“Vanessa is an exceptional student who is dedicated to serving the needs of our aging population,” said Dean Salkin. “Last summer she was awarded a fellowship at Touro Law’s Institute on Aging and Longevity Law, where she distinguished herself in the issues surrounding aging law.”

The Asarch Scholarship was established in 2009 with a gift from the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section and renamed in 2013 in honor of the esteemed Honorable Joel K. Asarch. Until his untimely death, Judge Asarch taught New York Practice as a member of the adjunct faculty at Touro Law Center. The purpose of the scholarship is to help create a network and cultivate relationships among lawyers practicing elder law and law students planning to practice elder law and to advance the practice of elder law among lawyers throughout the State of New York.

Cavallaro is a second year, full-time student at Touro Law working toward her dream since high school to be an elder law attorney. The field is attractive to her because she wants to work with a population that needs advocates and includes a wide spectrum of issues and areas of law.  Her goal is to open her own practice providing excellence service and care for elder clients and spend time mentoring prelaw and law students in their journey into the legal field. 

Vanessa is deeply honored to be selected for this award. She states, “Although I did not have the honor of knowing Judge Asarch, I feel as though I know him through the legacy he left. When I told my professors that I was selected for this scholarship, they each told me what a special person Judge Asarch was and how beloved and invaluable he was to our school, the profession, and the many people that came before him. I am honored that the New York Bar Foundation and Elder Law and Special Needs Section believes I possess the same kindness and passion as Judge Asarch and I am proud to carry on in his legacy.”