GLI’s James Maida honored by Rutgers University

Now in its 27th year, the Arthur E. Armitage, Sr. Distinguished Alumni Award honors a School of Law-Camden graduate who has made significant contributions to his or her profession. Nominees are highly regarded, active in civic or professional program and trusted with responsible position. 

The Award has recognized some of Rutgers Law–Camden’s most accomplished graduates, including governors, attorneys general of New Jersey, noted civil and criminal trial attorneys, and general counsels to Fortune 500 companies. 

“I am honored and grateful to Rutgers University for acknowledging the work and efforts my family and I have done over the years,” Maida said. “It is truly a blessing to be able to do what I love every day, and because of that hard work, to be able to impact people and organizations around the world. That is the real honor and obligation, and my family and I are humbled to be able to do our part. I share this award with my family, and I could not have done any of this without their love and support.”

Maida graduated from Rutgers Law–Camden with high honors and honors in taxation. Previously, he earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science engineering from Lehigh University.

Maida is a member of the bar association in four states and the District of Columbia. He is a member of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys (IAGA), the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), the North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA) and the European Gaming Organization (EGO), and has given expert testimony before countless government agencies and regulatory bodies around the world.

He has been named the “Most Influential Person in Gaming” by Global Gaming Business magazine, as one of the “Top 20 People in Gaming” by IGWB magazine, and as a “Gaming Industry Visionary” by Casino Enterprise Management Magazine. 

Maida’s professional life tells one side of his story. Another is the extensive philanthropic work that he and his wife, Dr. Sharon O. Maida, have conducted around the world. The Maidas are trustees of the James and Sharon Maida Foundation, Inc. Since 1996, the Foundation has provided nearly 100 scholarships to local students, including Rutgers Law-Camden students.  

The Foundation also supports local community outreach programs, such as food banks, parental education programs, libraries and educational and athletic programs for youth. At Rutgers, they have been directly involved with the Law School’s scholarship program for several years, providing scholarships to enthusiastic law students as well as supporting the new Law School building fund.

Beyond the U.S. borders, the Foundation assists the Island School and research station at Cape Eleuthera in The Bahamas, where youth study ecology and work side-by-side with researchers who are dealing with ocean biology and global sustainability. The Foundation is also involved with a school for the Blind in Kenya providing canes and auditory curriculum.