Each year, the College of Law honors alumni with awards presented at the Annual Alumni Luncheon. The Distinguished Alumni Award honors professional achievements and community leadership, while the Alumni Loyalty Award honors an alumna/alumnus who has demonstrated exceptional leadership through their service to the College of Law community. At the 2017 Alumni Luncheon on April 27th, the College will present the Distinguished Alumni Award to Tony Black '83 and Michael Monts '76, and the Alumni Loyalty Award to Richard Miller II '97. 

Judge Tony Black has served on the Florida Second District Court of Appeal since 2010. Prior to that, he was appointed to Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court in 2002. Judge Black has authored several articles for The Florida Bar Journal, and is a past president of the Tampa Bay Inn of Court. He is currently a member of the William Reece Smith, Jr. Litigation American Inn of Court and the American Board of Trial Advocates (A.B.O.T.A.).

Michael Monts spent a majority of his career at United Technologies Corporation, prior to his retirement in 2012. His most recent role at UTC was Vice President of Business Practices, where he oversaw a major worldwide overhaul of the company’s ethics and compliance programs. Prior to UTC, Michael worked for the U.S. Department of Defense. He is active in his local United Way and various outreach efforts at UTC, and has been a member of the College of Law Dean’s Advisory Board since 2006.

Richard Miller is a partner at Siprut PC in Chicago. Previously, he served as General Counsel to a private equity firm and as a partner at a Chicago law firm that specializes in commercial litigation.  Richard is an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern College of Law where he has served as an instructor for Advanced Trial Advocacy since 2013 and Trial Advocacy since 2005. Chicago Magazine has recognized Mr. Miller as a “Super Lawyer” and he has also been named an Illinois “Leading Lawyer.”