We learned at Cumberland School of Law this spring that, after his passing, we were the beneficiaries of a generous estate gift from Anthony D. Mancinelli ’76.

Mancinelli earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Georgetown University in 1972 and returned to his hometown of Buffalo, New York, to follow in his father’s footsteps working as an accountant. After a year with a prestigious New York accounting firm, he decided that he would have more of an impact in the world of finance as an attorney, which led him to pursue his law degree at Cumberland. 

Mancinelli was a corporate lawyer and retired partner of the respected Harter Secrest & Emery LLP Law Firm. He was involved in a number of local organizations and charities in the Buffalo area including leadership roles with the Bar Association of Erie County and the Volunteer Lawyers Project. He was a former president of the Kiwanis Club of Buffalo, a member of the Board of Governors for the New York State Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Resolution Program and was named “Lawyer of The Year” in corporate law four times by Best Lawyers in America. He was a well-regarded artist, loved bicycling, tennis, golf and music, and played guitar in bands at the annual Lawyers for the Arts fundraisers.

While at Cumberland, “Tony” was actively involved in the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity and was president of the Student Bar Association.

Former dean and director of the Cumberland Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic (C-VETS) Judge John L. Carroll ’74 responded after learning of Tony’s generous contribution by saying, “I had contact with Tony not long after I became dean. In all of our conversations, Tony remarked on how much he loved Cumberland and how appreciative he was of the legal education he received.”

Lawrence Franco, Mancinelli’s long-time friend and peer in the Buffalo legal community said, “Tony set the standard for top-tier work product and client service, as well as, for selfless community and professional contributions, always with an eye on paying it forward for the next generation of lawyers.”

Mancinelli’s estate gift is designated to support the Honorable Anthony F. Tauriello Scholarship in Law which was established in honor and memory of his great uncle, Anthony F. Tauriello, a 1929 Cumberland alumnus and member of the U.S. House of Representatives for New York’s 43rd District.

We are forever grateful to Tony Mancinelli for this gift of opportunity his estate has provided to future generations of Cumberland students.

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If you would like to learn about investment opportunities including estate gifts and naming opportunities to leave a legacy, please email pkierce@samford.edu.