Quinnipiac University Alumni
Quinnipiac University Alumni

Alumni Networks

Law Alumni Association

Dozens of Quinnipiac Law alumni sit in the Ceremonial Courtroom during an alumni awards ceremony

Alumni Networks

Law Alumni Association

The Quinnipiac Law Alumni Association offers benefits for graduates of the School of Law such as networking opportunities, career services, mentorship programs and events that help alumni stay connected and engaged with the law school community. Being an active part of the association can enhance your professional growth, provide access to exclusive resources and aims to foster a strong sense of community among graduates. We invite you to get involved in the alumni community.

Give Now For the Ambitious Update Your Info

Submit Your Law Alumni Award Nominations by September 17

Winners of the 2025 law association alumni awards pose for a photo on the library stairway

Celebrate Excellence!

Pictured from left: Adam Swanson, JD ’08, president of the Law Alumni Association; Jennifer Rawlings, JD ‘15; Jonathan McMeen, JD ’03; Brian Gallini, dean of the Quinnipiac School of Law; Massimo Iori, JD ‘97; Megan Nielsen, JD '20; Rebecca Iannantuoni, JD ‘99

The Quinnipiac University School of Law Alumni Association is having its fourth annual alumni awards ceremony at the School of Law on October 22, 2026 (please mark your calendar). These awards celebrate the achievements of our alumni and our law school.

If you would like to nominate someone for an award, please email your nomination to ASwanson@mccarter.com and johnraphael.pichardo@gmail.com no later than September 17, 2026.

QUSL Alumni Association Alumni Awards:

  • President’s Award

    This award is given by the QUSL Alumni Association President in consultation with the Dean of the School of Law to recognize an alum who has exemplified the University’s motto, “Qui transtulit sustinet” (he who transplants, sustains). This person has dedicated themselves to enriching and sustaining the legal community as a whole and has worked to enhance the reputation of the legal profession within the greater community. This person may be a philanthropist, scholar or political office holder, or someone who has used their position in the legal community to enhance the legal profession in a measurable way.

  • Inclusive Excellence Award:

    This award is given to an alum to acknowledge and celebrate exemplary leadership and commitment to advancing the School of Law’s mission to promote inclusive excellence in the legal profession. This person raises industry awareness of the importance and value of the legal profession being a diverse and inclusive profession, and has had a clear and positive impact promoting this mission.

  • Entrepreneurial Award:

    This award recognizes an alum who has demonstrated innovation in the practice of law — whether by building a transformative business, developing creative legal strategies, or influencing legal or business practices in a significant way.

  • Service to the Community Award:

    This award is given to an alum who has dedicated a significant portion of their time and used their legal skillset to advance justice and provide legal services to low-income, underprivileged, or underrepresented communities as a significant part of their career. This person may have dedicated their career to a nonprofit pro bono legal services organization or provided pro bono or low bono representation to members of their community in need.

The QUSL Alumni Association Alumni Awards Committee will submit proposed candidates for each award for consideration by the Alumni Association Executive Board and will announce the awards shortly before the October 22 reception.

We look forward to receiving your nominations!

Related Class Notes

More Class Notes

2021

Anand Veeraraghav, JD ’21, co-founded a community organization in Monroe, Connecticut

Last year, I started a community orchestra in Monroe with my brother, Avinash. We have been playing our instruments (me on viola, him on violin) since 2005, and we have had this idea in some form since 2014. We joined the Hamden Symphony Orchestra in 2023 (under the directorship of Quinnipiac's own, Vesna Mehinovic), and the idea was reinvigorated. With the help of Vesna and other musical personnel, we started this summer program in June 2025, gathering 40 volunteer musicians from around the state, ranging from middle school students to retirees, to put on a concert in July. It was a huge success –– so much so that we also had a holiday concert in December. Even though we are not musicians by profession (I work for the judicial branch), this has been an amazing and rewarding experience. We were even interviewed by WSHU! Visit their website at: monroectorchestra.org

aerial view of a marina on a sunny day

1989

Michael T. van der Veen, JD ’89, update

Michael T. van der Veen, JD ’89, and his family purchased the Carousel Marina and Whale’s Tale Restaurant in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, five years ago. For the past three seasons, the marina has been named a finalist for Best Marina by Down East Magazine. The marina is also home to the largest charitable Bluefin Tuna Tournament on the East Coast. Visitors and alumni alike are welcome to stop by and experience the beauty of Boothbay Harbor for themselves. Michael and his wife, Marion, along with their two daughters, Jax and Emma Rose, are actively involved in operating the marina, the restaurant, and their marine construction business. In September 2025, Michael’s oldest daughter, Jax, was married at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. In addition to his work on the waterfront, Michael continues to run his law firm with a national practice based in Philadelphia.

Joy Maini, JD '06, headshot

2006

Joy Maini, JD '06, joins Harris Beach Murtha's Trusts and Estates Practice

Joy Maini, JD '06, has joined Harris Beach Murtha's Trusts and Estates Practice Group as Senior Counsel. Joy brings nearly 20 years of experience as an estate planner. She also serves as fiduciary and represents fiduciaries in the administration of complex trusts and estates and develops family succession and business plans. She is based in the firm's Bantam, CT, office.

Luretha McClendon Tolson headshot

2002

Luretha McClendon Tolson, JD '02, joins Halloran Sage

Halloran Sage is pleased to welcome Luretha McClendon Tolson, JD ‘02. Luretha joins the firm as a Partner and an experienced litigation attorney. Read more on the breadth of Luretha’s practice on her bio page: https://halloransage.com/attorney/luretha-mcclendon-tolson/

Jeremiah Cottle in his military uniform receiving his diploma from National Defense University

2003

Jeremiah Cottle, JD '03, graduates from National Defense University

I recently graduated from the National Defense University - College of International Security Affairs with a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies, Irregular Warfare Concentration. I also received Joint Professional Military Education Phase II Certification. I was one of only a few U.S. civilians to attend among U.S. and foreign military students. The institution is a U.S. Department of Defense senior leadership school where I was nominated and sent by my employer of 18 years, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS). I have returned to the USSS to bring back strategic skills to support the agency's dual mission of national leadership protection and financial crimes investigation. See attached photo of me receiving my degree from University President and USN Vice Admiral Peter T. Garvin. I am a 2003 JD graduate of the Quinnipiac School of Law.

Tanya Bovee heashot

2001

Tanya Bovée, JD '01, earns Trailblazer Honoree award

Tanya A. Bovée of nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. has been named a Trailblazer Honoree by the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY). She is a principal in the firm’s Hartford office and has more than 20 years of experience representing management across industries including life sciences, retail, automotive, manufacturing and hospitality.

2015

John-Raphael Pichardo, JD '15, selected as Leadership Council on Legal Diversity fellow

I have been chosen as a Fellow for the 2025 Class of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). LCLD fellowship prepares high-potential, mid-career attorneys from diverse backgrounds with professional and personal development opportunities, leadership training, relationship-building resources, and access to LCLD Members (Managing Partners and General Counsel).

Matthew Glennon headshot

2015

Matthew Glennon, MBA '15, JD '15, promoted at Pullman & Comley, LLC

Pullman & Comley LLC is pleased to announce the promotion of Matthew D. Glennon to member of the firm. Glennon, who joined Pullman & Comley’s Business Organizations and Finance practice in 2021, routinely assists clients in executing complex business matters. He focuses his practice on corporate and business law and financing, and has particular experience with mergers and acquisitions, debt transactions, advising on business formation and ownership transition matters, and serving as outside general counsel to his clients. Since the legalization of recreational cannabis in Connecticut, Glennon has continued to build a practice in this area and has been a key part of Pullman & Comley’s efforts in advising applicants and license holders on the new market. As the state developed its policy, Glennon communicated the impacts of the new legislation to clients and has remained on the leading edge of the industry as it continues to evolve in Connecticut. Westfair Business Journal named Glennon a 40 Under Forty honoree for Fairfield County in 2024 and Moffly Media recognized him as a Top Lawyer in Fairfield County in the area of Business Law in 2023. He was selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in 2024 in the area of Business/Corporate. Glennon currently serves on the board of the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce and previously served as treasurer for Judge Ben Gettinger when he ran for Milford-Orange Probate Judge and on the Milford Connecticut Pension and Retirement Board.

Kathryn Boucher headshot

2010

Kathryn Boucher, JD '10, joins Pullman & Comley

Kathryn Boucher, JD '10, has joined Pullman & Comley LLC, as a member of the firm’s Real Estate, Energy, Environmental and Land Use practice. Kathryn brings extensive experience in energy and telecommunications law, having previously served as regulatory counsel at ISO New England and in key roles at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). She is excited to contribute her expertise to Pullman & Comley and continue addressing critical energy and policy challenges.

Jenna Cutler headshot

2018

Jenna Cutler, JD '18, selected to the 2024 Connecticut Rising Stars list

Barclay Damon announces Jenna Cutler, associate, has been selected to the 2024 Connecticut Rising Stars list. She was recognized in the Civil Litigation: Defense category. Cutler is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation & Complex Trials and Labor & Employment Practice Areas. She practices out of the firm’s New Haven office. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the Rising Stars honor. Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of clients' businesses. With nearly 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading regional law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, New Haven, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Washington, D.C. and Toronto. The firm serves clients across the country and, for some practices, provides U.S. legal services around the globe. For more information, visit barclaydamon.com.

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Mission Statement

The Quinnipiac School of Law Alumni Association mission is to:

1

Recognize the personal and professional needs of its alumni

2

Encourage public service in furtherance of promoting the welfare of Quinnipiac School of Law Alumni Association and the community at large

4

Create and manage a network of regional volunteers

5

Assist in Quinnipiac School of Law's fundraising efforts

A Message from the President of the Law Alumni Association

Adam Swanson, JD '08, speaks with a microphone at a podium in the School of Law atrium

Adam Swanson, JD ’08

Dear fellow alumni:

I am honored to be President of the Quinnipiac University School of Law Alumni Association.  I hope you will join me and our board members as we work to grow this very special community.  The practice of law is at times isolating, but here, as a member of our Quinnipiac law alumni community, you will always be at home and add value to your professional practice.

Please join us throughout the year as we work to strengthen our alumni community.  We each benefitted from the excellent education we received at Quinnipiac and the connections we made as students.  Our connection as a community did not end at graduation—it was just the beginning.  As a member of the Quinnipiac law alumni community you can enrich the bonds you forged as a student and create new connections and opportunities. 

We have several meetings throughout the year where we collaborate with the law school faculty to develop new ideas and to learn about the law school’s initiatives.  You are welcome to join these meetings either virtually or in-person.  We also host several social networking events throughout the year in communities where alumni are located where you can reconnect with former classmates or make new connections within our growing law alumni community.  To keep yourself informed of all law school alumni events, please share your email address and phone number with the Law Development and Alumni Affairs office.

Above all, I want to make the Quinnipiac University School of Law Alumni Association more meaningful for you, for the law students, and for the law school.  I invite you to please email me at ASwanson@mccarter.com if you have ideas for programming, if you have comments, or if you just want to say hello.  

I am grateful to serve you and to lead this great Quinnipiac law alumni community.  I look forward to hearing from you and to seeing you soon! 

Adam Swanson, JD '08
President, Law Alumni Association

Quinnipiac Today

Law Alumni Association Executive Board

President: Adam M. Swanson, JD ’08

Adam represents major financial institutions in disputes brought by consumers, including those concerning consumer mortgage lending and servicing and consumer credit, as well as major title companies in real property, land title, and title insurance litigation.

His experience in the consumer mortgage lending and servicing sectors includes handling legal challenges concerning agency and non-agency mortgages, large mortgage portfolios, and residential mortgage-backed securities products. Adam represents all the major players in the consumer mortgage lending and servicing space in the full range of claims arising from origination, servicing, default servicing, foreclosure, bankruptcy, evictions as well as concerning real estate owned properties.

Adam’s extensive experience resolving real property matters includes those concerning deeds, easements, ownership disputes, land titles, and real property acquisitions. Because of his deep understanding of the consumer mortgage sector, Adam is regularly retained by the nation’s largest title insurers to provide them with efficient and cost-effective solutions to their most complex real property disputes.

Passionate about giving back to the community, Adam serves on the Board of Directors of Connecticut Legal Services, Connecticut’s largest legal aid agency. Adam also serves on the Board of Directors for the Fairfield County Bar Association.

Adam has been an active member of the School of Law Alumni Association for many years and is very pleased to be nominated to serve as President.

 

Vice President: Andrew Knott, JD ’03

Andrew graduated from the School of Law in 2003 and has been practicing since then with his father John Knott. QUSL alumnus Rpbert Robert J. Santoro, (QUSL ’75) is also a partner of the firm.  The practice focuses on all aspects of probate, trust, estate, and elder law, including bioethics, special needs, and elder abuse and exploitation.

Andrew is also an experienced neutral, serving as a magistrate for the superior court and claims commissioner hearing small claims and claims against the state, as well as deciding matters for several arbitration panels.  He lives locally with his wife and two children.

Andrew has been a QU Law Alumni board member for over a decade and has employed a number of Quinnipiac School of Law graduates.

 

Secretary: Vacant

  • Rebecca Braunger Mines, JD ’04
  • Chris Gallager, JD ’05
  • Jason K. Gamsby, JD '13
  • Massimo (Max) Iori, JD ’92
  • Christopher Kenworthy '09
  • Natassia Taj Najman '21
  • Chris R. Nelson, JD ’04
  • J.R. Pichardo '15
  • Joshua Pinkus '06
  • Sylvia K. Rutkowska, JD '08
  • Atchuthan Sriskandarajah '96
  • Gregory Takacs, JD '95
  • Regina Thornton, JD/MBA ’00
  • Stacey Yarborough, JD '00
  • Kristen Zaehringer, JD ’05

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