Alumni Luncheon Honors Distinguished Graduates, Raises Funds for Student Health Services

Brooklyn Law School alumni, faculty, trustees, and guests gathered virtually May 7 for the Annual Alumni Luncheon. Three alumni were honored for their outstanding contributions to the Law School community and the legal profession: Stan Wilcox ’88, executive vice president of regulatory affairs at the National Collegiate Athletic Association, received the Alumnus of the Year Award; Ashley Fisher ’09, senior managing counsel of Global Brand, Marketing and Sponsorship at Visa, and Jordan H. Oreck ’11, senior counsel at Blue Pool Capital, were honored as Rising Stars.

The virtual format included engaging conversations with the honorees conducted by the interviewer of their choice. Wilcox was interviewed by his mentor Kevin White, vice president, director of athletics and adjunct professor for business administration at Duke University. Wilcox discussed the lessons he learned attending law school in the evening while working for the head administrative judge for the Brooklyn Supreme Court.

“Law school taught me what it really means to compete in the classroom,” said Wilcox. “I learned to put the same kind of effort into law school that I had put into my athletics on the playing field [as a collegiate basketball player at the University of Notre Dame]. That instilled in me the importance of dedicating yourself to being the best student you possibly could, which carried over to my career as a collegiate athletics administrator.”

Fisher, who is based in Northern California, was interviewed by classmate Will Page ’09, an appellate attorney at the Legal Aid Society of New York City. They spoke of how Brooklyn Law School supported them as first-generation law students, fueling their dedication to giving back.

“We did not grow up with generations of lawyers around us,” said Fisher. “Instead, the Law School community supported [us]. The way I think about giving now is that I am the one reaching a hand down and helping up those who are coming up after me. Whether through financial support, mentoring time, or participation in anything that is asked of me, it’s about paying it forward. [The Law School community] gave so much to me, and I want to make sure that I’m helping to set up the next generation of legal scholars and legal professionals out of Brooklyn to succeed.”

Oreck, who lives in Hong Kong, was interviewed by his uncle, Warren Lazarow ’86, partner at O’Melveny & Myers, whose career inspired him to move from Vancouver and attend law school in the United States. Oreck credited his professional success to the Law School’s electives, clinical courses, and internship opportunities, which gave him the opportunity as a foreigner to enter New York’s financial industry.

“All the exposure that I got at Brooklyn through classes and internships was a phenomenal foundation for what I do,” said Oreck. “Being exposed to things like securities law, corporate finance, international arbitration, and banking before starting my career gave me a head start. I still think about some of the things that I learned at those internships, especially now in my in-house role and having a much more general practice.”

During the program, the Alumni Association recognized David Dinkins ’56, the 106th mayor of New York City, who died in November 2020 at the age of 93. Dinkins was a longtime member of the Brooklyn Law School Alumni Association Board of Directors. He was honored as Alumnus of the Year in 1990, and he was named an Icon of Brooklyn Law School in 2015. Dinkins also was an active member of the Black Law Students Association, which, in 2018, presented him with the inaugural David N. Dinkins Award.

At the start of the program, attendees were directed to breakout rooms, where they could toast the Law School and network with fellow alumni in their practice areas, including bankruptcy, corporate/business, criminal, general practice, IP/media/technology, labor and employment, public service/public interest, real estate, and trial lawyers.

“The Alumni Board recognized that connecting with fellow graduates and friends was an important and cherished aspect of the Luncheon,” said Alumni Association President Valerie Fitch ’88, who served as host for the event. “Both the board and our very creative staff were determined to ensure that this opportunity was not lost in a virtual setting.”

The Luncheon was sponsored by 36 law firms, organizations, and individuals connected to the Law School. All proceeds from the event will benefit the new Student Mental Health Initiative, which supports students’ mental health and well-being, enabling them to thrive in the classroom and beyond.

“You, our graduates, are our pride and our legacy.” Said Dean Michael T. Cahill in his remarks to the attendees. “Even as we are continually strengthening your ranks, you are continually making us a stronger law school with your support, your advice, your help, and your good example.”

A full list of sponsors for the event can be found here

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