November 20, 2017
Christopher Griner, Michael Torchia, Richard Ramones
Christopher Griner, Michael Torchia, Richard Ramones

By Jeanne Leong

Three outstanding graduates from Rutgers Law School were honored at the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award Celebration for their contributions to the legal profession, service to the community, and achievements in the legal community.

On Thursday, Nov. 30, the Rutgers Law–Camden Alumni Association presented the 2017 Arthur E. Armitage Sr. Distinguished Alumni Award to Christopher Griner, a 1973 Rutgers Law–Camden alumnus who is a partner in Stroock, Stroock, Lavan in Washington, D.C. Michael Torchia, a 1991 alumnus and managing member Semanoff Ormsby Greenberg & Torchia in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., received the Honorable Joseph Nardi Jr. Distinguished Service Award.  2011 alumnus Richard Ramonesof Archer Law in Haddonfield, is the recipient of the Recent Graduate Award.

Christopher Griner

This year’s recipient of the Armitage Award, Griner is the co-managing partner of Stroock’s Washington, D.C. office and chair of the National Security/CFIUS/Compliance practice group.

Recognized as a leader in the field of national security, Griner has played a key role in the development of the Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) mitigation arrangements used by the U.S. government today.

He represents foreign and domestic clients regarding international transactions involving the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and other national security approval issues. Griner represents clients from all over the world in hundreds of transactions notified to CFIUS, covering a wide range of industries including aerospace, cybersecurity, defense, energy, information technology, intelligence, medical diagnostics, telecommunications and transportation, and shipping.

The Arthur E. Armitage Sr. Distinguished Alumni Award has recognized Rutgers Law School’s most accomplished graduates, including governors, attorney generals of New Jersey, noted civil and criminal trial attorneys, and general counsels to Fortune 500 companies.  Established in 1983, the alumni award is a memorial to Armitage Sr., who, with a group of interested citizens, founded both the South Jersey Law School in 1926 and its companion College of South Jersey in 1927. In 1950, the Camden campus became affiliated with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. In July 2015, Rutgers’ law schools in Camden and Newark merged to become Rutgers Law School, the largest public law school in the Northeast.

Michael Torchia

Commemorating the life and accomplishments of the Honorable Joseph M. Nardi Jr., a retired New Jersey Superior Court judge, former Camden mayor, and 1956 Rutgers Law alumnus, the Nardi Distinguished Service Award was established in 2002 to recognize exceptional service to the law school and larger community. This year’s honoree is Michael Torchia, a 1991 Rutgers Law alumnus.

Torchia is a managing member of Semanoff Ormsby Greenberg & Torchia in Huntingdon Valley, Pa. He has an extensive “workplace investigations” practice, in which he is hired by other attorneys to conduct sexual harassment and discrimination investigations and to testify about his findings. He has also served as an expert witness in workplace investigations.

He speaks on employment law topics and emerging legal issues.

An adjunct professor at Rutgers Law, Torchia has taught the Trial Advocacy course. He has served in various roles in the Rutgers Law Camden Alumni Association.

Richard Ramones

Established in 2010, the Recent Graduate Award honors Ramones as this year’s recipient.

A 2011 Rutgers Law graduate, Ramones is an attorney at Archer Law, concentrating in complex litigation, including environmental, toxic tort and commercial litigation in state and federal courts. 

Prior to joining Archer, Ramones was a law clerk for the Honorable Richard F. Wells, Superior Court of New Jersey, Civil Division. He also clerked for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the legal department of a major mutual fund company.  Before attending law school, Rich taught reading comprehension and verbal communication for children with learning disabilities.

Ramones serves as co-chair of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Committee, as a Member of the Board of Directors for the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania and he is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey.

Proceeds from this event fund the alumni association’s scholarships. 

Robin Todd, Assistant Dean of Rutgers Law School-Camden; Chancellor Phoebe Haddon
Robin Todd, Assistant Dean of Rutgers Law School-Camden; Chancellor Phoebe Haddon
Michael T. Cahill, Dean Rutgers Law School-Camden; Ronald K. Chen, Dean Rutgers Law School-Newark; Phoebe A. Haddon, Chancellor Rutgers University-Camden; Louis S. Rulli RLAW’74
Michael T. Cahill, Dean Rutgers Law School-Camden; Ronald K. Chen, Dean Rutgers Law School-Newark; Phoebe A. Haddon, Chancellor Rutgers University-Camden; Louis S. Rulli RLAW’74
Janice Heinold, Chancellor Rutgers Law School-Camden Alumni Association; Neil Wise RLAW’75; and Charles G. Resnick RLAW’77
Janice Heinold, Chancellor Rutgers Law School-Camden Alumni Association; Neil Wise RLAW’75; and Charles G. Resnick RLAW’77
Michael Palis, Provost; Kristin Ramones; Richard J. Ramones RLAW’11
Michael Palis, Provost; Kristin Ramones; Richard J. Ramones RLAW’11
Ed Rentezelas, Assistant Dean Rutgers Law School-Camden, RLAW’99; Laura Ann Pontelandolfo, RLAW’09; Timothy Farrow, RLAW’99
Ed Rentezelas, Assistant Dean Rutgers Law School-Camden, RLAW’99; Laura Ann Pontelandolfo, RLAW’09; Timothy Farrow, RLAW’99

Rutgers Law Media Contact:
Shanida Carter

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