Nearly 500 members of the Fordham Law community gathered on Friday, March 7 for the 76th Fordham Law Annual Luncheon, raising nearly $200,000 in philanthropic support. The funding will benefit outstanding 3L student(s) with demonstrated financial need who are committed to pursuing a career in public service.
The luncheon, held at Cipriani 42nd Street, was dedicated to the memory of the late Judge John F. Keenan ’54, who served in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for four decades and presided over numerous historically significant cases. Keenan hired nearly 40 Fordham Law clerks during his tenure, providing invaluable experience and mentorship. Fordham Law Dean Joseph Landau announced at the event that Patricia M. Hynes ’66, a close friend of Keenan, founded a new scholarship fund in Keenan’s honor.
Fordham Law Alumni Association (FLAA) President Brenda Gill presided over the event, telling the alumni gathered, “As your President, I am proud of how you continually support the Law School, its students, and your community—whether through mentorship, hiring Fordham graduates, or advancing innovative programs. Our community thrives because of you.”
Alumni David M. Tanen ’96 and John R. Costantino GABELLI ’76, LAW ’70 were honored at the event for their achievements and their dedication to Fordham Law School.
The Medal of Achievement, the highest honor bestowed by the FLAA, was presented to Tanen, co-founder and partner of the venture capital firm Two River and member of the Law School’s Dean’s Planning Council and Fordham University’s Board of Trustees. Tanen has been a driving force behind Fordham Law’s educational enhancements, including founding the Tanen Leadership Center, which brings together initiatives that drive community, engagement, and professional development for Fordham Law students. The Center funded the launch of the House System and programs offered through the Office of Professionalism. The award has been given annually since 1952.
The Medal of Achievement was presented by Mike Lynch ’96, a classmate and friend of Tanen and a partner at the law firm Kelly Drye. “Dave is not only a model of a Fordham Lawyer in terms of his phenomenal achievements and impact,” said Lynch. “But he also gives back, bringing his trademark drive, vigor, and intellect to his engagement with our wonderful school.”
“Dave’s expertise and insights, not only from a legal and investment perspective, but from a human and moral perspective, contributes so greatly to Fordham and our board,” said Fordham University Chair of the Board Armando Nuñez GABELLI ’82. “The University is blessed by his generosity, not only by his continued philanthropy, but his incredible gift of time, incredible spirit, and vast knowledge of all things Fordham.”
“Standing here among so many accomplished alumni is a true reflection of the excellence of a Fordham Law education,” said Tanen as he accepted the award. “As members of this community, we are united by a shared foundation. Beyond the fundamentals of a legal education, we absorbed the values that define a Fordham lawyer—professionalism, service, and an unwavering commitment to hard work. I am incredibly grateful for my law school education and for this community.”
Also honored at the luncheon was Costantino, who received the Milton Fisher ’42 Second Harvest Award. The award is presented to an alumnus who has celebrated their 50th reunion and has “embodied the Law School’s highest ideals of excellence and has made exceptional contributions to society in the humanities, legal profession, business world, their community, and charitable affairs.”
A senior advisor and former managing general partner of NGN Capital and independent director of a family of mutual funds of State Street Bank, Costantino formerly served as president of the FLAA and is a member of the Dean’s Planning Council and an advisory board member of the Fordham Law School Center for Neuroscience and Law. He and his wife, Barbara, established the Costantino Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in 1997.
“John’s leadership in business is matched by a deep commitment to philanthropy, and Fordham, in particular, has been the beneficiary of his extraordinary generosity and commitment,” said Landau.
Gill presented the Rising Star Awards, which recognize the extraordinary achievements of distinguished alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years. The recipients of the honor were Gill Richard Saenz ’10, counsel and criminal justice & police misconduct strategist at Lambda Legal, for the Government, Public Interest, and Nonprofit category; John Kofi Osei-Tutu ’15, partner at Bradford Edwards LLP and National Hockey League Players’ Association registered player agent, for the Private Practice Category; and Jessica Saks ’12, vice president and deputy general counsel, partnerships and strategic initiatives at Major League Baseball, for the In-House and Business Category.
View scenes from the luncheon below:
