E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy Celebrates Major Milestone with Albany Law School Prize

Celebrating the major milestone of 125 years in business is no small accomplishment, and esteemed local law firm E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP has spent 2023 acknowledging its storied past and giving back to the community that it has called home for more than a century. 

To celebrate this incredible achievement, E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP is partnering with Albany Law School to support the next generation of lawyers by sponsoring a prize for the school’s Senior Prize Trials. 

An annual legal competition among third-year students, the Karen C. McGovern Senior Prize Trials are a time-honored tradition to provide graduating law students with a simulated courtroom experience. Starting this fall, and continuing for four more competitions afterward, the winning team of the Senior Prize Trials Final wins a one-time prize of $2,000 total with $1,000 going to each participant. That prize is not distributed on the night of the competition. Instead, to keep a student’s financial aid records in order, the prize is distributed after Commencement in May. So, each winning November 2023 teammate receives their prize in May 2024 and so on. E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP has made a five-year commitment of five separate $2,000 prizes (ten individual $1,000 prizes) for a $10,000 total.

Teams of two compete by litigating fictional cases before a judge and a jury in an experiential learning opportunity that prepares prospective lawyers for the courtroom environment. The semester-long competition kicks off Monday, September 18 and will conclude with an event in November to announce the winning team.

Though called “prize” trials, this is the first year that students will receive a monetary prize for their efforts.

2022 Senior Prize Trials

“One of the commitments I am most proud of throughout 125 years of business is our steadfast commitment to supporting the community,” said E. Stewart Jones, Jr., partner and third-generation lawyer at E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP. “Our firm is proud to support the next generation of lawyers as they get their first taste of the courtroom experience. We hope that this is the first of many courtroom victories for Albany Law School’s 2024 class.”

“Albany Law School is grateful for the continued support from E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy, an historic and acclaimed local law firm that employs several alumni of Albany Law School. The sponsorship of a monetary prize for our annual senior prize trials will add a well-deserved reward for the competitors, who voluntarily participate in this immersive educational experience outside of their courseload,” said Jenean Taranto, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Albany Law School.

Meet Moot Court Executive Director Abe Frangie '24

E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP is well-known for its many distinctions, including U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms, America’s Top 100 Attorneys, and members who have been elected to the most exclusive law organizations, including the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, American Board of Criminal Lawyers, The Inner Circle of Advocates and more. Most recently, E. Stewart Jones, Jr. was voted Best Lawyer in the Times Union’s 2023 Best of the Capital Region awards.

About E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP

Founded in 1898, E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP (ESJHM) is one of the most experienced and trusted personal injury, criminal defense and commercial litigation firms in New York state. Our highly skilled team of lawyers and legal professionals truly care about the individuals and families they represent, the causes they undertake and the outcomes they achieve. At ESJHM, we are fully invested in our clients and their success.

The firm has offices in Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs and Albany, NY and specializes in auto accidents, medical malpractice, construction accidents, general negligence, defective products, wrongful death, felonies and misdemeanors, and all types of commercial litigation.