Five to be honored at annual University at Buffalo Law School dinner

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Apr 11, 2008

Five graduates of the University at Buffalo Law School and Interim Dean Makau Mutua, a non-alumnus, will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards for their contributions to the legal profession and community at the 46th annual UB Law Alumni Association meeting and dinner, set for 6 p.m. May 1, at the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.

"This is an exceptionally worthy group of recipients. Their leadership and accomplishments have contributed enormously to our law school, community and legal profession," said UB Law Alumni Association President Margaret P. Gryko.

The dinner also will mark the end of the association's membership drive for 2008-2009. Alumni who have not renewed or joined the association this year are requested to send their $50 dues to the Alumni Office, 312 O'Brian Hall, Buffalo, N.Y. 14260.

About the honorees

As a Canisius College student, Hon. David J. Mahoney, '52, began drawing cartoons for the school newspaper, the Griffin. He kept up the practice after law school with a monthly cartoon in the Erie County Bar Association's Bar Bulletin, as he built a career in private practice, then as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Eighth Judicial District.

Now retired, Mahoney will receive an award "for his conscientious and diligent performance in the judiciary."

Francis M. Letro, '79, will receive an award "for his leadership by example as private practitioner." Letro limits his solo practice to representing plaintiffs in personal injury actions. He has appeared in New York State Supreme Court, the New York State Court of Claims and U.S. District Court, and pursued appeals in the Appellate Division, Fourth Department and the New York State Court of Appeals.

He has served on the board of directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association for 20 years, and was the founding president of the Western Affiliate of the state association. He also is active with the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. The law school's first- floor working courtroom is named in his honor.

Daniel T. Lukasik, '88, will receive an award "for his many contributions to the betterment of our community." He is managing partner of Cantor, Lukasik, Dolce & Panepinto, where he practices plaintiff's personal injury law.

A native of Newfane, Niagara County, he graduated from Buffalo State College before working his way through law school. He has been chosen by Super Lawyers as one of the top plaintiff's personal injury attorneys Upstate; named by the Buffalo Law Journal to its Who's Who list as one of the top personal injury attorneys in Buffalo; named to the Million Dollar Advocate's Forum; and received the New York State Bar Association's Merit Award for Public Service.

Having written about his struggle with clinical depression, Lukasik assists others who suffer from the disease, and recently launched a supportive Web site, www.lawyerswithdepression.com.

As commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Denise E. O'Donnell, '82, runs a criminal justice support agency that collects and analyzes statewide crime data, operates the DNA databank and criminal fingerprint file and administers the state's Sex Offender Registry. She will receive an award "for her commitment to public service."

A former federal prosecutor, she was the first woman to serve as U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York. After leaving federal government in 2001, O'Donnell became a litigation partner at Hodgson Russ before being appointed to her current position.

Thomas E. Black Jr., '79, will receive an award "for his exemplary performance and business." He is managing partner of Black, Mann & Graham in Flower Mound, Texas, practicing in the area of residential real estate law. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he studied government and international relations, as well as UB Law. He serves as chairman of the Dean's Advisory Council at UB Law.

Makau Mutua will receive an award "for outstanding service to the University and the community by a non-alumnus." Now interim dean of UB Law School, he is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and the Floyd H. and Hilda L. Hurst Faculty Scholar at the school.

Educated at the University of Nairobi, the University of Dar-es- Salaam in Tanzania and Harvard Law School, Mutua directs the Buffalo Human Rights Center and teaches international human rights, international business transactions and international law.

Mutua is the author of Human Rights: A Political and Cultural Critique, as well as numerous scholarly articles exploring topical subjects in international law, human rights and religion. He serves as chairman of the Kenya Human Rights Commission and sits on the boards of several international organizations. He has conducted numerous human rights, diplomatic and rule of law missions to countries in Africa, Latin America and Europe.

For more information on the dinner or to make reservations, call (716) 645-2107 or e-mail law-alumni@buffalo.edu.