College of Law Announces 2020 Law Honors Awards Recipients

The Syracuse University Law Alumni Association and Syracuse University College of Law will celebrate the achievements of five alumni and one emeritus professor during  Law Alumni Weekend 2020, which will be held online from Sept. 24 to 26, 2020. This year’s recipients have distinguished themselves for their service to the College, their communities and the practice of law.

Congratulations to the honorees:

• Professor Emeritus William C. Banks for his service to the College of Law. While there, Banks served as a Distinguished Professor, emeritus professor, interim dean, and founding director of the Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law (formerly the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism). Banks is recognized for his scholarship and leadership in the fields of constitutional law, national security, and counterterrorism law.
• Everett A. Gillison L’85 for his lifetime commitment to public service, including as a member of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, deputy mayor of public safety for the City of Philadelphia, chief of staff to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and a member of the Pennsylvania Probation and Parole Board and Pennsylvania State Ethics Board.
• Virginia L. Grady L’83 for her commitment to advocacy on behalf of indigent defendants. Grady’s work is highlighted by her continued service as the federal public defender for the districts of Colorado and Wyoming, her leadership in advancing the legal profession in training lawyers in federal criminal practice and procedure, and her work that sought to improve the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
• Professor Emeritus Thomas J. Maroney L’63 for his 44 years as a faculty member in the College of Law and his public service as United States attorney for the Northern District of New York and as assistant attorney general. Maroney is also recognized for his commitment to alternative dispute resolution as a respected labor arbitrator, as well as his dedication to his community as a past chair of the Central New York chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union and as a long-time volunteer fire police officer.
• M. Catherine Richardson L’77 for her dedication to the practice of law and to her community. Richardson’s legal career was spent specializing in corporate healthcare law and operations, and she’s recognized for her commitment to the legal profession and efforts to advance leadership opportunities for women. Richardson served as the first woman president of the Onondaga County Bar Association and second woman president of the New York State Bar Association.
• Koert A. Wehberg L’08 for his dedication to proactive, policy- and community-driven systemic change for people with disabilities, ensuring access for all people by litigating against governmental agencies to ensure those rights. Most recently, Wehberg was named executive director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities.

On the College of Law website, read the recipients’ full biographies and register and learn more about all 2020 Law Alumni Weekend programs.