The Hon. Elizabeth Bonina, J.S.C. (Ret.), a business administration lecturer at St. Joseph’s College, received top honors as the Best Individual Arbitrator and Mediator in New York by the New York Law Journal.
A former Justice of the state Supreme Court in Kings County, Judge Bonina‘s the first woman to be ranked number one for her work in the field of arbitration and mediation.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for my work at National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM), and to be the first woman simultaneously ranked number one in both the arbitrator and mediator categories by the New York Law Journal,” said Bonina, who’s served at NAM for 13 years. “At NAM, I think of myself as a ‘professional peacemaker,’ by privately resolving lawsuits outside the court system on a daily basis.
“Alternative dispute resolution is an efficient and cost-effective way of resolving disputes in a private forum, and allows parties to lawsuits to get closure and move on with their lives,” she added.
At the top in her field, Bonina’s work in the legal world not only benefits her, but it benefits her students at St. Joseph’s College, where she’s taught business law for the past 17 years.
“At SJC, I try to bring my experiences as an attorney, as a judge, and as an arbitrator and mediator into the classes I teach,” said Bonina, who teaches at SJC Brooklyn and SJC Online. “I give my students examples from cases I’ve worked on, to bring the material we’re covering to life. At SJC, what I’m most passionate about is advising students who are interested in going to law school and pursuing a legal career. I still keep in touch with many former students who have gone on to become lawyers. I’m proud of each of them.”
Her colleagues at St. Joseph’s feel thankful for Bonina, as well.
“She is beloved by both students and faculty,” shared Lori Thanos, D.B.A., associate chair of the business administration and marketing department at the College. “We are blessed to have such a wonderful professor guiding and mentoring our students.”
