beloved faculty member who served at Fordham from 1926 to 1968.

 

THE WALTER B. KENNEDY AWARD is presented to a member of the Fordham Law Review in recognition of extraordinary service that exemplifies the commitment to legal excellence of Professor Walter B. Kennedy, who served as the Law Review’s moderator from 1935 to 1945.

 

THE LL.M. STUDENT AWARD for ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT is awarded to the graduate with the highest GPA in each graduating class (September, February or June of the academic year).

 

THE DONALD MAGNETTI AWARD is presented to a member of the graduating J.D. class in recognition of their outstanding public commitment and contribution to those beyond the Law School community.

 

THE LAWRENCE J. MCKAY PRIZE (Moot Court)is awarded to the graduating J.D. students who represented the Law School in the National Moot Court Competition.

 

THE ADDISON M. METCALF LABOR LAW PRIZE is awarded to the student in the graduating J.D. class who has received the highest grade in the basic Labor Law course. The prize was created in honor of Mr. Addison Metcalf, a longtime member of the Law School’s administrative staff.

 

THE KEITH MILLER MEMORIAL AWARD (Moot Court) is presented to a member of the graduating J.D. class who has demonstrated unselfish dedication to the Fordham Moot Court program. It is named in memory of Keith Miller, who was the managing editor of the Moot Court Board in 1986–87.

 

THE ADELE MONACO MEMORIAL AWARD is presented to a member of the graduating J.D. class in the evening division who has made a positive impact on the lives of evening division students through the demonstration of compassion, courage, determination, and commitment to public service.

 

THE ANN MOYNIHAN AWARD is presented to a member of the graduating J.D. class in recognition of their outstanding performance in the Law School’s Clinical Program.

 

THE M.S.L. STUDENT AWARD for ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT is awarded to the graduate with the highest GPA in each M.S.L. graduating class (September, February or June of the academic year).

 

THE MONSIGNOR JAMES J. MURRAY PRIZE FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PUBLIC SERVICE is given to a graduating Fordham Law School J.D. student who is committed to a career in public service. The prize was established through a generous gift from James J. Houlihan, GABELLI ’74, Christie L. Houlihan, Law ’11, and the Houlihan family. Just as Monsignor Murray exemplified the Fordham Law motto, “In the service of others,” it is the hope of the Houlihan family that the recipients of this prize will commit their professional lives to public service.

 

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS OUTSTANDING LAW STUDENT AWARD is presented to the outstanding J.D. graduate who has demonstrated academic achievement, contributed to the advancement of women in society, promoted issues and concerns of women in the legal profession, and earned the respect of the Law School community.

 

PETER J. O’CONNOR PRIZE is awarded to the J.D. student with the highest weighted average in courses in Evidence and New York Practice. It is named in memory of Professor O’Connor, a 1956 graduate of the school, who taught at Fordham Law for 15 years until his death in 1988.

 

THE PARCHOMOVSKY-SIEGELMAN STUDENT GRADUATION PRIZE is awarded to the graduating student who produced the best work of scholarship published in one of Fordham Law School’s journals.

 

THE THOMAS F. REDDY, JR. PRIZE is awarded to the graduating J.D. student with the highest grades in courses in intellectual property. It is presented in memory of Thomas F. Reddy Jr., a 1941 graduate of the School, who was a senior partner in the firm of Penine & Edmond and a widely respected authority in this field of law.

 

THE ROBERT ARAM RENZULLI PRIZE IN CRIMINAL LAW is presented to the graduating J.D. student who has excelled in the area of criminal law during their three years at Fordham Law School and who intends to engage in public service criminal law work upon graduating. The prize is supported by the Renzulli Charitable Trust and Kevin and Jeanine O’Brien.

 

THE JORENE FRANKL ROBBIE ’79 MEMORIAL LEGAL RESEARCH PRIZE is presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated excellence in the Advanced Legal Research program.

 

THE SENIOR PRIZE is awarded to the students in each division of the graduating J.D. class who attain the highest weighted average throughout the year.

 

THE KIMBERLY GREER SINGER AWARD (Moot Court) awarded to a member of the National Moot Court Competition team who possesses outstanding oral advocacy and legal writing skills, as well as demonstrated an interest in teaching or mentoring students.

 

THE MILTON YOUNG PRIZE is awarded to that member of the graduating J.D. class who has excelled in courses in the field of taxation. It is named in memory of Milton Young, a member of the Class of 1931, and has been endowed through the generosity of the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation.

 

*Awards are subject to change and not all awards are offered each year.