Alumni Association

Welcome to the Ave Maria School of Law Alumni Community!

We are excited to welcome you to the alumni association and thank you for enriching our alumni community.
We look forward to working and networking with you in the professional world and invite you to contact us if we can be of service to you for career mentoring, forging additional alumni connections, professional networking, and personal prayer/support.

We also encourage your active participation in the Alumni Association Annual Meeting and Elections. Please know you and your families will be in our continuing prayers as you engage the legal profession!

Alumni Board

President – Charles Mailloux
Vice President – Andrew Koehler
Secretary- Shelby O’Brien
Treasurer – Bibiana L. Potestad-Seoane, Esq.
Chair – Peter Valone
Chair – Richard Varadan
Chair – Naomi Hatton
Chair – Evelyn Whitehead
Chair – Brian Anderson
Chair – Grace Slaney
Chair – Erin Mersino
Chair – Lauren Muzyka
Chair – Dominico Palma
Chair – John Shea
Chair – Madeleine Bischel
Chair – Stephen Stefanik

Ave Maria School of Law Alumni Sworn into U.S. Supreme Court Bar

The Ave Maria School of Law Alumni Association is dedicated to serving the Ave Maria School of Law Alumni and helping the school achieve its unique and authentically Catholic mission.

The association fosters communication, fellowship, and mutual assistance among alumni and the law school community. Promoting the involvement of alumni in the affairs and activities of the law school is also a goal of the association.

Anyone upon whom Ave Maria School of Law has conferred the degree of Juris Doctor is eligible for regular membership for life. Alumni, through their positive words about Ave Maria School of Law and demonstrated commitment to service and justice, are influential partners in defining what the law school stands for to prospective students, colleagues, family and friends.

The Office of Alumni Affairs is here to help you so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Also, please let us keep in touch by making sure we have your most up-to-date contact information.

Alumni Connections

Symplicity

Symplicity is an online tool that offers a great deal of resources. Symplicity supports student and graduate interaction with the Career Services Office. The online system will allow students to conduct the following:Office. The online system will allow students to conduct the following: • Learn about Career Services and Alumni Affairs Office and external events and conferences. • Make counseling appointments via the calendar. • Connect with other alumni through our Professional Network and Referral system. • Search job postings, fellowships, and other opportunities. • Schedule a mock interview appointment. • RSVP to events sponsored by the Career Services Office.

Get Connected

Alumni Newletter
Share Your Good News!

The Alumni Board periodically publishes a newsletter to share law school and alumni news. The newsletters will be sent to you via email to your preferred email address. If you have not been receiving the newsletter, please contact If you have a milestone that you would like to share with alumni through the newsletter, please email your milestone to alumniaffairs@avemarialaw.edu.

You can see archived copies of the Alumni Newsletter, by clicking here.
Alumni Newsletters

Alumni
Networking

Would you like to be searchable by fellow alumni for networking and referrals?

We will add your information to symplicity. Just complete the ONLINE FORM.

Submit

GetSocial

Join the Ave Maria School of Law Alumni Facebook page!

JoinJoin the Ave Maria School of Law Alumni on LinkedIn!
Get Linked!

Alumni Profiles

The Ave Law Difference

Alumni Profiles

Eric Moore

Alumni Profiles Professional Development

James Chillemi

Alumni Profiles

Megan Kelly

Share your good news!

We would love to hear from you!

Alumni Awards

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors an Ave Maria School of Law graduate who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to faith, service, and the legal profession. This award recognizes individuals who embody the values of the Law School through their career achievements, community involvement, and ongoing support of the school’s mission.

Every year, the Alumni Association awards the Distinguished Alumni Award to an outstanding Alumnus as voted on by the Alumni. The 2022 award was presented to Royce Hood by Ave Maria School of Law Dean and CEO, John Czarnetzky, during commencement.

Royce Hood is a pro-life attorney and strategist working with a number of national organizations including the Thomas More Society and the March for Life. Royce is the founder of the Law of Life Summit, an annual event in Washington, D.C., that brings together the nation’s top pro-life lawyers, leaders and media personalities to address legal issues facing the pro-life movement. In light of Dobbs, Royce is producing a 2-day Summit in Chicago that will address the decision and its impact on jurisprudence and on the pro-life movement. Further, Royce is also a producer of film, music and publications focused on faith, family and life. Royce graduated from Ave Maria School of Law in 2012 with the Dean’s Award for the Defense of Faith. Royce is married to his law school sweetheart, Elise. They have seven children.”

Erin Mersino, Class of 2007, received the distinguished alumni of the year award during the Ave Maria School of Law Commencement Exercises at Artis Naples in Naples, Florida on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Erin is Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation, with a distinguished career arguing and winning cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and nearly every federal circuit court. She has tackled major constitutional issues, including challenges to the Affordable Care Act, the HHS Mandate, and the Free Exercise Clause, and secured one of the first injunctions against the Obama Administration’s HHS Mandate. A former criminal prosecutor, she broke ground by winning a domestic violence trial without the victim’s testimony. Erin has successfully represented high-profile Christian clients in multimillion-dollar cases, appeared on national TV and radio, and published in major outlets. She holds leadership roles in several nonprofits and legal organizations, and has received honors including the Defender of the Faith Award and a Distinguished Alumni Award. A University of Michigan and Ave Maria Law graduate, Erin is also a devoted wife and mother of five, including a son with Down Syndrome who inspired her family’s nonprofit supporting inclusive education.

How to nominate an Alumni

Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognizes an exceptional Ave Maria School of Law graduate who has reached a significant level of achievement in their career and who represents a model for current Ave Maria Law students and alumni to emulate. The award honors an alumni who has continuously rendered distinguished service to Ave Maria School of Law with faithfulness and dedication. The Lifetime Achievement award is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduate of Ave Maria School of Law and a nominee is only chosen once every five years.

Award Criteria

To qualify for nomination, the alumni must have graduated from Ave Maria School of Law no earlier than May, ten years previously. For example, for the 2025 award you must have graduated by May 2015 or earlier.
Anyone can nominate an Ave Maria graduate for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Self-nominations are not accepted for this award. When nominating, please include as much information as possible for why the nominee deserves the recognition of receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The alumni board is currently accepting nominations for the 2025 award.

Nominate an Alumni

Distinguished Alumni Award

Recognizes an outstanding Ave Maria School of Law alumni who has graduated from the Law School and who over the last year in their career has demonstrated what it means to truly be an Ave Maria graduate. Guided by faith and reason in their career, service to their community, and dedication to the Law School.

Award Criteria

To qualify for nomination, the alumni must have graduated from Ave Maria School of Law no earlier than May, three years previously. For example, for the 2025 award, you must have graduated by May 2022 or earlier. Any Ave Maria School of Law alumni board member active during the nomination curation period cannot be nominated for the Distinguished Alumni Award.
Anyone can nominate an Ave Maria graduate for the Distinguished Alumni Award. Self-nominations are not accepted for this award. When nominating, please include as much information as possible about why the nominee deserves the recognition of being the Distinguished Alumni recipient.

The alumni board is currently accepting nominations for the 2026 award. Cut off for nominations is OCTOBER 1, 2025.

Nominate an Alumni

Want to start a regional Alumni Chapter?!?

Download a Proposal Guide

Download a Startup Guide

Office of Professional Development

The Professional Development Office will continue to provide access to the following resources and services that will help graduates with their job search, job application and interview, and job transitions:

·         Career counseling
·         Conferences & networking opportunities
·         Informational sessions
·         Interview preparation
·         Resume and cover letter editing
·         Job postings through symplicity

For additional questions or information, contact Professional Development at opd@avemarialaw.edu. You can also connect with us through our Facebook page for employment market advice and information on upcoming Professional Development events.

Alumni Board Minutes

Bylaws of the Alumni Association

RECORDS REQUEST

Transcripts can be ordered through the National Student Clearinghouse

Order a Transcript

Alumni or Students may request any of the following:

- Class Rank
- Enrollment Verification
- Letter of Mid-term Explanation
- Letter of Good Standing
- Graduation Verification
- Transcript
- Other letters or document

Ave Maria School of Law Alumni Sworn into U.S. Supreme Court Bar & Alumni Reception

First Annual Michigan Networking Luncheon

The Office of Alumni Relations is thrilled to announce the success of our first Annual Michigan Networking Luncheon, held at Ciao Amici’s in Brighton. The event brought together a vibrant mix of alumni, fostering meaningful connections and professional growth in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We are deeply grateful to all attendees who made this inaugural event memorable. Looking ahead, we are excited to expand this luncheon in the coming years, continuing to build a strong, supportive network for our alumni community. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to connect!

First Annual Michigan Networking Luncheon