Outstanding Judges Honored at Alumni Gala in Puerto Rico

SANTURCE, PUERTO RICO- Columbia Law School will honor six alumni judges who have put their legal skills to work for the public good on Thursday, November 3, 2005, at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. The event takes place at 7:00 pm.

Columbia Law School Dean David M. Schizer will deliver a speech acknowledging the link between Columbia University and Puerto Rico with special emphasis on these six judges. Schizer is the youngest Dean in the history of the school. He is widely recognized as one of the leading experts on tax law in the U.S. Throughout his career, Schizer has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing pro bono legal services for the underserved and the poor. This is his first decanal trip to Puerto Rico.

The gala has been partially underwritten by the event's steering committee, whose members are prominent Columbia Law School graduates. The Committee is Chaired by Arturo J. Garcia-Sola ('80 CC, '83 LAW), Managing Partner of the McConnell Valdés Law Firm. "These judges are leaders in every sense of the word," says Garcia-Solá. "They are leaders in the law, in their communities and in Puerto Rico."

The evening's honorees are:

THE HONORABLE LIANA FIOL-MATTA, '96 JSD CLS alumnus Fernando Rovira, '03, will introduce Fiol-Matta, whose accomplishments include being appointed to Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

THE HONORABLE JAIME B. FUSTER, '66 LLM CLS alumnus Armando Lloréns, '87, will introduce Fuster, whose accomplishments include being appointed to Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

THE HONORABLE JAY A. GARCIA-GREGORY, '73 VS CLS alumnus Manuel Pietrantoni, '73, will introduce García-Gregory, whose accomplishments include serving as U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Puerto Rico.

THE HONORABLE MIRIAM NAVEIRA MERLY, '69 LLM CLS alumnus Carlos Rodríguez-Vidal, '82, will introduce Naveira Merly, whose accomplishments include being the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

THE HONORABLE LINO J. SALDAÑA, '47 VS CLS alumna Maria Teresa Szendrey, '93, will introduce Saldaña, whose accomplishments include becoming a member of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court before the age of 35.

THE HONORABLE RAUL SERRANO-GEYLS, '46 LLM CLS alumnus Raoul Slavin, '98, will introduce Serrano-Geyls.

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