RALEIGH — Campbell Law School awarded and recognized distinguished members of the law school community for their academic achievements and contributions at the 48th Annual Family Day Law Awards banquet, which was organized by the Student Bar Association (SBA) and held March 29, 2025, at the Sheraton City Center.
Professor Marcus Gadson was named “Professor of the Year” and “1L Professor of the Year” following a vote of the student body. Finalists for the Professor of the Year award included Johnny Chriscoe and finalists for the 1L Professor of the Year award included Matt Sawchak.
Gadson joined Campbell Law’s faculty on July 1, 2019. As a scholar, he focuses on state constitutions and civil procedure and he teaches courses in Civil Procedure, State Constitutional Law and Race, Justice and the Law. His scholarship has appeared in top-ranked journals including the Michigan Law Review, UCLA Law Review and Georgetown Law Journal. Professor Gadson’s students have voted him Professor of the Year and 1L Professor of the Year multiple times, and he received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching for the 2021–22 academic year.
Campbell Law SBA leaders also distributed a number of other student-voted awards to professors and staff at the banquet.
Krista Bordatto was awarded the “LRW Professor of the Year” award. Finalists included LaToya Powell.
Ken Hammer was recognized as the “Adjunct Professor of the Year.” Finalists included Susan Dunn.
Director of Academic Success & Accessibility Meredith Chilausky was voted “Administrator of the Year.” Finalists included IT Specialist James Yacovelli.
Campbell Law also recognized pro bono leaders. The “Outstanding Pro Bono Student Award” was given to Megan Demeny ‘25, who managed the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Project, the “Outstanding Project in Pro Bono and Public Service Award” was awarded to the Campbell Law Innocence Project (CLIP) and the “Outstanding Pro Bono Professor Award” was awarded to Professor Richard Waugaman ‘12, director of the Gailor Family Law Litigation Clinic and newly minted Assistant Dean of Experiential Learning.
Campbell Law also recognized academic achievements at the banquet. Edmund Gunther ‘26 earned the First-Year Academic Achievement Award, Matthew Daubenspeck ‘25 earned the Second-Year Academic Achievement Award, Daisy McAteer ‘25 was awarded the BARBRI Jane Perkinson Memorial Scholarship, Darah Perry ‘25 was awarded the Kaplan PMBR Scholarship and Jennifer Woy ‘25 was awarded the Themis Bar Review Scholarship.
Campbell Law students also recognized Women in Law (WIL) once again as the “Student Organization of the Year.” Finalists included the Black Law Student Association (BLSA).
SBA President Cole Hallum ‘25 was awarded the David Teddy Innovative Leadership Award, which is given annually to a Campbell Law student who demonstrates “a keen sense of leadership and service to the law school.” Finalists included BLSA President Sierra Robertson ‘25.
Annmarie Miller ‘25 was given the J. Bryan Boyd Award for Excellence in Legal Journalism from the Campbell Law Observer.
To find photos of all of the awards, visit our Facebook page at this link.
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL
Since its founding in 1986, Campbell Law has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 5,000 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2025, Campbell Law celebrated 45 years of graduating legal leaders and 15 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.