Meet Our Team

Lily Yan Hughes is an executive expert in M&A, governance, corporate finance, and securities, with experience working for highly regulated financial services companies and banks, real estate operating and development companies, and global technology companies. Hughes brings to the Office of Career Services and the Office of Student Experience fresh and timely leadership and global perspectives. As a first-generation lawyer, the first in her family to graduate from college, and an immigrant to the United States at the age of 11, Hughes brings a passion for diversity and educating and building future legal leaders.

Prior to Syracuse, Hughes was Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary for Arrow Electronics, Inc., a $29 billion Fortune 150 company. At Arrow, she was a member of the Executive Committee and led the company’s global legal, trade risk, and compliance teams.

From 2015 to 2019, Hughes was Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Public Storage, an S&P 500 and FT Global 500 company. From 1997 to 2015, she served in roles of increasing responsibility, including her last role as Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Corporate, M&A, and Finance of Ingram Micro Inc., the world’s largest wholesale information technology and mobile devices distributor (and a former Fortune 100 company). Prior to that, Hughes was an Associate Director in the Property Management Department of the nationwide leader in cancer treatment and research City of Hope and a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. She began her legal career as an associate at McKenna, Conner & Cuneo in Los Angeles.

Hughes received the National Diversity Council Power 50 (Women in the C-Suite) award in both 2021 and 2020. She also received American Law Media’s National Women in the Law award as General Counsel of the Year for 2018. Most recently, Agenda—The Financial Times publication focused on board and governance—named Hughes to its Diversity 100 list, a directory of 100 board-ready director candidates from groups historically underrepresented in the boardroom.

Hughes was recently appointed as an independent director on the Board of NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE American: BURU) and Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. She was also elected to serve as Vice Chair of the DirectWomen Board of Directors, a non-profit helping women legal leaders to serve on corporate boards.

She received her J.D. from the UC Berkeley School of Law and holds a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley.

lyhughes@syr.edu

Dafni Kiritsis is an experienced employment law attorney who joined Syracuse Law from Syracuse University’s Office of Human Resources, where she held the position of Senior Human Resources Business Partner. In this role, Ms. Kiritsis provided counsel to the most senior leaders at Syracuse University across the full range of human resource issues and served as the escalation point for unit leadership on employee relations matters.

From 2010-2018, Ms. Kiritsis worked as an attorney in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs’ Office of General Counsel providing advice, counseling, conflict resolution services, and legal representation to VA Medical Center facilities across the Northeast. She represented the VA to address formal complaints filed by employees with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Merit System Protection Board.

Prior to that, Ms. Kiritsis was an attorney with Green & Seifter Attorneys PLLC (now Bousquet Holstein PLLC) where she practiced civil litigation and employment law. Ms. Kiritsis received her J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University and holds a B.A. from Syracuse University.

dkiritsi@syr.edu

Kevin Shults is the Associate Director of Career Services at the Syracuse University College of Law. Prior to his position at the Law School, Kevin was working for the Syracuse University’s iSchool and Financial Aid Office, and has been with Syracuse University for over 10 years. Kevin received his MSIM from the Syracuse University School of Information Studies with a Certification of Advanced Study in Information Security and holds a B.A. in Business Economics from SUNY Cortland.

Kevin’s primary goal is to empower and guide aspiring legal professionals on their path to success. He is dedicated to providing comprehensive support, ensuring that students have the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about their future legal careers. You can find Kevin hard at work maintaining the 12Twenty Career Services Management system, and overseeing the OCI (On-Campus Interview) Programs.

Outside of work, Kevin enjoys various outdoor activities including hiking, skiing, fishing, and cycling. Kevin also enjoys spending time with his family and cheering on the Syracuse University Orange men’s and women’s sports teams.

kjshults@syr.edu
T: 315-443-3192

Barry Weiss brings over three decades of hiring and career development experience as Administrative Officer for the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office and broad and deep networks in the Upstate NY area and across the country. Mr. Weiss will assist with counseling and advising students on job search strategies and will support both students and alumnae in reaching their employment objectives.

Mr. Weiss has taught undergraduate honors courses at Syracuse University. He received his dual degrees in Political Science and Journalism from Syracuse University and his Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs.

bsweiss@syr.edu

Kristen Duda currently serves as the Externship and Career Advisor at Syracuse University’s College of Law where she is a dedicated advocate for student success. Working closely with students to support their academic and professional development, including providing guidance and resources for externship placements. She offers one-on-one advising, helps students navigate program requirements, and collaborates with faculty and staff to ensure students are well-positioned for career advancement.

Throughout her career, Kristen has demonstrated a strong commitment to student success and organizational growth. She has played key roles in developing and managing experiential learning opportunities, supporting certificate programs, and advising students on academic and career pathways. Her collaborative approach, paired with exceptional communication skills, has allowed her to foster productive relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

Her previous roles at Syracuse University’s Institute for Security Policy and Law, the Chancellor’s Office, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and United Way of Central New York further highlight her expertise in donor relations, sponsorship development, and large-scale event management. She has successfully secured major sponsorships, implemented new technologies for fundraising events, and increased community engagement through targeted media and outreach strategies.

Outside of work, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family, that include two mini golden doodles, visiting the ADK’s and trying new restaurants around Syracuse.

Antonina Bendo is an Administrative Specialist I at Syracuse University College of Law, where she provides dedicated support to ensure the smooth operation of administrative processes. A proud alumna of Syracuse University, Antonina graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Child and Family Policy, Sociology, and Human Development and Family Science.

With a strong foundation in hospitality and a passion for fostering positive change, Antonina is excited to contribute to the university that shaped her academic and professional journey.

Outside of work, Antonina enjoys spending time with family, exploring nature, learning new hobbies, and thrifting, and she hopes to obtain her J.D. degree.