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2024 Alumni Award Recipients Announced 

It is our privilege to announce the 2024 Alumni Awards recipients. 

These individuals were nominated by the School of Law alumni community and are awarded by the Alumni Board of Governors for their dedication to the School of Law and the legal profession. 

Please click on the name of each recipient to read their full profiles as featured in the 2024 Loyola Law Magazine.

Medal of Excellence: Neil Williams (Nathaniel R. Jones Professor of Law)

Francis J. Rooney/St. Thomas More Award: David Baker (JD ’79)  

St. Robert Bellarmine Award: Tanya Woods (JD ’13)  

Distinguished Jurist Award: Illinois Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford  (BA '82, JD '86) 

MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE

This award is given annually by the Law School to an alumnus/a or faculty member for distinguished service to the legal profession and for loyalty and service to the School of Law. 

Award winners have demonstrated privately and professionally the quality of character, intellect and social or professional responsibility that the School of Law nurtures.

Previous recipients

Hon. Charles R. Barrett (JD 1928)
Charles B. Cannon (JD 1929)
Patrick F. Crowley (JD 1937)
James A. Dooley (JD 1939)
Hon. John C. Fitzgerald
Diane Geraghty
William M. Gibbons (JD 1947)
Hon. John C. Hayes (JD 1937)
William L. Lamey (JD 1939)
Nicholas S. Limperis (JD 1940)

 William J. Linklater (JD 1932)
John I. Mayer (JD 1938)
Hon. John V. McCormick
Hon. Joseph A. Power (JD 1938)
David P. Schippers JD (1959)
Raymond F. Simon (JD 1956)
Thomas P. Sullivan (JD 1952)
John E. Toomey (JD 1929)
John J. Waldron (JD 1932)
1964 Frank J. McGarr (JD 1950)

1967 Philip H. Corboy (JD 1948)
1968 John Zvetina (JD 1924)
1973 Howard T. Markey (JD 1949)
1974 Henry J. Hyde (JD 1949)
1975 James M. Forkins
1976 George D. Crowley (JD 1937)
1977 James P. Connelly (JD 1951)
1978 Thomas F. Bridgman (JD 1958)
1979 Frank M. Covey (JD 1957)
1980 Paul M. Plunkett (JD 1933)
1981 Susan Getzendanner (JD 1966)

1982 Thomas C. Hynes (JD 1962)
1983 Kevin M. Forde (JD 1963)
1984 Dennis J. Horan (JD 1963)
1985 Charles W. Murdock (JD 1963)
1986 Carl H. Rolewick (JD 1958)
1987 John J. Schmidt (JD 1955)
1988 Francis D. Morrissey (JD 1958)
1989 Edward G. Proctor (JD 1953)
1990 William R. Quinlan (JD 1964)
1991 Mary Ann G. McMorrow (JD 1953)

1992 Philip J. Rock (JD 1964)
1993 Thomas M. Crisham (JD 1965)
1994 Roger J. Kiley Jr. (JD 1966)
1995 Gino L. DiVito (JD 1963)
1996 Michael J. Madigan (JD 1967)
1997 Daniel R. Fusco (JD 1964)
1998 NO AWARD GIVEN
1999 Adam Bourgeois (JD 1951)
2000 Brian L. Crowe (JD 1964)
2001 Thomas G. Lyons (JD 1957)

 2002 John J. Cullerton (JD 1974)
2003 Joseph A. Power Jr. (JD 1977)
2004 Dean Nina S. Appel
2005 Todd A. Smith (JD 1976)
2006 Bernard J. Beazley (JD 1950)
2007 The Honorable Neil F. Hartigan (JD 1962)
2008 Stephen H. Pugh (JD 1973)
2009 Dan K. Webb (JD 1970)
2010 Kevin J. Conway (JD 1976)
2011 Curt N. Rodin (JD 1975) 

2012 Donald J. Brown (JD 1973)
2013 Richard A. Michael (BA 1955, JD 1958)
2014: Mark Braun (JD 1949)
2015: Louis A. Lehr Jr. (JD 1951)
2016: Dean David Yellen
2017: Mitchell Wiet (JD 1965)
2018: James Grogan (JD 1980)
2019: Diane Geraghty y 
2020: Jackie M. Taylor Holsten (1999)
2021: Dean Michael J. Kaufman
2022: Josie Gough (BA ’74, MED ’78, JD ’84)
2023: Terry Moritz (BS ’66, JD ’70)

 

  

 

FRANCIS J. ROONEY/ST. THOMAS MORE AWARD

Francis J. Rooney joined the law faculty and Loyola University Chicago when the School of Law was established in 1908. He taught at the School of Law for more than 40 years, and remained at Loyola through World War II as assistant dean and as law librarian to keep the school operating. Rooney assumed responsibility for a large portion of the classroom teaching for the few student who remained following the halt of admission after Pearl Harbor. He worked diligently to ease the struggle of students who were without a law library by assuming the role of law librarian until 1955 when he returned to the classroom to continue serving Loyola’s students in their pursuit of a legal education.

This award was originated in 1970 and is given annually by the School of Law in recognition of continuous and outstanding loyalty and dedicated service to the School of Law.

Previous Recipients:

1970 Hon. F. Emmett Morrissey (1933)

1971 Hon. Cornelius J. Collins (1931)

1972 John J. Devery (1928)

1973 James R. Quinn (1912)

1974 Albert A. Silverman (1940)

1975 Edmund I. O'Connor (1934)

1976 Mark A. Braun (1949)

1977 Francis D. Morrissey (1958)

1978 F. Vern Lahart (1951)

1979 Michael E. Sammon (1965)

1980 Neil F. Hartigan (1952)

1981 John P. Fox Jr. (1949)

1982 Richard A. Michael (1958)

1983 Suzanne S. Dawson (1965)

1984 Charles R. Purcell (1956)

1985 William J. Kilbridge (1953)

1986 Donald C. Shine (1969)

1987 Arthur L. Pollman (1963)

1988 P. Kevin Connelly (1975)

1989 John M. Sheahin (1968)

1990 Laurence B. Stanton (1980)

1991 Francis E. Goodman (1959)

1992 Norma J. Sutton (1980)

1993 Michael R. Leyden (1965)

1994 Jeffrey D. Jacobs (1974)

1995 Mitchell J. Wiet (1965)

1996 Stephen H. Pugh (1973)

1997 Karen M. Dorff (1980)

1998 No Award Given

1999 Eugene L. Mahoney (1974)

 

 

2000 Bernard J. Beazley (1950)

2001 Katherine S. Janega (1977)

2002 Frank M. Covey, Jr. (1957)

2003 Francis R. (Bob) Doyle

2004 Kevin J. Conway (1976)

2005 Thomas M. Haney

2006 James J. Faught (1976)

2007 Thomas S. Moore (1973)

2008 Frank R. Reynolds, Jr. (1962)

2009 Vincent P. Cook (1975)

2010 Barbara P. O'Toole (1969)

2011 James P. Carey

2012 Thomas H. Luetkemeyer (1982)

2013 Gregory H. Furda (BA '69, MA '71,     JD '75)

2014: Francis Wolfe Jr. (1998)

2015: Linda E. Salisbury (1991)

2016: Randy Lamm Berlin (1991)

2017: Daniel M. Kotin (1991)

2018: Brian K. Speers (1993)

2019: Peter B. Carey (JD 1969)

2020: Romeo S. Quinto, Jr (2000)

2021: Zachary J. Ziliak (JD 2006) 

2022: Laura Caldwell (JD ’92 presented posthumously)

2023: Sonia Antolec (JD ’07)

  

 

ST. ROBERT BELLARMINE AWARD

This award was established in 1985 by the Law Alumni Association to honor alumni who have been in practice for 15 years or less and who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to the profession and to the School of Law.

Previous Recipients:

1985 Dan K. Webb (1970)

1986 Jerry A. Latherow (1976)

1987 Terrence J. Hake (1977)

1988 Lorna E. Propes (1975)

1989 Thomas V. McCauley (1975)

1990 Timothy M. Sullivan (1975)

1991 James J. Faught (1976)

1992 Jerome Larkin (1978)

1993 Gery J. Chico (1985)

1994 Thomas M. Donnelly (1986)

1995 Michael J. Daley (1980)

1996 Diane MacArthur (1982)

1997 Thomas J. Dart (1987)

1998 No Award Given

1999 Mary Bird Murphy (1987)

2000 Martha Ha (1992)

2001 Mara S. Georges (1988)

2002 Michael H. Cho (1993)

2003 Mary Meg McCarthy (1989)

2004 Lisa M. Madigan (1994)

2005 Virginia M. Kendall (1992)

2006 Fletcher N. Smith, III (1994)

2007 Laura A. Caldwell (1992)

2008 William X. Elward (1993)

2009 Jean M. Gaspardo (1994)

2010 Romeo S. Quinto Jr. (2000)

2011 James Saranteas (1999)

2012 James J. Chandler (2000)

2013 Dennericka S. Brooks (2007)

2014: Michelle Kohut (BS ’96, JD ’02)

2015: John E. Maki (2009)

2016: Conor Heaton (2007)

2017: Winnalynn Nacu Kantaris (BS '97, JD '02, LLM '09)

2018: Allison M. Fakhoury (2003)

2019: Matthew J. Adair (2009)

2020: Desiree F. Moore (2005)  

2021: Michael Alkaraki (JD 2006)

2022: Katie Vannucci (JD ’07)

2023: Matthew T. Glavin (JD ’09)

 

DISTINGUISHED JURIST AWARD

The Law Alumni Association established this award in 2004 to recognize an alumnus/a who has distinguished him/herself by outstanding service on the bench. Many of Loyola's graduates have contributed to the promotion of justice in our society by serving with distinction on federal and state courts. This bi-annual award recognizes the contributions of one of those jurists.

Previous Recipients:

  • 2004: The Honorable Frank J. McGarr (1950)
  • 2005: The Honorable William T. Hart (1951)
  • 2006: Chief Justice Robert R. Thomas (1981)
  • 2007: The Honorable Gino L. DiVito (1963)
  • 2008: The Honorable David H. Coar (1969)
  • 2009: The Honorable Carol A. Doyle (1982)
  • 2010: The Honorable J. Phil Gilbert (1974)
  • 2011: No Award Given
  • 2012: No Award Given
  • 2013: No Award Given
  • 2014: No Award Given
  • 2015: The Honorable Virginia M. Kendall (1992)
  • 2016: The Honorable Jean Prendergast Rooney (BA '93, JD '94, presented posthumously)
  • 2017: No Award Given
  • 2018: ​The Honorable Sara L. Ellis (1994)
  • 2020: The Honorable Lisette L. Shirdan-Harris (1990)
  • 2022: The Honorable Brian R. McKillip (BA ’68, JD ’72)

PUBLIC SERVICE MERIT AWARD

This award was established in 2013 to recognize an alumnus/a who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to public service and social justice in his/her career and is given bi-annually.

Previous Recipients
2013: Mara S. Georges (1988)
2014: Richard Cozzola (BA ’74, JD ’80)
2015: No Award Given
2016: Kathleen Lyons (1994)
2017: Margaret C. Benson (1979)
2018: No Award Given
2019: Leah Duckett Gray (JD 1999) *presented posthumously 
2021: Chlece Walker-Neal-Murray (MSW ’13, JD ’13, MS ’18)
2023: Aileen Flanagan (BS ’85, JD ’89) 

NORMAN C. AMAKER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Since 2002, the King Lecture is also the setting for the awarding of the Norman C. Amaker Award of Excellence. The award is named after the late Professor Norman C. Amaker who taught at Loyola until his death in 2000. The award is presented to an individual who has achieved the ideals and the model established by Professor Amaker.

Previous recipients:
2002     Professor Neil G. Williams
2003     Donald L. Hollowell ('51)
2004     Professor Michael J. Howlett, Jr.
2005     State Senator Donne E. Trotter
2006     Azim Ramelize ('90)
2007     Professor Ruqaijah Yearby
2008     Dean Emerita Nina S. Appel
2009     Aisha T. Cornelius Edwards ('05)
2010     Mary J. Bird ('87)
2011     James D. Montgomery, Sr.
2012     Kendall Hill
2013     Nathaniel R. Howse ('76)
2014     Dennericka Brooks ('07)

DONALD L. HOLLOWELL DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Since 1993, the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at Loyola has presented the Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Service Award to an African-American alumnus/a of Loyola. The award is named after Donald L. Hollowell, a 1951 alumnus of Loyola, who was one of the leading lawyers of the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Hollowell passed away at the end of 2004. To learn more about Mr. Hollowell's remarkable career, please click here.

Past recipients:
1992-93     Honorable David H. Coar ('69)
1993-94     Honorable Mark E. Jones ('50)
1994-95     Stephen H. Pugh ('73)
1995-96     Paul H. Thornton ('69)
1996-97     Djuana M. O'Connor Oshin ('91)
1997-98     Fletcher N. Smith III ('94)
2001-02     Robin N. Black ('96)
2002-03     Edward G. Lance ('99)
2003-04     Christopher A. Weinum ('00)
2006-07     Vickie Pasley ('85)
2007-08     William A. Lowry ('87)
2008-09     Shawn Mercer-Dixon
2009-10     Josie M. Gough ('84)
2010-11      Greta G. Weathersby ('87)
2011-12      Willie J. Miller, Jr. ('79)
2012-13     Leslie Hairston (JD ’89)
2013-14     Gerald Peterson ('77)

MARY ANN G. MCMORROW ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

In 2004 the Webster Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta at Loyola established the annual Mary Ann G. McMorrow Alumni Achievement Award, to recognize Loyola alumni/ae who have demonstrated excellence in the practice of law and a commitment to the legal field. The initial recipient of the award was Justice McMorrow, a distinguished alumna of Loyola and the first woman to serve as the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.

To learn more about Loyola's Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, click here.

Graduates of the School of Law are also eligible for honors presented by Loyola University Chicago. These awards include the following: