Page 6 - NYLS Magazine • 2014 • Vol. 33, No. 1

York Law School is inspired Jefrey Knowles is a leading attorney

by Hank Greenberg’s own in the advertising ield and a partner at
Venable LLP in Washington, D.C. He
experience attending the Law
School under the G.I. Bill. has also played a major role in expanding
the irm with new oices in New York,
With his law school education
Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and
as a foundation, he went on to heads Venable’s Advertising, Marketing
become a captain of industry,
and New Media Practice Group—the
leading AIG to becoming the largest advertising law practice in the
largest insurance company
United States. Under his leadership,
in the world and generating
Venable’s advertising practice now
unprecedented value for includes more than 70 attorneys and
shareholders. Tonight, we honor
has earned recognition by U.S. News &
he Starr Foundation for its World Report as well as Chambers USA
rate education, I also owe a huge debt of
gratitude to the network of alums and exceptional commitment to as the top advertising practice in the
education and philanthropy; nation. Mr. Knowles also chairs Venable’s
mentors I gained while in law school.”
and Hank for his tremendous Government Division and maintains his
Dean and President Anthony W. Crowell own practice, advising clients on a broad
commitment to the Law School.”
then introduced the honorees and range of consumer protection issues,
presented brief video segments illustrating advertising compliance, business strategy,
Freddi Weintraub is a leading corporate
each honoree’s incredible work, talent, immigration counsel to clients in a
and dispute resolution.
and dedication to the legal profession.
wide range of industries as a partner at Before presenting Mr. Knowles with the
(hese videos are available at www. Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy,
youtube.com/newyorklawschool.)
Groundbreaker Award, Dean Crowell
LLP. Ms. Weintraub has represented said, “I am particularly grateful
universities and teaching hospitals;
Since 1955, he Starr Foundation has to him for his service to the
inancial investment and insurance irms; Law School as Vice Chairman
provided charitable support for institutions media and management consulting irms;
and people across New York City. While of the Board of Trustees. He is
fashion and cosmetic companies; ine arts
Mr. Greenberg was building American organizations; and individual investors both an extraordinary leader
International Group Inc. (AIG) into the and a judicious guide. He is as
and entrepreneurs. She also represented
largest insurance and inancial services a major international investment thoughtful as he is visionary and
organizations in the world, he also served
management irm that was tragically a tremendous force for change
as Chairman of the Starr Foundation. he afected by the 9/11 attacks, securing and progress.”
Starr Foundation was established in 1955
beneits for families and foreign nationals
by Cornelius Vander Starr, an entrepreneur under the USA Patriot Act, for which she During his remarks at the Gala, Dean
who founded C.V. Starr Co. and other
received attention by the CBS Nightly Crowell made note of the Law School’s
companies, some of which were combined News and CNN. Over the course of her recent achievements. “his isn’t the same
under the leadership of Mr. Greenberg,
career, Ms. Weintraub has been named as law school it was a year ago,” he said. “In
Mr. Starr’s successor, to become AIG. both a New York Super Lawyer (2006- the last year, we have made national news
Under Mr. Greenberg’s leadership, he
2013) and a Best Lawyer in America by introducing the country’s irst two-year
Starr Foundation’s assets have grown from (2008-2011, 2013). In 2010, she was also honors J.D. program; we doubled our
a few million dollars ater Mr. Starr’s death
featured in the New York Law Journal’s clinical oferings to ensure that every
to more than $1.3 billion. Today, it is one Women Leaders in the Law.
student who wants a clinical experience
of the largest private foundations in the
can have one; we earned Presidential
United States, providing extraordinary In introducing Ms. Weintraub, Dean Honors for our pro bono work; we issued
charitable support for the people and “She pursued
Crowell observed, a bold strategic plan that we hear some of
institutions of New York City—and for her dream of becoming a lawyer our competitors are scrambling to match;
New York Law School. he Foundation
while working full-time as a and yes, we came back on our bar pass rate
has supported programs at the Law School paralegal and attending law too—ater four straight years of decline,
for 30 years, and in 2010 bestowed on the
school in the evening division. we increased the passage rate by 14 points
School $20 million, its largest git ever.
to 83 percent in one year.” he audience
She has built a career helping
other people pursue their responded with a huge round of applause,
In introducing Mr. Greenberg, Dean
Crowell noted that “he Starr dreams in New York, the city of capping of a successful and enjoyable
evening. •
Foundation’s support of New
immigrants.”

4 NEw YoRk Law ScHooL magazINE • 2014 • VOL. 33, NO. 1