Moritz College of Law announces 2022 Alumni Award Recipients

Luke A. Fedlam, 2013

Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award – Granted to an individual who has graduated from Moritz Law within the past 10 years whose accomplishments exemplify outstanding professionalism or loyalty to the college community. 

Fedlam is a leader in the area of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) for amateur – specifically collegiate – athletes. Just two years after graduating from law school, Fedlam founded his own company, the Anomaly Sports Group in 2015, which aims to “protect and educate athletes at all levels beyond their sport.”

Since then, he has joined Porter Wright as their Partner and Chair of Sports Law. With Anomoly, he continues to counsel athletic departments across the country, including Ohio State, on how to best navigate through the new world of NIL.

“What we provide are conversations and guidance around taxes, money, contracts, agents, and due diligence with opportunities that are presented to them,” he said. “Doing that work, and knowing I am able to give back to Ohio State in that way has been great.”

Dr. Gregory J. Vincent, 1987

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award – Awarded to an alumni or friend of the college who has advocated on behalf of marginalized communities, furthered the goals of diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice, or as an alumnus of a diverse population, has trailblazed a path for those diverse professionals who will follow by making a difference through their legal education.

Currently the President of Talladega College in Alabama, Vincent has more than 30 years of legal and educational experience and recently led innovative diversity initiatives in a previous role at the University of Kentucky.

While he is currently tasked with leading the oldest private historically black college in the state of Alabama, Vincent also helped initiate a groundbreaking collaboration between the NAACP and the University of Kentucky which aims to integrate civil rights practices into the education system. He has also spent time on the National Council at Ohio State Law.

“I always wanted to be a civil rights attorney. That is why I went to law school. Ohio State and the Moritz College of Law meant everything. Simply put, the law school and the university made an investment in me,” he said. “I grew up in New York City so as an out-of-state student, I was able to go to a phenomenal first-rate law school on scholarship. I was able to pick and choose positions like with the attorney general’s office without the burden of debt. I owe Ohio State such a debt of gratitude for that.”

Kathleen C. McGarvey, 2003

The George V. Voinovich Humanitarian Award – In 2021, the college merged the George V. Voinovich Public Service Award and Community Service Award into The George V. Voinovich Humanitarian Award. This award is given annually to an alum or friend of the college who has devoted significant time and energy to causes and projects that benefit the greater community and the welfare of humanity.

McGarvey serves as the Executive Director of the Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA), which is the umbrella organization that includes The Legal Aid Society of Columbus. She has been involved with LASC since 2001, starting out as a Law Clerk while she was in pursuit of her JD at Ohio State.

After a brief stint in California working as a Staff Attorney and Health Consumer Alliance Project Director with the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), she returned LASC in 2007 as the Managing Attorney for the Health and Public Benefits Unit. In that role, she has been involved in a wide variety of individual representation, administrative advocacy and litigation efforts including serving as lead counsel in the Homewood case, which reinstated Medicaid coverage for 150,000 people across the state. In January of 2015, Kate became Deputy Director for LASC, in December of 2016 she became the Director, and in February 2019 she became Executive Director.

 “I am incredibly humbled and honored to receive the 2022 Voinovich Humanitarian Award. I have been incredibly lucky to have spent my career at Legal Aid advocating against unfairness and injustice," she said. "That career has been possible because of my amazing and dedicated co-workers and the support that has come from places like Ohio State – providing a great education, continued partnership, and many wonderful clerks and new attorneys.”

The Honorable Kimberly Cocroft, 2000

William K. Thomas Distinguished Jurist Award – Awarded to a current or former judge who has graduated from the college and whose personal integrity and commitment to fairness, freedom, and equality exemplify the highest ideals of the judicial system.  

Judge Cocroft’s career in Franklin County began on February 24, 2009 when she was appointed Judge for the Franklin County Court of Common Plea, General Division, by Governor Ted Strickland. Prior to her appointment, she served as Deputy Legal Counsel for Governor Strickland and was responsible for coordinating litigation matters with the Chief Legal Counsels at Ohio’s 26 executive agencies, drafting Executive Orders and Directives, and managing legal representation on behalf of Governor Strickland.

Judge Cocroft also served as a Law Clerk for Justice Alice Robie Resnick at the Supreme Court of Ohio, where she was responsible for drafting opinions that interpret Ohio law. After completing her service with Justice Resnick at the Ohio Supreme Court, she spent several years in private law practice, specializing in business and employment litigation.

During the November 2010 and November 2016 election cycles, Judge Cocroft was elected to six-year terms as a Common Pleas Court Judge by the voters of Franklin County.

Frank C. Woodside, III, 1969

Distinguished Alumnus Award – Given annually to a Moritz Law graduate for exceptional achievement or outstanding service to the college or community.

Woodside is a nationally known lawyer, working as a litigator for Dinsmore in Cincinnati. He has tried more than 80 cases to verdict or judgment, serving as primary trial counsel in medical malpractice, product liability, and mass tort cases. Woodside credits his passion for trial advocacy to his time at Ohio State Law.

He recently endowed a professorship at Ohio State, the Frank C. Woodside III Clinical Professor in Trial Advocacy, of which Professor Elizabeth Cooke was the recipient.

“I tell people all the time; the law school was good to me. It put me on a career path that I wouldn’t have otherwise had,” he said. “So, because the law school was good to me, I do my best to be good to the law school and the students at Moritz.”