Alumni Awards & Donor Celebration

alumni awards and donor celebration

Berkeley Law is proud to present four prestigious awards to our alumni and faculty. This year, the awardees from 2026 will be celebrated at a special donor and volunteer recognition event. We congratulate the 2026 awardees.

Ascendant Leadership Award

The Ascendant Leadership Award honors a graduate from the past 20 years who has made significant contributions to their community through professional excellence, charitable efforts, public service, exceptional dedication to the law school, or other outstanding achievements.
2026 – Lillian Hardy ’06, Partner, Hogan Lovells LLP
 
The Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award

The Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award honors the lifelong contributions and accomplishments of an exemplary Berkeley Law Faculty Member.
2026 – Peter Menell, Professor of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law

 

The Judge D. Lowell and Barbara Jensen Public Service Award

The Jensen Public Service Award is given to a prominent Berkeley Law graduate who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to public service in the legal profession. This award was incorporated into the Alumni Awards Celebration in 2019.
2026 – Nicole Berner ’95, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

 

The Citation Award

Created in 1961, the Citation Award recognizes a Berkeley Law graduate who has made exceptional contributions to the school, the legal profession, the judiciary, legal scholarship, and society at the state, national, or global level.
2026 – John Burris ’73, Partner and Principal, Burris, Nisenbaum, Curry & Lacy, LLP

 

To make a special contribution to the Berkeley Law Fund in honor of the 2026 awardees, please email Gifts4Law@law.berkeley.edu.