Alumni

February 14, 2024 | Diana Nearhos - UConn School of Law

Ten UConn Law Grads Named James W. Cooper Fellows

“I am tremendously proud to see so many of our accomplished and deserving alumni chosen as James W. Cooper Fellows,” UConn Law Dean Eboni S. Nelson said.

UConn Law alumni named 2024 James W. Cooper Fellows, from top right: Benjamin Cordiano ’09, Shanique Fenlator ’11, Anna Ficeto ’90, Tiffany Hubbard ’09, Michelle Querijero ’08, Henry L. Rowland II ’12, Kenneth Slater Jr. ’91, Shawn Smith ’09, Emily Wagner ’06, and Natalie Wagner ’06.

Ten graduates of UConn School of Law have joined the ranks of Connecticut Bar Foundation James W. Cooper Fellows. They are among 27 new fellows elected in the 2024 class by the foundation’s board, after being nominated by their peers.

The UConn Law graduates include three judges, four law firm partners, and attorneys in government, non-profit and corporate positions. They are:

  • Benjamin Cordiano ’09, partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP;
  • Shanique Fenlator ’11, administrative law judge, State of Connecticut Workers Compensation Commission;
  • Anna Ficeto ’90, deputy chief court administrator, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch;
  • Tiffany Hubbard ’09, partner, McCarter & English LLP;
  • Michelle Querijero ’08, assistant vice president, Allied World Insurance Company;
  • Henry L. Rowland II ’12, lead attorney, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants;
  • Kenneth Slater Jr. ’91, managing partner, Halloran & Sage LLP;
  • Shawn Smith ’09, partner, McCarter & English LLP;
  • Emily Wagner ’06, Superior Court judge, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch; and
  • Natalie Wagner ’06, director of strategic operations, Connecticut Department of Administrative Services.

“I am tremendously proud to see so many of our accomplished and deserving alumni chosen as James W. Cooper Fellows,” said UConn Law Dean Eboni S. Nelson, who was elected a Cooper fellow in 2022. “They join a distinguished list of lawyers and jurists who have contributed immensely to the cause of justice in Connecticut and beyond.”

The program is named for James W. Cooper, who served as president of the Connecticut Bar Foundation from 1973 to 1975. It supports the foundation’s mission to advance justice for all, promote better understanding of the law and explore ways to improve the legal profession and the administration of justice. Initiatives include speaker series and symposia, mentorships, a high school essay contest, and a fellowship for recent law school graduates.

The roster of fellows includes federal and state judges, non-profit and corporate attorneys, law school deans and professors, bar association leaders, and government leaders.

“We are pleased to recognize our new fellows for their distinguished service to the legal profession, and for their commitment to the principles of equal justice and the rule of law,” said Victoria Woodin Chavey, president of the Connecticut Bar Foundation and a judge of the Connecticut Superior