Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Celebrates Female Attorneys With Scheindlin Award and Kaye Scholarships
11.13.2026
The New York State Bar Association recently honored several distinguished woman attorneys at the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section’s Taking the Lead Program.
Dale Cendali, partner at Kirkland and Ellis, received the Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin Award for Excellence in the Courtroom. The award is named in honor of retired Judge Scheindlin, and recognizes distinguished female litigators who have shown a commitment to mentoring young attorneys. Cendali, a nationally recognized first-chair trial lawyer who has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, was introduced by her longtime colleague and friend Claudia Ray.
The Judith Kaye Commercial and Federal Litigation Scholarship was presented to the following honorees:
- Leah A. Henry, associate at Farrell Fritz.
- Kasey Kaspar Hildonen, associate at Nixon Peabody.
- Samantha B. Gier, associate at Roach Quinlan Grable.
- Xun Chen, associate at Saul Ewing.
- Paula P. Plaza, senior associate at Phillips Lyte.
The scholarship is named in honor of the late Chief Judge Judith Kaye, and covers the registration fee for each recipient to attend the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section’s Commercial Litigation Academy. The goal of the scholarship is to increase the number of women prepared to serve as first chair in large commercial cases.
The ceremony was preceded by a re-enactment of Robert Owen Lehman Foundation, Inc. v. Zirkl, a 2024 bench trial involving competing claims to Egon Schiele’s 1917 watercolor, Portrait of the Artist’s Wife. Experienced and junior litigators teamed up in the mock trial to develop their courtroom skills.
After the mock trial, each participant received feedback from distinguished members of the judiciary, including Judge Scheindlin, U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, Kings County Commercial Division Justice Genine D. Edwards, U.S. Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks and Monroe County Commercial Division Justice Daniel J. Doyle.
The program and awards ceremony took place at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Court House in New York City.
