This year’s recipients have distinguished themselves for their service to the College, their communities, and the practice of law. Please join us to recognize and congratulate the 2023 Syracuse University College of Law Award recipients.
Dean’s Distinguished Alumni Award
A Message from Dean Boise: The Inaugural Dean’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Bernard Kossar ’53, L’55
Recognized for his generosity and commitment to Syracuse University and the College of Law’s students, Bernard Kossar has earned the Dean’s Distinguished Alumni Award, a prestigious honor presented by the College of Law to recognize extraordinary achievements and contributions made by our esteemed alumni. Bernie built a reputation as a brilliant deal master in creating companies and taking them public for the past 30 years. Bernie practiced law during his service in the U.S. Marines, trained as a tax attorney, and was a lawyer in New York City until he started in retail as a corporate counsel and established Millennium Partners LLC as a private investment partnership. Bernie is a Lifetime Member of the Syracuse University Board of Trustees and serves on the College of Law Board of Advisors.
Law Honors Awards:
J. Neil Huber L’68
J. Neil Huber has earned a Law Honors award for his groundbreaking work with the Temporary Study Commission on the Future of the Adirondacks, where he played a pivotal role in reviewing and recommending measures to preserve the Adirondacks Parks and propose regulations for land use in the region. He became the most knowledgeable staff member on regulating private land within the Adirondack Park and most significantly, Neil developed the draft legislation that created the Adirondack Park Agency. Following his work at the Adirondacks, Neil joined Peper Martin Jensen Maichel & Hetlage as a partner, practicing real estate, banking, commercial and corporate law, and has been named a “Super Lawyer” twice, by the Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers magazines.
Joanne Van Dyke L’87
Joanne Van Dyke has earned a Law Honors Award for her remarkable, tireless dedication to the College of Law’s trial advocacy program, making it one of the best in the country. Under her guidance, the College of Law is the perennial favorite at regional and Statewide competitions and her teams have earned regular invites to the most prestigious trial advocacy competitions in the country. She has held positions on the Board of Directors of the Onondaga County Bar Association, the Assigned Counsel Program, and the Central New York Women’s Bar Association. In 2004, she joined the College of Law faculty as an adjunct professor, where she teaches Practical Lawyering Skills and various other litigation and trial advocacy courses.
The Hon. Theodore “Ted” Limpert L’88
The Hon. Theodore “Ted” Limpert has earned a Law Honors Award for his commitment to our community, as demonstrated through his role as a Syracuse City Court Judge and his remarkable volunteer work. Judge Limpert is a veteran and longtime member of the Air National Guard, where he was promoted several times, and deployed to southwest Asia seven times where he received numerous awards and decorations. He has also served on the Central New York Human Trafficking Task Force and the Board of Mothers and Children in Crisis. He has also served as a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight and Veterans Airlift, providing transportation for patients to their distant medical appointments.
The Hon. Rodney Thompson G’93, L’93
The Hon. Rodney Thompson has earned a Law Honors Award for his unwavering commitment and support of our students. Judge Thompson is a valuable mentor, particularly for our students of color, and has provided numerous externship and employment opportunities. He is currently the presiding judge for the Mercer County New Jersey Superior Court – Family Division. Judge Thompson is a member of the Conference of Family Presiding Judges, as well as the Chair of Mercer County’s Domestic Violence Working Group and Co-Chair of the Youth Services Commission and Council on Juvenile Justice System Improvement. While at Syracuse University, he was named an Andrews Scholar by the law school and a Graduate Scholar by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
BLSA William Herbert Johnson Legacy Award:
John Elmore L’84
John Elmore is receiving the BLSA William Herbert Johnson Legacy Award for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession, legal education, the legal system, and social justice through activism, leadership in diversity and equality, and his unwavering support and mentorship to colleagues, students, and community members. His career includes work with the New York State Attorney Grievance Committees, and appointments to serve on multiple judicial screening committees. An instrumental leader in criminal justice reform, he has most recently represented the families of victims of the Tops supermarket shooting in Buffalo. He has also co-founded and is the current co-chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Task Force in Erie County. In this capacity, he has led the efforts to pass two critical laws that ensure accountability and transparency in policing.
José Bahamonde-González L’92 Legacy Award:
Alexandra Ramirez Randazzo L’96
Alexandra Ramirez Randazzo is receiving the José Bahamonde-González L’92 Legacy Award for her significant contributions to the community and her excellence and recognition in her professional career at the Federal Aviation Administration. She has more than 20 years of diversified experience in a variety of legal areas including, but not limited to, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Rehabilitation Act, Equal Pay Act, Whistleblower Protection Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. She provides timely and accurate legal advice and guidance to management at all levels on a variety of topics and has developed and implemented training on personnel-related and information management issues.
Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legacy of Excellence Award:
Tiffany H. Lee L’97, G’97
Acknowledged for her commitment to enhancing diversity, particularly in terms of race and gender, within the legal profession, Tiffany Lee is receiving the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legacy of Excellence Award for her service to the API community, distinguished accomplishments in her chosen field, and her empowering and inspiring mentorship. As Chief of the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York and the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Tiffany recognizes the need for greater diversity within the profession and the impact such diversity can have on fairness within the criminal justice system. She received the NYSBA’s Kay Crawford Murray Memorial Award in recognition of her efforts to enhance diversity in the profession and advance the professional development of women attorneys, and was also honored by the New York branch of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with their annual Law Enforcement Service Award. Tiffany is a past president of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys and currently sits on the Board of Trustees for Monroe County Bar Association.