Capital Law School Graduates Nearly 200 Students

June 20, 2008

Nearly 200 J.D., LL.M. and M.T. students graduated in May from Capital University Law School. The Law School’s commencement and hooding ceremony took place at the historic Ohio Theatre.

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, L’83, delivered Capital University Law School’s 2008 Commencement address. She also received an honorary degree in recognition of her dedication to public service and her commitment to the people of Ohio to ensure that elections are open and honest.

Brunner, Ohio’s first woman to serve as secretary of state, is the 2007 recipient of Capital University Law School’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. This past May she was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, the nation's most prestigious honor for elected public servants. The award seeks to make Americans aware of the conscientious and courageous acts of their public servants, and to encourage elected officials to choose principles over partisanship – to do what is right, rather than what is expedient.

Salutatorian remarks were given by graduate Erick J. Palmer, Ph.D. and the 2008 commencement awards were given to:

• Dean’s Award (for outstanding leadership and contributions to the Law School) – Jeffrey Mark Sneeringer
• Dean’s Public Service Award (for outstanding public service to the Law School and surrounding community) – Steven D. Fletcher, Nicole Howard –Jahi, Danielle N. Smith
• Order of the Barristers (student excellence in moot court, mock trial and brief writing) – William Franklin Cash III, John Hamilton Cousins IV, Nicole Howard-Jahi, Sarah L. Leatherman, Daniel K. Riffle, Ryan M. Stubenrauch, Derek J. Walden, Kirk Daniel Walter
• Ron Friedman Award (for contributions to the life of the Law School through extracurricular activities) – Douglas James Althauser
• Harter Award (for attaining the greatest increase in GPA over the span of one full-time academic year) – Chad Fennell
• National Association of Women Lawyers Award – Lindsey Audra Hutchinson
• American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence – Jeremy D. Rine
• Ohio State Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Student Achievement Award – Erin Renee Forbes