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Widener University Commonwealth Law School closed out the 2025–2026 academic year by recognizing the faculty and staff whose scholarship, teaching and service shaped the student experience well beyond the classroom.
Dean andré douglas pond cummings presented the law school's 2026 faculty and staff awards, honoring members of the Widener Law Commonwealth community whose work made a lasting impact on students and campus life.

Professor Michal Buchhandler-Raphael received the 2026 Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award, one of the law school's highest academic honors. The award recognizes a faculty member whose scholarship advances the development of the law through original and impactful work. Buchhandler-Raphael was selected for her article "Police Minimalism in Domestic Violence," published in the Arizona State Law Journal.

During the presentation, cummings praised the article for approaching a complex legal and societal issue with a fresh perspective.

"We believe this article makes a significant contribution to legal scholarship because it takes the co-responder and non-police responder models and applies them to the area of domestic violence," cummings said. "It presents a solution to an important legal problem with the hope that society can be a better place."

For Buchhandler-Raphael, the recognition carried both personal and professional weight.

"I was thrilled, and honestly a bit emotional, to hear my name called," she said. "I am deeply passionate about my scholarship, and it means the world to me to know that my hard work is being recognized by my colleagues."
Her scholarship focuses on the intersection of family and criminal law — particularly how the legal system responds to domestic violence and the ways victimization can overlap with criminal behavior.

"This paper casts doubt on the necessity of police involvement in every domestic violence incident," she said. "Instead, it calls for incorporating civilian responders, either in collaboration with law enforcement or in lieu of them when there is no immediate risk to the physical safety of survivors or responders."

Buchhandler-Raphael believes legal scholarship can drive real change. "Rigorous scholarship has the potential to reshape how we understand and respond to domestic violence — and to spur legal reform through legislatures and courts," she said.

Also recognized was Professor Robyn Meadows, who received the 2026 Outstanding Faculty Award, selected by a vote of the graduating class of 2026. The annual honor recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional teaching, professionalism, and dedication to students throughout their law school journey.
For Meadows, the award was especially meaningful, coming directly from the students she has spent years teaching and mentoring.

"It's always both an honor and a surprise to be selected, especially considering the exceptional faculty we have at Commonwealth Law," she said.

Over more than 30 years at Widener Law Commonwealth, Meadows has watched generations of students grow into practicing attorneys.

"It's incredible to watch students evolve from hesitant 1Ls into confident graduates and accomplished lawyers," Meadows said. "We really believe legal education can transform lives, and getting to witness that transformation firsthand is the best part of being a professor."

The law school also recognized longtime staff member Bob Dolbin with the 2026 Employee Appreciation Award. Dolbin, the maintenance supervisor for the Harrisburg campus, was honored for his behind-the-scenes work supporting nearly every major event and daily operation on campus. cummings noted that the maintenance department handles far more than building upkeep — from room setups and event coordination to transporting materials and supporting commencement logistics.

"I can call Bob, and he gets the job done," cummings said.

The nomination that led to Dolbin's selection highlighted his flexibility, dependability and willingness to step in wherever needed, often on short notice during high-pressure periods like finals and commencement.
Reflecting on the role employees play in shaping the law school experience, cummings addressed faculty and staff gathered for the celebration

"In order for our alumni to love this place, they need to feel safe and taken care of," he said. "Our students feel taken care of. They feel seen. They feel heard."