Celebrating at the Alumni Dinner 2024
Some 300 alumni, friends, faculty, and staff gathered at Cipriani 25 Broadway for the Brooklyn Law School Alumni Dinner Wednesday evening, enjoying a celebratory night of mingling, renewing bonds, and honoring two distinguished alumni for their accomplishments.
President and Joseph Crea Dean David D. Meyer opened the program by welcoming attendees and thanking them for the warm introduction he has received since joining the Law School as new dean on July 1, 2023, and for their gracious and ongoing support of the Law School’s students and the community.
“I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the welcome that you have extended to me since I arrived here,” Meyer said. “I have met many of you and look forward to meeting many more in the coming weeks. You have been tremendously warm in welcoming me, and the Brooklyn Law School family has made me feel very much at home already.”
He introduced Deborah Riegel ’93, president of the Brooklyn Law School Alumni Association Board and presented her with an award for her service. “During her term as president of the Alumni Board, she has really made extraordinary contributions and we are experiencing one of them, which was to convert the annual alumni event from a luncheon to a dinner,” Meyer said.
Riegel, in her remarks, pointed out that the proceeds of the dinner help support the Law School’s Bar Exam Preparation Fund, which aids students in preparing for the bar with funding for bar prep classes, and support for other needs, such as meals while they study. “It was a no-brainer to make the decision to dedicate this dinner to that cause,” Riegel said. “And I am profoundly grateful to the board that jumped on this immediately when it was suggested to them.” Last night’s event raised more than $60,000 to support the Bar Exam Preparation Fund.
During the main portion of the program, two alumni were honored: Alumnus of the Year Frederick E. Curry ’03, who in addition to being a member of the Law School’s Board of Trustees and a cofounder of the Business Boot Camp, has built an incredible career at Deloitte, where he is the anti-money laundering and economic sanctions practice leader and principal at Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory, Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics. Also honored was Rising Star Ashleigh Goit ’15, who is associate legal counsel at DST Global.
Alumnus of the Year Frederick E. Curry III ’03
Professor Michael Gerber introduced Curry with a story about his winding and extraordinary path to his current success, from leaving high school in 10th grade to join the Marines, to earning a GED, college degree, MBA, and law degree, and ultimately becoming one of “the world’s leading experts on financial crimes, terrorist financing, sanctions, bank fraud, risk management, and compliance,” Gerber said.
Curry started out working the graveyard shift in the check processing department of Chase Bank in New York City before being promoted to daytime supervisor and attending the American Institute of Banking, Adelphi University, and Fordham’s MBA program in the evening and on weekends. After receiving his MBA, he decided it would be synergistic to get a law degree and enrolled in Brooklyn Law School as an evening student. After graduating, he worked at a law firm and subsequently made a distinct niche at Deloitte.
“Fred has been described as a kind of banking industry James Bond, investigating and testifying as an expert witness on multi-billion-dollar Ponzi schemes, money-laundering conspiracies, embezzlement, terrorist financing, know-your-customer, and banking standards,” Gerber said. “But we also celebrate Fred tonight because Fred has also served as a mentor to dozens of Brooklyn Law School students, providing career advice and opening professional doors for them.”
In addition, Curry started a scholarship at Brooklyn Law School to honor his first wife, Beverly, who died in the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. He also founded The Sirius Foundation, which awards scholarships to high-achieving women pursuing careers in business.
In accepting the award, Curry also gave a shout-out to Goit, saying her award should be renamed, “because you’re a superstar.”
“I’m humbled and I’m grateful for being part of this great family,” Curry said. “When I was eating dinner and looking around, I thought, this is truly a remarkable family, and I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
He also thanked those who came to support him, including his former professor, Gerber; the Brooklyn Law community; his family, including his wife, son, father, siblings, niece, and cousin; and his professional friends and colleagues at Deloitte.
“I want to thank my family for always being there for me, through my ups and downs,” Curry said, noting his rocky teen years. “And thank goodness, I had good parents and siblings and friends, and it got me on the right path. And I would also thank my friends at this table who support me personally and professionally, when things get rough.”
Rising Star Ashleigh Goit ’15
Goit said she chose Brooklyn Law for its focus on practical experience, and for the “generous scholarships,” that helped her get through school. “Brooklyn Law School taught me to make investments in myself,” she said.
Since graduating, she has worked for several Brooklyn Law School alumni who have served as mentors throughout her career, including at her current position at DST Global, through which she began working in the venture capital space. She also benefited from mentors from the Law School at her previous positions as chief administrative officer, counsel and chief compliance officer for Carronade Capital Management and as senior vice president and assistant general counsel for Capstone Investment Advisors. Goit, a member of the Women’s Leadership Circle, said her Law School education and the community’s ongoing support has given her the support and confidence needed to succeed.
“BLS gave me the confidence to take risks in my career and follow my own path, a confidence that led me to forgo the traditional law firm route in favor of an internship at a hedge fund,” Goit said, adding that the decision shaped her future career. “Beyond the BLS mentors I worked under, I have developed a community of alumni, who I can compare notes with and share drinks with and who support me on this unique path I continue to follow. As I stand here today, I am reminded of the collective wisdom, encouragement, and friendship of BLS that has propelled me forward.”
Wrapping up, she added: “Here’s to continuing to support each other, to taking risks, and to the next inflection point, which I hope has more nights of celebration like tonight,” she said.
The dinner was made possible by the following: Platinum Sponsors Frank Aquila ’83, Chairman of the Brooklyn Law School Board of Trustees, and Rosenberg & Estis; Diamond Sponsors Friends of Fred Curry, Debra Humphreys ’84, and Sasha L. Linney ’11; Gold Sponsors Allegaert Berger & Vogel LLP, Deloitte, Valerie Fitch ’88 and Ed Flanders ’89, Friends of Fred Curry, Leech Tishman, Neil S. Goldstein ’67, Howard S. Hershenhorn’89, Gair Gair Conason Rubinowitz Bloom Hershenhorn Steigman & MacKauf, Kramer Levin, Robert Schmidt ’89, Perkins Coie, and S&E Azriliant, P.C.; Silver Sponsors Anthony Campanelli, Stacy J. Kanter ’84 & Eric M. Kornblau’84, Robert M. Kaufman ’57, Proskauer Rose LLP, The Minkowitz Charitable Foundation, Martin Minkowitz ’63 & Carol Zeigler, Hon. Stuart A. Minkowitz, Pitta LLP, Pryor Cashman, Hon. Louis R. Rosenthal ’67 (Past President of the Alumni Association), Scrappy Girl Project, Trolman Glaser Corley & Lichtman, P.C. Bronze Sponsors Erica Carter ’15, Sean Devine ’08, Devine Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Goldberg & Cohn LLP, Gloria Greco ’98 and Elizabeth Crea ’98, DEH Consulting, and Jeremi Roux ’12.