UNC School of Law has recognized outstanding members of the Class of 2026 with its annual student awards, honoring excellence in writing, leadership, clinical work and academic achievement. 

James E. and Carolyn B. Davis Society 

UNC School of Law has inducted eight members of the Class of 2026 into the James E. and Carolyn B. Davis Society, one of the law school’s highest student honors. 

The Davis Society recognizes graduating students who demonstrate exemplary leadership, integrity, dedication and character through both academic and extracurricular achievement. Inductees are nominated by fellow students, faculty and staff and selected by a committee that considers leadership, service and commitment to the Carolina Law community. 

The Class of 2026 inductees are Lily Burdick, Casey Buttke, Madeleine Calick, Madeleine Chapman, Karolyn Martin, Miranda Papes, Kristina Smith and Caleb Welch. The eight students were recognized at a ceremony Thursday, May 7, in the law school’s rotunda. 

“The Class of 2026 has some truly exceptional people who have contributed in lasting ways to our community. The task of choosing just eight graduates for induction was incredibly difficult for the selection committee with so many outstanding nominees,” said David Wright, Assistant Dean for Student Development. “Thank you to all students, faculty and staff who nominated a deserving graduate.” 

The selection committee included Olivia McAuliffe, Student Bar Association president; Cindi Gardner, Director of Student Services; Bianca Mack, Associate Dean for Student Affairs; and Kaci Bishop ’04, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Experiential Education. 

A Davis Society plaque displaying each recipient’s name is permanently displayed in the school’s portico. 

Winston Crisp Award for Student Leadership 

Casey Buttke has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Winston Crisp Award for Student Leadership, the Student Bar Association’s annual recognition of excellence in student leadership. 

Buttke was nominated by four of her peers for her contributions across nearly every corner of Carolina Law, including her roles as managing editor of the North Carolina Law Review, a three-year member of the Pro Bono Board, founder and president of Law Students for Reproductive Justice, and a participant in the Family Defense Clinic and the Dean’s Fellow program. 

Nominators described Buttke as someone who gives fully to everything she takes on. As managing editor, she oversaw the entire workflow for the board and staff of Volume 104, training members on publication processes she was herself still learning. On the Pro Bono Board, she served from her first year through graduation, starting as 1L class coordinator and later coordinating winter and spring break projects, earning a reputation for bringing her passion for pro bono work to the students around her. She also founded Law Students for Reproductive Justice and led the organization as president. 

“She really may be the busiest person I know,” one nominator wrote. “She goes so above and beyond for our clients and has made an incredible difference in their lives.” 

The Winston Crisp Award was established by the Student Bar Association during the 2005-2006 school year. It honors Winston Crisp, a 1992 Carolina Law graduate who became the law school’s first full-time assistant dean for student affairs and first associate dean for student services. The award carries a $1,600 prize. 

CLEA Outstanding Student Award 

Sabrina Callahan, Mary Childs and Roxana Ruiz Rodriguez have been selected to receive the Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Student Award for their work in the Criminalized Survivor, Detention, and Justice Clinic. 

The three students worked on litigation and policy projects involving wrongful convictions and compassionate release. Nominating professor Barbara Fedders described the team as meticulous litigators, thoughtful storytellers and collaborative advocates. 

CLEA is the primary national organization dedicated to clinical legal education, and the award honors students who have excelled in a clinical course. 

Bane Writing Award 

Emma L. Santizo has been selected to receive the Bane Writing Award for her paper “Catchy but Costly: A Critical Look at ‘No Tax on Tips.” 

The Bane Writing Award recognizes exceptional student writing produced as part of a faculty-evaluated course. Recipients are nominated by faculty members who identify work that demonstrates both mastery of legal analysis and genuine passion for the subject. The award carries a $1,000 prize and is determined solely on the merit of the nominated work, regardless of GPA. 

This year’s selection committee consisted of Professors Mark Weidemaier, Eisha Jain, Noah Hertz-Marks and Carrie Floyd. 

Coates Rule of Law Essay 

Max Parker has been selected to receive the Coates Rule of Law Essay Award for his essay “‘Hostile Ordinances’: Public Camping Bans and the Criminalization of Homelessness.” 

The award is presented annually to the student who writes the best essay on the rule of law and carries a $2,350 prize. This year’s selection committee consisted of Professors Mark Weidemaier, Eisha Jain, Noah Hertz-Marks and Carrie Floyd. 

Millard S. Breckenridge Prize in Law 

Rachel Stuart has been selected by the tax law faculty to receive the Millard S. Breckenridge Prize in Law, presented annually to a graduating third-year student who has demonstrated outstanding performance across tax law coursework. 

Named for a former Carolina Law faculty member, the prize carries a $2,550 award and is among the most distinguished academic honors the law school confers at graduation.