Once a Graduate, Twice on the Stage: BLS Alumni Pass the Torch to Their Children
Annie Morelli '26 and Tashi Berger '26 are among 16 graduates who received their diplomas from an alumni relative at Commencement.
(L to R): Brian T. Davis '77, Annie Morelli '26, Rosary A. Morelli '78 | Tashi Berger ‘26, David Berger ‘89
For many, graduating from law school is a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment, but for two Brooklyn Law School students, it's also a family tradition.
When Tashi Berger ’26 and Annie Morelli ’26 walked across the stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on May 11 for the Law School’s 125th Commencement Ceremony, their excitement and optimism went beyond receiving a J.D. It extended to the family members whose footsteps they have followed, who will share the moment.
Two Special Connections
For Berger, the connection to Brooklyn Law School spans three generations. Her father, David Berger ’89, proudly handed her the well-earned J.D., an honor and legacy that was "especially moving," David said. "My mom (Professor Margaret Berger) gave me my diploma, and I am very happy that I can present Tashi with hers."
Professor Berger, a beloved faculty member for 40 years, taught Evidence and wrote on evidence law until she retired in 2008.
"It means a lot to me to have gone to the same law school that my dad attended and my grandma taught at," Tashi said. "While I was aware from a young age of both my dad and grandma’s great experiences at BLS, I did not seriously consider applying to law school until after college. I worked as a paralegal for several years and that helped me discover that I was interested in pursuing a career as a lawyer. Once I decided that I wanted to go to law school, it was hard to picture myself anywhere else but Brooklyn."
Growing up nearby, Tashi says she often visited the Law School with her grandmother, attending events and spending afternoons in her office.
"I would read or do homework while she prepared for classes or wrote, and we would discuss the books I was reading," Tashi recalled. "Little did I know that years later, I would be back in the same building doing a different type of reading and homework."
Although her grandmother passed away while Tashi was in high school, her influence remained a meaningful part of Tashi’s Brooklyn Law School journey.
"Her passion for teaching and the law made a big impact on me," Tashi said. "I heard so much about how wonderful her colleagues and students were."
Similarly, attending Brooklyn Law School gave Tashi the opportunity to share experiences with her father in unexpected ways, from discussing professors to planning out her course schedule.
"I often asked for my dad’s advice when I was planning my courses and have enjoyed discussing our shared experiences with classes and professors," she said.
One piece of advice in particular stayed with her throughout law school. "When I started Civil Procedure my first semester, my dad passed along a piece of advice his mom shared with him: Read the table of contents," Tashi said.
As for David, the pride he has always had for Tashi is especially overwhelming now that she will be "armed with a law degree."
Coming Full Circle
Over the last three years, Berger and Morelli say they have both developed their own connection to the institution while still feeling the presence of their family’s legacy around campus. For Morelli, Brooklyn Law School was already part of her family story long before she became a student herself.
"I grew up being family friends with tons of women that my mom [Rosary Morelli ’78] met at the Law School. My parents, though no longer together, met at Brooklyn Law School," said Annie Morelli. “I consider both of my parents to be my role models. It's nice being able to say that I go to the same law school as my parents."
Annie says hearing her parents’ stories of their experiences at the Law School helped shape her perception of the school from an early age.
"In my wildest dreams, I never thought that I would have a daughter at BLS," her father, Brian Davis ’77, said. "I still have fond memories of my graduation day, even though it was a half century ago."
Rosary, who said she has been delighted at how well Annie performed as a student, values the connections forged at the Law School. "I am glad I made lasting friendships while at BLS," Rosary said.
When she was accepted into the Law School, Annie said the moment felt especially emotional for her family.
"They were both really excited. It felt full circle," she said. "They both reminisce about Brooklyn Law School all the time—the professors they had and the friends they made. They were both the first in their families to go to law school and get a J.D., so I think they were very happy that I was able to continue that and also go."
When preparing for graduation herself, Morelli says she felt both pride and gratitude when reflecting on her experience.
"I’m just happy and very grateful that I’ve been able to go to Brooklyn and get such an amazing education," Annie said. She credits much of her growth during law school to the mentorship she received from professors and the relationships she built with classmates. One special highlight involved writing. "I’ve really liked my position working on the Brooklyn Law Review," Annie said. "It’s been fun."
Following graduation and the bar exam, Morelli will begin her career in corporate law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where she will join the firm’s corporate group and rotate through mergers and acquisitions and other practice areas. Before starting in September, she and her husband plan to celebrate with some travel.
"I am the proudest of the hard work and dedication that she has put into her time at BLS. Her academic success is a testament to that effort," Davis said..
A Family Celebration
Both students say the milestone feels especially meaningful because it is one they can share with the people who inspired them to pursue the law in the first place.
"I hope my whole family knows how grateful I am for their encouragement over the last three years and throughout my life," Tashi said.
For Berger and Morelli, graduation is more than the culmination of years of hard work. It is a full-circle moment that reflects the enduring bonds between family, tradition, and the Brooklyn Law School community.
The Law School would also like to extend its congratulations to the following graduating students, and their related alumni who handed them their degrees.
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Katherine Fitzgerald - Jacqueline M. Fitzgerald ’91 (formerly Mega), Mother
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Benjamin Lesserson - Jessica Teplitz Koch ’00 Aunt
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Stevie Braverman - Steven Braverman ’83, Father
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Lindsey Singer - Stephen Singer ’67, Grandfather
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Robert Higgins - Gina Higgins ’89, Mother
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Emma Cohen - Trish McNeill ’94, Cousin
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Siena Wise - Debra Slater, Mother, who will be standing in place for grandfather, Arnold Slater ‘63
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Yitzhak Fluk - Gershon H. Fluk ’94, Father
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Jillian Block - Jeffrey Block ’86, Father
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Halle Vitaliano - Michael Vitaliano ’15, Brother, Hon. Eric N. Vitaliano, Former Adjunct Professor, Father
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Joshua Silverstein - Paul N. Silverstein ’81, Father
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Noa Scheinfeld - Steven Scheinfeld ’85 & Robert Scheinfeld ’84, Uncles
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Victoria Lowrie - Richard Reiben ’79, Father of her fiancé
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Ryan Brown – Christina Brown ’24, Sister