Alumni Awards

Every year, Maryland Carey Law recognizes alumni for their hard work and dedication to the legal and professional communities they serve. Our graduates have distinguished themselves in a variety of endeavors, and the Alumni Awards program honors alumni who embody the spirit of a Maryland Carey Law education and who inspire excellence in the legal community.

Nominations for the 2025 awards program have closed. If you have any questions please contact Justinia Carter, executive director of alumni engagement, at j.carter@law.umaryland.edu.

Selection Process

Alumni Award Honorees are selected each year by members of the Alumni Board Awards Committee for confirmation by the Alumni Board. Selected Award Honorees are informed of their nominations and selections by the Dean of the Law School, and their acceptance of the awards is then confirmed. After all Award Honorees are confirmed, nominators are informed of their candidates' status. Alumni Award recipients will be recognized and presented with their awards at the Alumni Honors Banquet during Alumni Weekend.

Award Criteria

The Distinguished Graduate Award honors a Maryland Carey Law alumnus/a who has achieved prominence through professional excellence and service to the community.

The Benjamin L. Cardin Public Service Award is presented to an alumnus/a who has demonstrated significant and substantial contributions to furthering ideals of public service in the law.

The Mary Ellen Barbera ’84 Judicial Excellence Award is presented to an alumnus/a who exemplifies the highest standards of judicial excellence, displays extraordinary courage, energy, and tenacity in the handling of controversial and difficult cases as well as embodies strength of character, service, and competence as a jurist, lawyer, and public servant.

The Star Award (awarded in alternating years) recognizes the unsung heroes among the alumni population. Those alumni who volunteer for Maryland Carey Law behind the scenes with little fanfare, and who are steadfast in their support, loyal in their hearts, and deserving of special recognition.

The Rising Star Award recognizes a recent graduate (must have graduated between 2014-2023) whose exemplary contributions of service and leadership, either professionally or at Maryland Carey Law, have brought credit to the graduate and this institution.

Timeline

September 2025: Nominations Open
November 2025: Nominations Close
January 2026: Award recipients chosen and nominees notified of status
February 2026: Award recipients announced
April 16, 2026: Alumni Honors Banquet

Past Recipients

2025 - Kenneth L. Thompson '76
2024 - The Hon. Angela D. Alsobrooks '96
2023 - Paul A Tiburzi '80
2022 - Julia Doyle Bernhardt '81
2021 - Christine A. Edwards '83
2020 - M. Natalie McSherry ’74
2019 - Arnold M. Weiner '57
2018 - John B. Frisch '83
2016 - Benjamin Rosenberg '68
2015 - James J. Hanks, Jr. '67
2014 - Elizabeth M. Kameen '83
2013 - Charles O. Monk II '74
2012 - The Hon. Joseph D. Tydings '53
2011 - The Hon. Martin J. O'Malley '88
2010 - Paul D. Bekman '71
2009 - Joseph R. Hardiman '62
2008 - The Hon. Elijah E. Cummings '76
2007 - Francis "Frank" Burch, Jr. '74
2006 - Joanne E. Pollak '76
2005 - Henry Hopkins '68 and Samuel Hopkins '38
2004 - The Hon. Charles E. Moylan, Jr. '55
2003 - The Hon. Ellen M. Heller '77
2002 - Raymond G. LaPlaca '83
2001 - Wilbur D. "Woody" Preston, Jr. '49
2000 - The Hon. George L. Russell '54
1999 - The Hon. Alan M. Wilner '62
1998 - The Hon. Lynne A. Battaglia '74
1997 - Alvin B. Krongard '75
1996 - Mathias J. DeVito '56
1995 - LeRoy E. Hoffberger '50
1994 - The Hon. Barbara Kerr Howe '69
1993 - J. Michael McWilliams '67
1992 - Jeanette Rosner Wolman '24
1991 - William S. James '37
1990 - James W. Rouse '37
1989 - The Hon. W. Albert Menchine '29
1988 - The Hon. Louis L. Goldstein '38
1987 - The Hon. Robert C. Murphy '51
1986 - The Hon. Harry A. Cole '49
1985 - Joseph Meyerhoff '20
1984 - The Hon. Marvin H. Smith '41
1983 - The Hon. Charles M. Mathias '49
1982 - The Hon. J. Dudley Digges '36
1981 - The Hon. Bernard S. Meyer '38
1980 - The Hon. Benjamin R. Civiletti '61 and The Hon. Roszel C. Thomsen '22
1979 - R. Dorsey Watkins '25
1978 - Rignal W. Baldwin
1977 - The Hon. Joseph Sherbow '22
1976 - Clarence W. Miles
1975 - The Hon. Hall Hammond '25
1974 - Edward F. Johnson '14
1973 - Roger Howell '17
1972 - The Hon. Simon E. Sobeloff '15
1971 - William D. MacMillan, Sr. and The Hon. John B. Gray '17
1970 - The Hon. Emory H. Niles '52

2025 - Chelsea Ortega ’12
2024 - The Hon. Marc A. DeSimone, Jr. ’04
2023 - Amy L. Petkovsek ’06
2022 - LtCol Robert G. Bracknell ’99
2021 - Michelle Daugherty Siri ’02
2020 - Meghan Marsh ’96
2019 - Marc A. Schindler ’93
2018 - Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum ’87
2016 - Laura L. Dunn ’14
2015 - Laure Ruth ’9 3
2014 - Ward B. Coe III ’73
2013 - Elizabeth S. Baker ’73
2012 - Beth Pepper ’83
2011 - Monique L. Dixon ’96
2010 - The Hon. Joseph F. Murphy, Jr. ’69
2008 - The Hon. Andre M. Davis ’78
2007 - The Hon. Lawrence F. Rodowsky ’56
2006 - Patricia Gatling ’82
2005 - Elizabeth L. Julian ’78
2004 - Dorothy J. Lennig ’87
2003 - The Hon. Marcella A. Holland ’83
2002 - Andrew D. Levy ’81
2001 - John H. Lewin, Jr. ’65
2000 - Stephen J. Nolan ’76
1999 - Herbert J. Belgrad ’61
1998 - Rachel A. Wohl ’88
1997 - The Hon. Robert B. Watts ’48
1996 - Richard O. Berndt ’67
1995 - The Hon. Albert J. Matricciani ’73
1994 - Herbert S. Garten ’51
1993 - The Hon. William O. Carr ’73
1992 - Susan P. Leviton ’72
1991 - Nevett Steele, Jr. ’67
1990 - The Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin ’67