Former Law Dean and His Wife Are Recognized as ‘Community Champions’

The United Way of Greater New Haven has honored former Law School dean Guido Calabresi and his wife, Anne Calabresi, with the Herbert H. Pearce Award as “community champions for justice, equality and benevolence.”

The couple received the award at the United Way’s annual Leadership Circle and Alexis de Tocqueville Society reception on Oct. 14 at the Thomas E. Golden Jr. Center at Saint Thomas More.

The Calabresi’s have been supportive of numerous non-profit efforts across the region.

Guido Calabresi, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Law and Professorial Lecturer in Law, emigrated to New Haven from Milan, Italy, with his family in 1939. He earned his B.A. and LL.B. degrees from Yale in 1953 and 1958, respectively, and an M.A. in 1959 from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He joined the Yale Law School faculty in 1959 and later served as dean of the school. In 1994, he was nominated by President Bill Clinton and appointed to serve as senior judge for the United States Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit. He has been awarded over 40 honorary degrees from universities around the world and is a member of numerous honorary groups and boards of directors, including the Royal Swedish Academy of Science and the American Society of the Italian Legions of Merit.

Anne Calabresi is the co-founder of Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP) and the international Festival of Arts and Ideas. LEAP brings together talented college students and young children in mentoring relationships focused on academics and athletics. The Festival of Arts and Ideas is rooted in Calabresi’s vision to enhance New Haven’s reputation as a major artistic and cultural center. The two-week festival brings together artists, actors and musicians from around the world to entertain, share ideas and celebrate the world’s diversity.

The annual Alexis de Tocqueville award, the highest honor that a local United Way can bestow, is presented to an individual or couple who embodies the American spirit of giving and volunteerism as witnessed by French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville as he traveled as a young man throughout the United States in the 1800s.

The United Way of Greater New Haven helps to improve the social and civic health of the community and engages donors, organizations, and community leaders and volunteers in that effort (see related story). It identifies specific community needs and opportunities for change focusing on the areas of education, health and families’ financial stability.