Rising Star Recent Alumni Award
About the Award
USD School of Law and the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors present the Rising Star Recent Alumni Award to alumni who have graduated within the past ten years and have made significant achievements in the legal profession, or chosen field, and demonstrated a high level of community involvement.
Since its inception in 2011, 24 law school alumni have received the Rising Star Recent Alumni Award.
Nominate a USD Law Alumnus/a for the 2023 Rising Star Recent Alumni Award (nominations close April 1, 2023).
Nomination Process
Each spring, the nominating committee of the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors considers candidates for the Distinguished Alumni Award and Rising Star Recent Alumni Award and recipients are selected by the committee and then approved by the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors. In the fall of the same year, the awards are presented at a luncheon honoring the recipients.
For more information, please email the Office of Alumni Relations or call (619) 260-4692.
2022 Award Recipients
Shannon R. Finley '13 (JD)
Shareholder at Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin PC
Andy M. LeGolvan '13 (JD)
Senior Vice President of Legal at Polygon Technology
Past Award Recipients
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Dylan M. Aste, '11 (JD) Kirsten H. Gallacher, '12 (JD) |
| 2020 | Ben J. Coughlan, '12 (JD) Joy Utomi Hartmann, '11 (JD) |
| 2019 | Jamie D. Beck, '11 (JD) Nicholas J. Fox, '11 (JD) |
| 2018 | Francis "Frankie" A. DiGiacco, '09 (JD) Megan L. Donohue, '09 (JD) Peter Z. Stockburger, '09 (JD) |
| 2017 | Carolina Bravo-Karimi, '08 (JD) Abigail G. Stephenson, '10 (JD) |
| 2016 | Andrew R. Haden, '08 (JD) Vic A. Merjanian, '10 (JD) |
| 2015 | David Fox, '07 (JD) Kate E. Payerle, '07 (JD) |
| 2014 | Buck B. Endemann, '07 (JD) Scott Martinez, '06 (JD) |
| 2013 | Tessie A. Abraham, '07 (JD) Bibianne U. ("Bibi") Fell, '04 (JD) |
| 2012 | Laurie G. Rowen, '04 (JD) |
| 2011 | Kristin E. Rizzo, '06 (JD) Catherine L. Tran, '08 (JD) |