Story Archive

Ellen V. Futter ’74 and Brad Smith ’84 are honored by Dean Gillian Lester as “empathic, smart, sensitive leaders” working to advance the public good.

As vice chair and president of Microsoft, Smith navigates the often choppy waters “where technology and society meet.” He will receive the 2022 Columbia Law Medal for Excellence on October 28.

As the longtime president of the American Museum of Natural History and former president of Barnard College, Futter, one of this year’s Medal for Excellence recipients, has devoted her career to expanding and burnishing the reputations of two of New York City’s most prominent institutions.

The Medal for Excellence winner and member of the Dean’s Council dies at 91.

Since 1964, Columbia Law School’s most prestigious award, the Medal for Excellence, has been presented at the annual Winter Luncheon to alumni and past or present faculty members who exemplify the qualities of character, intellect, and social and professional responsibility that the Law School seeks to instill in its students.​

Dean Gillian Lester presented this year’s medals to Jim Millstein ’82 and Franklin Thomas ’63 at the 71st annual Winter Luncheon.

Throughout his singular career as a lawyer, banker, policy analyst, scholar, and public servant, the 2020 Medal for Excellence honoree has devoted himself to restructuring financially distressed companies and governmental units.

For decades the esteemed entertainment lawyer and Medal for Excellence honoree has represented some of the industry’s brightest stars. Now, as a co-founder of Time’s Up, she is shining a light on a dark legacy of sexual harassment and assault.

Jonathan D. Schilller ’73 and Nina Shaw ’79 to receive Medal for Excellence

Judge Gerard E. Lynch ’75 and Stephen Friedman ’62 recognized at annual Winter Luncheon.