Initiated by the Law School's Board of Visitors in 2013 to honor then new dean, Daniel F. Attridge, the Dean's Dinner has become an important spring tradition at CUA Law as a means of raising scholarship donations for students. This year's event was held at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. where there was a reception and dinner featuring key note remarks by Kenneth R. Feinberg, founder and managing partner of The Law Office of Kenneth R. Feinberg, P.C.
Feinberg is best known for serving as the Special Master of the Federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001, in which he reached out to all who qualified to file a claim, evaluated applications, determined appropriate compensation, and disseminated awards.
In his remarks, Feinberg was complimentary of CUA Law's sense of community. "Whenever I visit the Columbus School of Law I am amazed at the camaraderie, the sense of community, and I am invited back like a long lost friend," Feinberg said.
Feinberg went on to provide the guests an overview of his work in administering funds that have compensated individuals and families that have been touched by some of the worse tragedies to hit America over the past fifteen years. Feinberg discussed his role in Administering disaster relief funds in response to the Virginia Tech campus shooting attacks in 2007, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, among many others. Most recently, he was hired by General Motors to advise the automaker regarding claims arising out of ignition switch defects and by Volkswagen to devise and administer a resolution program for claims resulting from its diesel-emission scandal.
In describing this emotionally difficult work, Feinberg said "What makes my job so difficult is the emotion. It is the attempt to provide some empathy and some community understanding to the survivors, to the victims who come and see me."
This year's Dean's Dinner drew its largest audience ever. Guests included members of the law school's Board of Visitors, who participated in the meeting at the law school the following day; members of the Law School's Alumni Council, distinguished law school alumni; and a number of the dean's family members, friends and colleagues from Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
Thomas Yannucci, chair of the Board of Visitors and partner and chair emeritus of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, delivered welcoming remarks and offered the invocation.
In his closing remarks, Dean Attridge emphasized the importance of scholarships in recruiting "the best and brightest," and thanked the donors for positively contributing to students' futures with their gifts.
To view other photos from the event, click here.
The following alumni and friends contributed to the success of this event:
2016 Sponsors, Hosts, and Contributors
Named Scholar Benefactors $10,000
Michael J. Bidwill, 1990
Thomas D. Yannucci
Table Sponsors $5,000
Dean Daniel F. Attridge and Missy Attridge
Michael F. Curtin, 1965
Agnes P. Dover, 1981 (two tables)
J. Michael Hannon, 1980
Jeffrey S. Puretz, 1981
Alumni Council - James C. Anagnos, 1996 & Jennifer A. Mahar, 1995, Christopher R. Bjornson, 2000, Molly R. Bryson, 1998, Machalagh Carr, 2005, and Stanley E. Woodward, 2008
Hosts $1,000
James W. Attridge and Katherine Attridge
The Honorable Patrick J. Attridge and Teresa Attridge
John G. Carberry, 1973 and Margaret Carberry
Robert T. Colleran, 1969
Christopher H. Collins, 1978
Mark D. Cowan, 1977
Edward J. Dempsey, 1970
Donald W. Farley, 1969 and Jo-Ann Farley
Suellen M. Ferguson, 1977 and James P. Ulwick, 1977
Karen L. Grubber, 1992
Distinguished Lecturer John E. Higgins, Jr.
Peggy Love, 1988
James E. McDonald, 1969
Susan L. O'Connell, 1983
Mark Reinhardt, 1971
Richard A. Shapack, 1976
Ann M. Slowinski, 1992
Richard L. Slowinski, 1991
Kevin P. Tighe, 1969
Richard C. White, 1994
Contributors $500
Janet St. Amand
Alexander J. Brittin, 1984 and Lisa Fentress
Peter J. Chepucavage, 1974
Michelle L. Curth, 2012
Arthur N. Fuccillo, 1978 and Drucilla Fuccillo
Thomas J. Gagliardo, 1974
Mary Anne Gibbons, 1980
Jane W. Molloy, 1965 and J. Paul Molloy, 1965
Kathleen O'Brien, 1981
Bridget O'Connor
Nancy O'Connor
Nancy M. Palermo, 1997
Lawrence R. Radanovic, 1963 and Deirdre Radanovic
Cecelia A. TaBois, 2000
S. Jenell Trigg, 1997
Professor Emerita Leah Wortham and the Honorable Eric L. Hirschhorn
Student and Faculty Sponsors $250
James C. Anagnos, 1996 and Jennifer A. Mahar, 1995 (one student and one faculty)
Lecturer Phillip D. Brady and Kathleen Brady
Marian H. Callahan, 1987
Machalagh Carr, 2005
Christine S. Davis, 1999
Edward J. Dempsey, 1970 (two students)
Arthur N. Fuccillo, 1978 and Drucilla Fuccillo
Susan L. O'Connell, 1983
Corley H. Raileanu
Martin Weissman (two students)
Professor Emerita Leah Wortham and the Honorable Eric L. Hirschhorn
Professor Emeritus Harvey L. Zuckman and Charlotte Zuckman