FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARDOZO SCHOOL OF LAW RECEIVES $1 MILLION GIFT FROM ARLENE AND BENEDICT MORELLI FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND TRIAL TEAM PROGRAMS
October 21, 2016 – New York, NY – Cardozo School of Law will receive a $1 million gift from Arlene and Benedict Morelli to establish a student scholarship program and to support the expansion of its renowned trial team program.
Benedict Morelli is the founder and partner of Morelli Law Firm and former president of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. A highly regarded trial lawyer, Morelli has a long history of successful representation spanning over 35 years, which includes winning multi-million dollar verdicts for many of his clients. The New York Trial Lawyers Association has selected him as one of New York’s “superstars,” and he has been listed in Best Lawyers in America continuously from 1997 through the present.
The Morellis’ gift designates $750,000 for the Arlene and Benedict Morelli Family Scholarship Fund, which will provide financial support for deserving students for years to come. The gift also provides $200,000 to establish the Benedict Morelli Trial Team, which will expand Cardozo’s presence in national and international trial competitions and increase the number of students who can compete. $50,000 will be used to establish the Morelli Master Lecture Series, which will bring top trial lawyers to Cardozo to lecture, coach and mentor students.
“Cardozo is well known for our Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, which was the first of its kind in the country, and for our excellent trial team,” said Dean Melanie Leslie. “We are deeply grateful to the Morellis for their partnership in strengthening our powerhouse teams and cementing Cardozo’s reputation as a top school for trial advocacy.”
In May, Benedict Morelli was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from Yeshiva University at the Cardozo Law commencement at Lincoln Center. Yeshiva President Richard Joel conferred the degree in recognition of “a lifetime commitment to the cause of justice, and for the inspiration and dedication you bring to the service of your clients and the education of future lawyers.” The ceremony was capped with great joy for the family when the Morellis’ son Alexander received his J.D. degree and was hooded by his father as a member of the Cardozo class of 2016.
About Cardozo School of Law
Cardozo School of Law provides a world-class legal education that encourages and supports creative thinking and effective action in all fields of law. Cardozo is dedicated to educating lawyers who develop a deep understanding of legal theory as well as the professional skills and ethical values to be practice-ready. The school’s robust intellectual atmosphere supports new ideas and innovation and encourages a vibrant community of scholarship and activism.
The Cardozo community is open and personal, fostering animated debate in the classroom and throughout the school. The administration and faculty seek to create a welcoming environment that is respectful of diverse perspectives and people of all backgrounds. The law school emphasizes the critical role attorneys play in protecting the rights of people in the United States and around the world.
For more information contact:
John DeNatale
Assistant Dean of Communications
212.790.0237