MLER was co-founded in 1977 by Northwestern Law professor Ronald Kennedy and attorney Ann Claire Williams (now a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit). Its mission is to increase diversity and inclusion in the legal profession by maintaining its tradition of excellence through its supplemental bar process management program. Open to everyone, but specifically targeted towards minority and underrepresented groups, its bi-annual program aims to provide students with the tool box and encouragement necessary to pass the Illinois bar exam.

MLER is considered a companion program to commercial bar preparation courses, such as BARBRI and Kaplan. Professor Ben Alba, DePaul College of Law’s Director of Academic Success and Bar Passage, describes the distinct contribution of MLER: “While commercial review courses focus on the black-letter law, MLER teaches how to navigate the daunting bar review process and use study time effectively.” He recognizes MLER as a valuable resource for all bar-takers, noting that “half of effective bar exam preparation is psychological, meaning that if students develop a constructive attitude toward the bar prep grind, they will put in the time and effort and do all the things needed to ensure their success.” MLER provides students with the guidance and inspiration necessary to achieve this “professional and personal milestone.”

Joi Thomas, president of MLER, and alum of DePaul College of Law, first joined the organization as a student and has since been active within the program. She considers her achievements in this group to be one of the “more meaningful aspects of being an advocate” because she is “part of the doing.” Like Ben Alba, she wants students to leave with the confidence to be successful throughout the bar exam, and their careers.

Thomas recognizes the diligent effort of all MLER members in making the group a success. She remains impressed with the dedication shown by its current, nine-person Board of Directors, which consists of legal practitioners from across all sectors. She also acknowledges Jerome Taylor, MLER’s program coordinator and DePaul College of Law adjunct, whose energy and enthusiasm “keeps students in their chairs,” and tutor coordinator Candice Smith, whose countless efforts ensures each MLER volunteer is prepared to lead their classes and student groups towards success.

The move to DePaul is not the only major milestone for MLER in 2017. This year marks the first time MLER is expanding out of Illinois with a new program in California, partnership with the California Bar Foundation.

To learn more about MLER, please visit mler.org​. ​​​​​​​

The Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative (PBCSI) held its annual service awards reception on April 12, 2017. This year, 74 law students earned a service award for reporting at least 50 hours of pro bono or community service work while at DePaul. This includes students who reported upwards of 100 and 200 hours of service.

The College of Law recognized 32 students with the Benjamin Hooks Distinguished Public Service Award, which is given to graduating students who report 200 or more service hours. In total, law students reported nearly 11,000 hours of service in the 2016 – 2017 academic year!

PBCSI also presented the 2017 Pro Bono Alumni Award to alumnus Joseph W. Pieper (JD ’88). Mr. Pieper currently runs his own practice, focusing his area of expertise in Probate, involving the administration and litigation of adult disabled estates, decedent’s estates, and minor’s estates, but still remains committed to pro bono work. Mr. Pieper has been involved with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) for the past 20 years. In 2002, he received the Distinguished Service Award from CVLS in recognition of the pro bono work that he has done for the organization. Mr. Pieper was also one of the attorneys featured in the September, 2011 issue of Chicago Lawyer in the magazine’s issue on pro bono work which was being done by Chicago area attorneys. He truly exemplifies the outstanding commitment and dedication to pro bono work that the Pro Bono Alumni Award recognizes.

Dean Jennifer Rosato-Perea addressed the students in attendance and emphasized the need for pro bono and community service work. She talked about how lawyers can make an impact, more now than ever, and encouraged students to continue their volunteer efforts while at DePaul and as they go on to becoming practicing attorneys. ​

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On Saturday, March 25th, the Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative (PBCSI) partnered with DePaul University Ministries, If/When/How, PAD and WBA to host the March Donate-a-Day. Volunteers went to Dolores' Safe Haven​, a branch of Deborah's Place for a fun morning and afternoon. Deborah's Place provides supporting housing for single women experiencing homelessness. Volunteers played Bingo and ate lunch with the women who are staying at the Dolores' Safe Haven location.

Spending time at Deborah’s Place was both fun and rewarding, as we had the opportunity to spend a stress-free afternoon playing Bingo and eating lunch with the women," said first-year law student Mandi Moreland. "The most rewarding part of the day was simply socializing and getting to know people we may never get to meet otherwise. While women won prizes during Bingo, I noticed several of them sharing their game-winning boards with other women, so everyone had a chance to receive a prize. Th​is was such a great reminder that no matter how much we have, we can always be generous and helpful to others.​​​​​​​​​​

Sherry H. Joseph, a DePaul Law student, was recently awarded the National Law Review's 2016 Law Student Writing Competition for her article titled, "Chicago Plastic Bag Ordinance: Incentivizing Consumers to Change Their Plastic Consumption Behavior". Josephs's writings were based on the original Checkout Bag Tax that was first proposed in 2015 with a reworked version going into effect on February 1, 2017. Although skeptical on the original 2015 plastic bag ban proposal, she ultimately wanted to research how effective the ban would be in hopes of creating awareness. 

Joseph considers the National Law Review award an important milestone that helped her find a deeper meaning to one of her favorite inspirational quotes: "I learned that people fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster." (Bonnie St. John, first African-American woman medalist in the Paralympics). Relating her achievement to the inspirational quote, Joseph says she "may have fallen, even when I was down, I still succeeded. Now I am back up and standing steady on my feet, and I am fulfilling the promise that I made to my father years prior. I am carrying his name as far as I possibly can."

While finishing her final year of law school, Joseph serves as a judicial extern, a student representative for the Illinois State Bar Association and is the managing editor of the Notes and Comments section for the DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal. She would like to give credit to the staff and faculty at DePaul Law for their encouragement and guidance throughout this experience.​

Renowned for his scholarship in international law, Professor Diao has lectured to various groups across the world. He has spoken to CCTV, Legal Daily, and Singapore Strait Times, among other media outlets, about topics such as aviation safety and passenger blacklists. His publications include “The Legal Analysis Of Civil Aviation Passenger Blacklist” (Law Science Magazine, July 2012), “The Application of the International Aviation Security Conventions in China” (Journal of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Social Science Edition), March 2012) and “Aviation Security in US Before and After “9/11” and the Revelations for China” (China Civil Aviation, Feb. 2009).

In addition to his academic accomplishments, Professor Diao practices law out of China. He serves as a lawyer at King & Partners' Beijing office and as a mediator with the Shanghai International Economy and Trade Arbitration Commission (also known as the Shanghai International Arbitration Center). He has advised companies including Air China, Chongqing Airport, Wuhan Airport, Shanghai Eastern Air Travel Agency, and the Civil Aviation Resource Website on matters ranging from foreign investments to air consumer protection. ​​

DePaul University College of Law student Fadya Salem (3L) was recently accepted into the E. Barrett Prettyman and Stuart Stiller Fellowship Program at Georgetown University Law Center, which selects three fellows annually. The Prettyman Fellowship was established in 1960 for recent law school graduates to represent indigent clients in Washington, DC. During the two-year program, participants obtain practical training as defense attorneys while gaining a greater understanding of the court system.

The first DePaul Law student to receive this honor, Salem is “beyond excited“ to become a Prettyman Fellow and to work “with indigent clients who are marginalized in society and among the most deserving people needing help.” She first learned about the Fellowship while spending a summer as a law clerk with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, which was funded by DePaul College of Law's Judge Richard D. Cudahy Fellowship.

Salem was further inspired to apply for the Prettyman Fellowship due to its mentorship opportunities. Having learned first hand the value of receiving guidance from professionals with similar passions, she would like to also counsel aspiring attorneys and recognizes this program as an important way to reach out to others. Salem credits two DePaul Law alumni in particular for guiding her on this path: Chalet Braziel (JD '09) and Theodore Thomas (JD '09), both of whom are Cook County Public Defenders. As her mock trial coaches over the past two years, Braziel and Thomas promoted extensive preparation and practice as keys to success, and their “unwavering support” drove her towards excellence.

After completing the Prettyman Fellowship, Salem hopes to continue her work as a public defender and positively impact the lives of others. ​​

All three students engage in public interest law through different areas. Mulligan, who also recently won the Women's Bar Foundation scholarship, provides extensive assistance to the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois and focuses on LGBTQ issues, namely offering pro bono legal aid to transgender people. Steinert helps refugees and other underrepresented people by working for nonprofit organizations, including the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, United Nations Population Fund and the Cape Town Refugee Center in South Africa. Salem educates others on their constitutional rights through her association with the First Defense Legal Aid Street Law Program and Neighborhood Legal Assistance Project.

The Unity Award Dinner is hosted by the Diversity Scholarship Foundation, NFP. It celebrates legal professionals across three states who are dedicated to enhancing diversification within the legal community, and has become one of the region's biggest professional diversity events. Along with honoring students, the ceremony recognized others who have chosen careers in public service, such as Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who was this year's Unity Award Recipient; Chasity Boyce, Tiffany Harper and Cecilia Horan, who were among the Advocates for Diversity Awards recipients and the Honorable Laura C. Liu who posthumously won the Access to Justice Award. The dinner also features the symbolic swearing-in of more than 50 bar presidents who pledge their commitment to diversity, unity and friendship among their fellow professionals; Judge Timothy Evans officiated 2016's Oath of Unity.

Lubna S. El-Gendi, director of student affairs and diversity, hosted the DePaul Law table and spoke highly of the students and their "inspiring, amazing work for communities," as well as of the numerous alumni who supported the event. She further complimented the organizers for the night and the entertainment, which featured Secretary White's tumbling group. El-Gendi also noted that following the heated rhetoric surrounding this year's presidential election, it was encouraging to see people who recognize the importance of diversity and of bettering their communities. ​

In spring 2017, members will comprise nine teams and compete in events throughout the country, including the William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition, the Whittier National Juvenile Law Moot Court Competition, the George Washington National Security Law Moot Court Competition, the UC Davis Asylum & Refugee Law Moot Court Competition, the University of Wisconsin Evans Moot Court Competition and the New York Law School Wagner Competition.

Appellate Moot Court Society President Cristina Mares said, "The 11 competing 3Ls and six 2Ls hope to have another successful year ahead." She also thanks the faculty, alumni and other moot court team members for their guidance in helping prepare the teams for the upcoming competitions.

DePaul's Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center hosted two Learn-N-Learn events in November.

The first featured James Pritikin, a DePaul Law alumnus and partner at Beermann Pritikin Mirabelli & Swerdlove LLP, examining Chicago Bulls player Dwayne Wade's child custody case. As Wade's attorney throughout his divorce, as well as during the child custody case, Pritikin offered unique insights into the high-profile suit. Although the custody battle began as a customary request for visitation and joint custody, it continued for an unprecedented 38 days and lead to Wade winning sole custody of his sons. A major factor in the case was the mother's parental alienation, and Pritikin further explored how courts may consider parental alienation when determining child custody arrangements.

The second event focused on collaborative divorces with speaker and attorney Sandra Crawford, past president of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Collaborative divorce is a method of ending a marriage using interest-based negotiation. Unlike conventional divorces, which often require litigation where the court makes the final judgment, collaborative divorces provide clients with greater control over the ultimate outcome. Each client hires a team of professionals, such as attorneys, mental health practitioners and financial experts, who will work with the couple over several months to resolve their issues. This process leads to more creative solutions, as well as encourages positive communication between both parties.

Katherine Schostok, executive director of DePaul University College of Law's Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute, was recently quoted by InBusiness magazine. The article, 'Can alternative medicine lower costs?', examines the potential health and financial benefits to, as well as the arguments against, expanding insurance to cover complementary and alternative medicine. DePaul Law's Journal of Health Care Law is among those groups advocating for greater funding into evidence-based research in determining the efficacy of alternative treatments, which include chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapies.

According to Schostok, "There is definitely a push to do more studies to look at these alternative kinds of medicines, but right now it's pretty limited." Among the journal's recommendations are allowing the Affordable Care Act to reimburse for evidence-based alternative treatments, enabling the the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health to determine standards of success and combining intellectual property protection and government awards for proven alternative treatments.

DePaul University College of Law’s Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center held its annual panel on the practice of family law featuring attorneys from the public and private sector. Its participants were Laura Ashmore, partner at Davis Friedman; Dave Zwaska, associate at Dussias Skallas Wittenberg; Alexis Mansfield, supervising attorney of CLAIM at Cabrini Green Legal Aid and Andrea Belard, staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services. The first two speakers compared practicing family law in a small and large firm, while the second two discussed aiding low-income and incarcerated clients.

Although the speakers highlighted different areas of their careers, they all gave attendees relevant information about pursuing their own paths in family law. They encouraged students to take advantage of the many opportunities DePaul Law has for students interested in the field, including a Family Law Clinic and a Child & Family Law Certificate. Additionally, the four attorneys shared the belief that while family law can be emotionally powerful, it also be very rewarding because you are helping real people and families. 

The panel was co-sponsored by Law Career Services and the Center for Public Interest Law.

For the sixth consecutive year, DePaul University College of Law's Pro Bono and Community Service Initiative and the Center for Disability and Elder Law held a day of service as part of Pro Bono Week's Donate-A-Day, an initiative celebrated around the country wherein legal professionals provide their services to those in need. Under the tutelage of the Center for Disability and Elder Law's legal director Tom Wendt, participants aided low-income seniors in drafting living wills and powers of attorney for health care and property.

Attorney, alumni and student volunteers spent the day at the Center on Addison. During the workshop, they interviewed and assisted more than 15 seniors in creating important legal documents. First-year student Dave Hem praised the program, saying it was “one of the greatest volunteer experiences I have ever had. Not only did I learn about issues impacting low income seniors in this country, it allowed me the opportunity to help them. ... It was very enlightening for me to note the differences in public service provisions between developed countries (like the United States) and developing countries (like Cambodia, where I am from). … I look forward to participating in such activities again.”

DePaul University's Sixth Annual International Aviation Law Institute and Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development Lunch Lecture explored the importance of planning for active shooter situations, particularly in high-traffic transportation areas such as airports.

Supervisory Special Agent Katherine Schweit of the FBI's Active Shooter Initiative and the senior executive responsible for the agency's planning, policy and training to better prepare, prevent and respond to active shooter and other mass casualty situations, led the talk and answered questions from attendees regarding crucial security issues. A major component of her discussion was the often-ignored financial ramifications of active shooter incidents, and how preparing in advance for potential occurrences can significantly reduce post-situation costs. Other areas she highlighted were the need for enhanced security requirements in the design stage of new infrastructure and her belief that airports will expand their security protocols to lobbies and entryways, instead of focusing primarily on keeping boarding gates safe.

Schweit, an alumna of DePaul Law, thanked DePaul University "for the opportunity to make the business case for why security considerations must be an integral part of the initiation of all airport and urban planning efforts. Inadequately assessing security risks from inception makes a business entity more vulnerable to targeted violence and can result in extraordinary and potentially unnecessary expenses when tragedy strikes." She also appreciated "the opportunity to return to my alma mater and see first-hand how dedicated these institute participants are to tackling cutting-edge topics; topics that often have no simple answers and are fraught with competing interests."

The IALI/Chaddick Lunch Lecture is cosponsored by the College of Law's International Aviation Law Institute and the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences’ Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development.

The Women's Bar Association of Illinois selected DePaul University College of Law alumna Meredith Ritchie as one of 2016's Top Women Lawyers in Leadership. Only five people received the honor, which recognizes the state's most notable female legal professionals. They are recognized for their leadership and the valuable guidance they provide to others. Winners have come from various disciplines, including litigation, academia, entrepreneurship, public service and journalism.

Ritchie currently serves as vice president, general counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer at Alliant Credit Union. She also leads the company's legal and compliance department and the ethics program, is a member of its senior leadership team, and oversees the in-house legal team in all matters related to mergers and acquisitions. Among the first in her industry to negotiate for cyber liability insurance, Ritchie has received accolades for combining pragmatic and creative problem solving to aid clients in business, law and risk management.

“I am ecstatic that the Women's Bar Association of Illinois bestowed this amazing award upon me and am grateful that Corinne Heggie, counsel at Scharf Banks Marmor, nominated me!” says Ritchie. “I have been so fortunate in my career to have role models and managers mentor and sponsor me so that I can be a leader. I, in turn, find great satisfaction in helping people, particularly attorneys, make connections that will enrich their careers and lives.” Alliant Credit Union and Scharf Banks Marmor LLC have also specifically recognized Ritchie for this honor.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ritchie regularly speaks to national organizations on matters related to strategic planning and regulatory compliance. Events she has appeared at include the Association of Corporate Counsel's General Counsel Roundtable (September 2014), the National Law Journal's Corporate Compliance Event (November 2014) and the Women, Influence & Power in Law panel "Advisor & Chief: Top Ways to Communicate Your Strategy More Effectively" (October 2015). She also was featured in a 2014 Chicago Daily Law Bulletin article "Aligning Alliant."

Before joining Alliant Credit Union, Ritchie was deputy general counsel, central management services and attorney/bureau chief, public aid for the state of Illinois, and state and local government corporate counsel with Accenture LLP. She also studied at the Sorbonne, the Institut d'Etudes politiques de Paris and Hamilton College.

DePaul University College of Law student Lark Mulligan is one of nine recipients this year to receive the Women's Bar Foundation scholarship award. For over a half century, the Women's Bar Foundation has provided scholarships to exceptional female Illinois law students for their outstanding educational and professional accomplishments, as well as their dedication to aiding their communities. Winners were celebrated at a luncheon in October, which also honored Andrea Zopp, deputy mayor of the city of Chicago, for her professional and philanthropic achievements.

“I feel honored to receive this award as a queer transgender woman, as a feminist and as a prison abolition activist,” said Mulligan. “I want to be a lawyer because the U.S. is experiencing an urgent crisis of hyperpolicing and mass incarceration of poor people of color.” 

As a prison abolitionist, Mulligan advocates on behalf of “dismantling systems of incarceration, surveillance and policing” and creating “a world that has no need for prisons or police by addressing the root causes of violence, inequality and oppression in our communities.” She promotes alternative solutions such as community-building and empowerment, reparations, healing and restorative practices, open dialogue, accessible and affordable healthcare and food justice.

Mulligan also performs as a collective member and board member with the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois. Founded in 2008, this group provides legal services to low-income transgender and gender nonconforming people. With this organization, she drafted “Transgender 101 for Judges in the Civil Division,” which has educated judges about gender identity and the importance of allowing transgender persons to change their names as a crucial step in claiming their true identity. Since 2010, its Name Change Mobilization project has enabled more than 500 transgender people to change their name. She has filed grievances with Cook County Jail on behalf of transgender individuals who face rampant abuse at its institutions and cocreated a re-entry support program for transgender women following their released from prison. She also publishes the 'zine Hidden Expressions,' which features the writing, artwork and guidance of transgender prisoners. Along with her responsibilities at the Transformative Law Project of Illinois, she interns at Cabrini Green Legal Aid where she handles criminal records relief, such as expungement and clemency, and performs criminal defense.

After law school, Mulligan plans to continue providing holistic legal guidance to criminalized transgender people in Chicago. Other accolades Mulligan has earned include winning the Pro Bono Publico Award in 2015 and being named one of the Windy City Times' 30 Under 30 in 2013.

DePaul University College of Law's Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center joined with the Center for Public Interest Law and the Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative to host a discussion on public service and child advocacy work. Professor Allison Ortlieb moderated the panel, which featured the Honorable Patrick T. Murphy of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Domestic Relations Division and Susan DeCostanza, staff attorney from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. Focusing on the work of Cook County's Public Guardian Office, the speakers educated attendees on the value of aiding others and how experience in public interest can improve one's overall legal acumen.

Judge Murphy described his experience as the first Cook County Public Guardian. During his 26 years in the role, he saw how the Public Guardian program expanded from just aiding adults to also helping children. Throughout his career, he has also inspired legal reforms to benefit youths. DeCostanza further explored the importance of Public Guardians, such as how they make the legal process easier for children and families.

The nine recipients for 2016 are:

• Megan Davis, JD '14 - Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors
• Katie Filous, JD '15 - International Community of Women Living with HIV
• Charlotte Keenan, JD '12 - Network for Victim Recovery of DC
• Courtney Kelledes, JD '13 - Cabrini Green Legal Aid
• Jarrett Knox, JD '08 - Cook County Office of the Public Guardian
• M. Olivia Villegas, JD '10 - Life Span Center for Legal Services & Advocacy
• Lindsay VanFleet, JD '10 - Vermilion County Public Defender’s Office
• Tracy Walsh, JD '08 - Office of the Attorney General of Illinois
• Brandon Williams, JD '01 - Chicago Legal Clinic

DePaul will host a reception to celebrate the recipients at the College of Law on Thursday, November 3 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. For details, please visit the event calendar. 

• Paula S. Kim (JD '15), Polsinelli
• Heather Becker (JD '03), Laner Muchin
• Devon J. Eggert (JD '06), Freeborn & Peters
• Michael L. Gallagher (JD '03), Burke Wise Morrissey Kaveny
• Patrick Giese (JD '11), Tomasik Kotin Kasserman
• Jaime A. Koziol (JD '11), Levin & Perconti
• Carolyn Daley Scott (JD '06), Power Rogers & Smith

For more information about the selection process, visit the 40 Under Forty site.

DePaul University College of Law's International Aviation Law Institute and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences' Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development will host their sixth annual lunch lecture, “Targeted Violence & Security Issues: Implications for Airport Planning.” Increase in global terrorism threats have required airports, rail and bus systems across the world to develop new ways to protect travelers, and this has become a matter of increasing importance, particularly with the holiday season approaching.

During the lecture, Katherine W. Schweit, head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Active Shooter Initiative and a DePaul law alumna, will discuss the security strategies of public transportation systems. She will also answer questions about how Chicago is responding to these concerns.

This free event will be held on Wednesday, November 2 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at the DePaul Center, 1 East Jackson Boulevard, Room 8005. Register to attend by emailing chaddick@depaul.edu. Only people who have registered will be admitted to the event.

DePaul University College of Law is proud to announce its inclusion in the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program (DAPP) and its continuing commitment to diversity in the legal profession. This year, DAPP expanded its program to DePaul, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Loyola University Chicago School of Law to support its mission of enhancing opportunities for women of color law students.

The program selected eleven first-year law students as DAPP scholars for the 2016-2017 academic year. They will receive the support of the organization in obtaining summer associate positions at law firms and corporations. Throughout the year, DAPP also will offer large-scale professional development programs and empowerment webinars and programming across the country.

Founded in 2013, DAPP was created as a nonprofit organization to respond to the overall decrease in women of color legal professionals. It began as a pilot program at Loyola University Chicago during the 2014-2015 academic year, and continued at John Marshall School of Law the subsequent year. 

For more information or to learn how to host a DAPP scholar in summer 2017, visit dapprogram.org.

Attendees praised the event and what they learned from Van Cleve's insights into the judicial system. Javier Roman, an employee at a Chicago Boys and Girls Club as well as an interviewee for Crook County, discussed his experiences with people in need and expressed the universal problem that "no one is trying to understand the why [individuals may commit crimes]." DePaul College of Law students also felt the presentation enhanced their understanding of their future careers. Patricia Hudson, a 3L, found the talk "insightful, thought-provoking, and encouraging! As an African-American and future attorney, I can completely recognize the issues that Dr. Van Cleve has presented to the rest of society," and it further encouraged her "to continue to figure out my role within the law community." Another 3L, Tobin Klusty, who interns with the Cook County Public Defender's Office, called it "eye opening." He continued that although the discovery that "Cook County frequently discriminates against people of color is disturbing, the end of [Van Cleve's] speech was inspiring - future lawyers and the community can work together to stop discrimination in Cook County."

DePaul Journal of Social Justice hosted the program and received support from the Center for Public Interest Law and the DePaul University Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity.

Additionally, Jochner highlighted a split among the Illinois Appellate Courts on this issue. Currently, the appellate courts disagree on which test the lower courts must apply to determine whether fee shifting in a particular case is appropriate: inability to pay or comparison of the parties’ financial standing. In January, Jochner will argue before the Illinois Supreme Court that a party must show an inability to pay in order for fee shifting to apply and that the parties’ financial standings is contrary to Illinois Supreme Court precedent and Illinois’ public policy.

Jochner’s presentation helped students learn that fee shifting is a common practice in family law. The students look forward to learning about the forthcoming Illinois Supreme Court decision on this issue, as it may shape their future work as family law practitioners.

DePaul University College of Law will host a discussion on advocacy for migrant farm workers today, Monday, October 24 from 12 to 1 p.m. DePaul's chapter of the National Lawyers Guild and the Society for Asylum and Immigration Law will present attorneys from the Farmers & Landscapers Advocacy Project (FLAP) and the Immigrants and the Workers’ Rights Practice Group of the Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF) to discuss important and often underacknowledged legal issues facing millions of people across the United States.

According to a recent Chicago Tribune article, there are approximately 2.5 million farm workers in America; up to 70 percent of them are undocumented and fear deportation. This event expects to introduce the legal community to their plights and needs. Attendees will learn about the advocacy efforts of legal and social services, as well as ways that attorneys and students can further aid the Illinois farm worker population.

Speakers include Jose Alonso, an attorney with the Immigrants and Workers’ Rights Practice Group at LAF, and Meghan A. VanLeuwen, Litigation Director at the Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project.

About the organizations:

• The Society for Immigration and Asylum Law at DePaul Law educates students in the areas of asylum and immigration law.

• The National Lawyers Guild at DePaul Law advocates for basic changes in economic and political systems and defends the rights of disenfranchised groups, such as migrant farm workers.

• FLAP was created in 1999 due to federal funding that severely limited the assistance federally-funded legal services programs could provide. FLAP offers clients employment-related litigation assistance, outreach, and education.

• LAF provides free legal assistance to people living below the poverty line in Cook County, Illinois; its Immigrants & Workers’ Rights practice group focuses on migrant agricultural and landscape workers.

The CBF Marovitz Public Interest Law Scholarship has been awarded annually since 2004 to an incoming first-year law student attending one of the nine Illinois law schools. The scholarship was made possible through the generous financial contribution of the late Judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz. Throughout his distinguished life and career, Judge Marovitz was a firm believer that financial need should not be a bar to dedicated young students who want to pursue careers in public service. For nearly a century, Judge Marovitz consistently demonstrated his commitment to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through a variety of charitable activities. Prior to his death in 2001, Judge Marovitz ensured that this legacy would continue by establishing funding for a number of charitable initiatives, including the CBF Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Public Interest Law Scholarship.

The CBF’s scholarship award to Insalaco includes $40,000 in financial assistance payable over her law school career, which will help ease the financial burden of law school and enable her to pursue a career in public service.

Upon receiving the scholarship, Insalaco said, “The Marovitz Scholarship will enable me to better focus on law school without the distraction and stress that often accompany years of financial hardship due to student loans. I am confident that I’m now much better positioned to pursue a legal aid career in Chicago to help the most vulnerable people in our community.”

The public interest law program offers students myriad opportunities for professional growth with a focus on social justice issues. Among its most notable programs are the DePaul Journal for Social Justice, a first-year legal writing section dedicated to public interest law, summer job placements, and numerous pro bono and volunteer opportunities. 

Shaye Loughlin, the executive director of the Center for Public Interest Law, was "thrilled to learn about our public interest grade by preLaw magazine." She said Professor Emeritus Leonard Cavise, the founding faculty director of the center, recognized how the public interest law program reflects the university's Vincentian philosophy to aid the poor and vulnerable in our communities. “The preLaw grade recognizes the strength of our public interest law training program and our committed community of social justice advocates,” continued Loughlin.

For more than 30 years, DePaul's health law program has been on the forefront of health law education, research and scholarship. The health law curriculum offers a wide range of coursework in traditional, face-to-face classes, online classes, fieldwork and other experiential offerings. Courses cover diverse areas including regulatory, corporate compliance, policy, social and ethical issues. 

Through the Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute (JHLI), students also have numerous opportunities to expand their potential in the health law field through a fellowship program, summer job placements and moot court competitions. Executive Director Katherine Schostok and Faculty Director Wendy Epstein oversee the JHLI programs.​

Hurley based her talk on her experiences as an associate at the family law firm of Wakenight & Associates, PC. She covered areas ranging from how one would establish paternity to how a legally recognized parent would construct a parenting plan, and the relevance of attorneys in developing these plans. Along with providing real-world anecdotes about life as an attorney, she helped attendees expand their own understanding of the act by allowing them to review a Cook County order that laid out the formation of a parenting time allocation judgment.

After the presentation, Hurley answered questions about the practice of family law and how to break into the field.

The Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms and DePaul University College of Law are proud to announce their collaboration on LegalTrek 2017.

The Chicago Committee is a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote racial and ethnic diversity in large Chicago law firms and in the Chicago community through programming, business development and networking opportunities, LegalTrek is an original Chicago Committee pipeline program that ran successfully from 2008 to 2012. Under the leadership of legal diversity champion Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea, LegalTrek will continue to inspire and empower minority students interested in joining the legal profession. LegalTrek’s mission is to diversify the Chicago legal community by encouraging and supporting college students from historically underrepresented groups to attend law school.

LegalTrek scholars will attend summer classes at DePaul Law, where they will increase their understanding of the role of the law in society, the different kinds of lawyers and legal career options, and successful strategies for applying to law school. LegalTrek scholars will be linked with mentors and coaches from the Chicago Committee (some of who are now LegalTrek alumni themselves). LegalTrek 2017 is designed to showcase Chicago’s legal community to diverse college students wishing to enter the profession and providing them with a clear roadmap to success.

Applications for LegalTrek 2017 will be available in January.

During the session, Professor Khan focused on ongoing issues with the United States' patent system due to excessive litigation and the challenges in responding to constant advancements in technology throughout the 21st century. Her speech explored the history of patents in America, from its relevance at the birth of the nation to its impact on modern free market principals. She further examined at how the patent system set up by the United States influenced the development of other national patent systems during the 19th century and beyond.

The event also paid tribute to Raymond P. Niro Sr., who passed away earlier this year. Niro sponsored the event since its creation in 1998, and his support was crucial in CIPLIT's ongoing efforts to analyze important legal issues in intellectual property. Professor Bobbi Kwall, the Raymond P. Niro Professor of Intellectual Property Law, and his son Dean Niro, who is a partner at Niro Law, spoke about Niro's legacy as a champion of the underdog in patent litigation. ​

White ended his presentation with an anecdote about how a lawyer can go above and beyond to impact his community and client. He talked about how family law attorneys can be essential to their clients' overall well-being as well as the myriad of responsibilities that lawyers have in this role. Students enjoyed the presentation and stayed after to ask him questions about this practice area.

The American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics and Saint Louis University School of Law recently named DePaul Associate Professor Wendy Epstein a 2016 Health Law Scholar for her work-in-progress “Price Transparency and Incomplete Contracts in Health Care.”

The Health Law Scholars Workshop recognizes the achievements of junior faculty in health law and bioethics. Each year, health law professors choose four exceptional works from emerging scholars in these fields. The honorees are invited to Saint Louis University Law School in September to present their pieces to a gathering of health law scholars, who will provide feedback and guidance on the thesis. Many participants subsequently get their articles published in notable law journals. Epstein's fellow scholars are Rachel Sachs of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, Elizabeth McCuskey of University of Toledo College of Law, and Jasmine Harris of UC Davis School of Law.

Epstein's “Price Transparency” analyzes the issues with the use of open price term contracts for medical services. Currently, the law permits patients to consent to medical procedures without knowing how much they will cost, which often causes the patient to incur significant fees and possible debt. In the article, Epstein argues in favor of the use of “patient-provider” contracts. Since, with rare exception (e.g. emergency care, complicated surgeries), medical providers can readily reveal pricing information, both parties would be better served with this openness.

In addition to “Price Transparency,” Epstein has had articles featured in numerous journals. The Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics is set to publish her “Revisiting Incentive-Based Contracts” in a 2017 edition. Other recent publications include “Facilitating Incomplete Contracts” (65 Case W. Res. L. Rev. 297 (2015)), “Contract Theory and the Failures of Public-Private Contracting” (34 Cardozo L. Rev. 2211 (2013)), and “Public-Private Contracting and the Reciprocity Norm” (the lead article in 64 Am. U. L. Rev. 1 (2014)). Her scholarship can be found on her SSRN page.

Epstein has been a member of DePaul’s College of Law faculty since 2013. She currently teaches Contracts and Health Care Law and is faculty director of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute.

Thomson Reuters (West) selected DePaul University College of Law Associate Professor Michael Grynberg's article The Meaning of Hana: The Promise of Lexmark (39 Colum. J.L. & Arts 41 (2015)) as one of the best intellectual property articles of 2015. It will be included in the 2016 edition of Thomson Reuters' Intellectual Property Law Review.

Professor Grynberg's article analyzes two recent Supreme Court decisions related to trademark law. Hana Financial, Inc. v. Hana Bank raised issues regarding whether trademark tacking and the “likelihood of confusion” question is a matter of fact for juries or a matter of law for judges, as well as highlighted the Lanham Act's limited defenses. In Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., the United States Supreme Court clarified who has standing to sue for false advertising. In the article, Grynberg acknowledges that this decision could simultaneously lead to more false advertising plaintiffs while also offering greater protections for trademark holders.

Professor Grynberg was inspired to write the article while preparing for an American Bar Association panel about recent Supreme Court decisions on trademark law. During his initial research, he discovered a depth to Hana, particularly in relation to its connection to the Lexmark decision, that could have significant impact on intellectual property law decisions in the future.

A member of DePaul's College of Law faculty since 2012, Grynberg teaches Cyberlaw, Property, and Trademark.

Volunteers chose between seven service sites throughout the city to visit and assist persons in need: Pacific Garden Mission, Cornerstone Community Outreach, Marillac House, Legal Prep Charter Academy, Catholic Charities Madonna House, Catholic Charities St. Vincent de Paul Residence, and Howard Area Community Center. Among their responsibilities were making beds and serving meals at homeless shelters, preparing classrooms for the upcoming school year, and interacting with senior citizens.  

During the event, College of Law Chaplain Tom Judge encouraged participants to share what motivates them to serve. Some felt that “it’s a good way to meet and connect with new students,” while others agreed that “it is part of how I live out my faith.” By taking part in 1L Service Day, participants were able to accomplish these and other goals, in addition to exploring different communities in Chicago and aiding others.

The Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative and University Ministry in the Loop organize the annual event with support from the Center for Public Interest Law.

Members of the first class of students in DePaul’s innovative Third Year in Practice (3YP) program will begin their intensive legal field placements at government agencies, nonprofit organizations and corporations in fall 2016.

Following is an excerpt from a recent article about the 3YP program that appeared in Distinctions.

“3YP is the reason I came to DePaul,” says Clint Pierce. Rebekah Gonzalez agrees: “I learned about 3YP when I was researching law schools, and it’s why I decided to come here. I did not see anything like it at other schools in the area.”

The Third Year in Practice (3YP) program allows law students to complete general course requirements in two years and then spend their third year immersed in the simulated and actual practice of law. 3YP students learn and practice professional litigation and corporate skills, while working under close supervision, at a law firm, government agency, corporation, nonprofit organization, or any one of DePaul’s legal clinics.

“3YP is a way to attract students, for sure, but it’s also just the right thing to do,” says David Rodriguez, the program’s director and a clinical instructor for the Poverty Law Clinic. "The first year out of law school is baptism by fire, as new lawyers struggle to do the work. It’s one thing to learn theory in the classroom, quite another to apply it on-the-job, with real-world pressures, deadlines, and expectations. Students who’ve done 3YP can hit the ground running after graduation—they’ll be confident and competitive.”

The College of Law is one of four academic units, along with the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center in the Driehaus College of Business, the College of Computing and Digital Media, and Academic Affairs, to be part of the collaboration with 1871.

“It is important for the College of Law to be a key partner in this collaboration. We recognize that law, business and technology are inextricably intertwined in today's world, and lawyers and law students need to problem solve in contexts—like the ones offered at 1871—where those disciplines all come together,” said Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea of the College of Law. 

As part of University Row, DePaul joins the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Loyola University, University of Illinois, DeVry University, and Illinois Institute of Technology at 1871. Each of the universities will participate in Campus 1871, a springtime, weekend-long event that brings together the best and brightest from each of the partner universities to create their own startups with like-minded university students.

“This partnership has been a long time coming and we are thrilled that DePaul is formally joining the 1871 community,” said 1871 CEO Howard A. Tullman. “Our partnerships with universities are one of 1871’s biggest advantages and offerings, and DePaul is a crucial addition to this fold. We look forward to welcoming people from around the DePaul family to 1871.”

Excerpted from DePaul Newsroom press release.

​Tracy Krauchun (SNL ’05, MS ’10) has been named senior director of development for DePaul’s College of Law. A longtime member of DePaul’s Office of Advancement, she has worked in a variety of roles and with all the university’s schools and colleges, including the College of Law where she began her development career.

Most recently, Krauchun served as senior director of foundation relations at DePaul. She brings more than 10 years of expertise in building strong, long-term relationships with academic partners, external constituents and alumni to support university initiatives. She has a proven track record of exceeding fundraising goals, including for scholarships and programmatic support. As the senior director of development, she will be working with the College of Law and the Office of Advancement to fund strategic priorities in the college that will enhance its reputation and the success of its students.

Krauchun is a board member of Tutoring Chicago and has served in a volunteer capacity for various organizations including the American Heart Association, the Leukemia Research Foundation and Wishing Well NFP. She is a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the National Council of University Research Administrators and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

She received a BA and an MS in nonprofit administration from DePaul. This fall, she will begin the Master of Jurisprudence program at the College of Law.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the exceptionally dedicated and talented staff of appellate lawyers in the attorney general’s office,” Franklin said.

At DePaul, Franklin is an associate professor of law and served as vice dean from 2011 to 2014. He also is an advisor to the American Law Institute and previously was a law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, and George Washington University Law School. Prior to academia, Franklin practiced as an associate at Covington & Burling LLP in New York.

Franklin clerked for Judge Stephen F. Williams of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale College and a JD from the University of Chicago Law School.

Pagliari was instrumental in the successful development, implementation, and coordination of the upper-level legal writing curriculum. She reformatted the legal drafting courses to focus on particular areas of practice, including civil litigation, health law, family law, business transactions, real estate and intellectual property law, among others. She also advised legal drafting instructors on syllabus and assignment development to ensure courses employ interactive teaching techniques and maximize the benefits of students' skill development in a particular practice area. As interim director, Pagliari will oversee the LARC program and will be joined by associate directors Jody Marcucci (JD ’03) and Anthony Volini.

Prior to joining academia, Pagliari was a partner at Cassiday Shade & Gloor. She has an extensive background in civil litigation, including medical malpractice, products liability and employment law litigation. She also served as professor-reporter by appointment of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts for its Illinois Judicial Conference Study Committee on Complex Litigation. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is a member of the Federal Trial Bar.

Pagliari is an active member of several academic and professional organizations and frequently presents on the topic of legal writing. She has served as chair of the legal writing section of the Association of American Law Schools and on several committees within the Association of Legal Writing Directors. At DePaul, Pagliari also serves as faculty advisor to the appellate moot court team.

She received her BA from the University of Notre Dame and her JD from DePaul.

​

Mansuri has more than 15 years of public service experience. Prior to joining DePaul, she served as manager of the Pro Bono Service Initiative at the University of Chicago Law School, where she oversaw a wide range of pro bono opportunities, developed new partnerships with law firms and legal aid agencies, and engaged students to participate in pro bono service projects. Before moving to academia, Mansuri was a trial attorney at a Chicago-based civil rights litigation boutique where she gained substantial federal, state and appellate court experience representing clients in police accountability cases. 

Mansuri is a member of the board of directors of Illinois Legal Aid Online and is a member of the executive committee of the Section of Pro Bono & Public Service Opportunities of the Association of American Law Schools. She received her BS in psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and her JD from Loyola University Chicago.

Schaab is a proud alumna who received her JD, with highest honors, Order of the Coif, from DePaul in 1998 and served as the managing editor of notes and comments for the DePaul Law Review. Prior to becoming a legal career development professional, she practiced law as a staff attorney at The Pampered Chef, Ltd. She also worked as a litigation associate at Ungaretti & Harris LLP (now Nixon Peabody LLP) and Seyfarth Shaw Fairweather & Geraldson LLP (now Seyfarth Shaw LLP). She spent nearly five years as the law clerk to Judge George M. Marovich in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. While a clerk, she also taught legal research and writing to first-year law students. Schaab’s diverse legal background in private practice, in-house roles, and within the judicial branch gives her a unique perspective in her new role as assistant dean and director of LCS.

Schaab is an active member of both the Chicago Area Law School Consortium and the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). Her articles have been published frequently in the NALP Bulletin. She also has presented on a number of career services-related topics at NALP’s Annual Education Conference and is currently both a Midwest representative on NALP’s Regional Resource Council and a member of its Law School Employment Outcomes Task Force.

In addition, the foundation will fund public interest jobs for new graduates with two other law schools—Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Northern Illinois University College of Law. IBF will contribute $25,000 to each of the three fellowships and the law schools will fund the remainder. The law schools selected the fellowship recipients.

“There is a growing need for public interest lawyers,” said Shawn Kasserman, IBF president. “That fact, combined with the tough job market for new law school graduates, drove the creation of our fellowship program, which will provide on-the-job training for new lawyers, while simultaneously helping fill the gap in legal aid services.”

At DePaul, Duane was a Law Merit Scholar and a member of the Dean’s List. She also held posts as vice president of the Student Bar Association and president of the Women’s Bar Association. Among community service work at DePaul, she was student coordinator of the Pro Bono and Community Service Initiative, a volunteer with the Neighborhood Legal Assistance Program, and participated in a spring break pro bono staycation at the Chicago Legal Clinic in Pilsen. She also received the CALI award for excellence at the school’s Family Law Clinic.

“My experiences in the DePaul legal clinics provided me with valuable experience as a law student,” said Duane. “I look forward to returning as a post graduate fellow and continuing to work with underserved communities on a variety of civil legal matters.” ​

Duane received her BA in social welfare and justice from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. in May 2009.

For more information on the legal aid fellowship program, visit the IBF website.

Rutschman, an SJD candidate at Duke University School of Law, is currently finishing a project with the World Health Organization (WHO) that charts the licensing of intellectual property and its effect on the response to the outbreaks of the Ebola and Zika viruses in 2014 and 2015. Her research evaluates the global response, but in particular maps the European and American reaction times and systems. She explains that organizations, like the WHO, are beginning to look at how intellectual property negotiations can be streamlined to allow for faster development and deployment of medical treatments during such outbreaks.

“The area of IP negotiations is still underexplored, especially in terms of what are best practices in emergency responses,” said Rutschman. “Much could be avoided if we had better blueprints for negotiations in pandemic outbreaks like [Ebola]. The biopharmaceutical industry traditionally acts very slowly; it generally takes at least 10 years to develop a vaccine. ... It’s unfortunate that IP could stand in the way for vaccines already in the pipeline when an emergency happens, like the Zika and Ebola outbreaks.”

Rutschman discovered that, with Ebola, vaccines were eventually passed through the system before licensing was completely finalized. “If we can agree in advance on a set of provisions related to IP, then we can move ahead with those contracts or agreements after the vaccines have been pushed through the pipeline to help address emergency situations.”

During the course of her research on the response to the Ebola outbreak, Rutschman talked to many different organizations, some of which were not yet looking at Ebola as a case study on the interplay between intellectual property and global responses to pandemic outbreaks. Then, the Zika outbreak began. She explained that some of the same organizations “rushed to map out previous alliances based on the Ebola responses. ... Behaviors changed a lot. That was certainly some of the most fascinating part of my work.”

In addition to her research, Rutschman will teach a seminar on health innovation and intellectual property and a course on food and drug law at DePaul. She also will work closely with the Jaharis Health Law Institute and the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology. She begins the one-year fellowship on July 1.

​​

​The effect of cyber threats and cyber-terrorism on aviation was the theme of Sarah Jane Fox's presentation at the World Summit on the Information Society (​WSIS) Forum 2016, held May 2 to 6 in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Fox, the International Aviation Law Institute​'s 2015-16 Fulbright Scholar, reiterated the vulnerability of civil aviation, in particular, to cyber-terrorism.

"We need to look at past lessons and ensure that we go forward in a proactive way; which may necessitate a regulatory framework which looks at an effective means for addressing risks and vulnerabilities in cyberspace," Fox stated, adding, "We need to think more about addressing cyber-terrorism from a counterterrorism strategy approach—prevent, protect, pursue and respond—and ultimately how we track and bring perpetrators to justice."

Dr. Fox was invited to speak as part of the European Commission's Medici Cooperation Framework, which focuses on the use of digital and other emerging technologies supporting social and economic development.

The WSIS Forum 2016 was the world's largest gathering of the "Information and Communication Technologies for Development" community, and was organized and facilitated by more than a dozen United Nations agencies.  Presentations by Dr. Fox and others will be used by the UN in its discussions aimed at formulating policy.

“We are so thankful for Mr. Tucker’s generous gift, as it shows his appreciation for the education he received at DePaul Law, and his thoughtfulness in investing in DePaul’s future generation of lawyers,” said Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea.

Tucker, an Ohio native, served as a radar technician in the Air Force during World War II. After his military service, he returned to Ohio, enrolled in the Case Institute of Technology and earned a degree in chemical engineering. He worked for Glidden Paints and then for Cleveland-based Lincoln Electric Co., the company that would bring him to Chicago and, eventually, to DePaul.

While working for Lincoln Electric’s Chicago office, Tucker decided to pursue advanced degrees. He enrolled in DePaul’s College of Law and earned his JD in 1964. He also earned an MBA from the University of Chicago. Tucker continued to work for Lincoln Electric, transferring from Chicago to San Francisco and then to Seattle, where he would finish out a 45-year career with the company.

Though Tucker never formally practiced law, he was grateful for his legal training. He leaves a legacy that will benefit future DePaul law students who seek to advance their training and education as he did.

​The International Aviation Law Institute​ once again welcomed John R. Byerly, the State Department's longest-serving deputy assistant secretary for transportation affairs, as its scholar-in-residence in April. Byerly served as guest lecturer for the Public International Aviation Law and Policy course, and led a lively student discussion about the application and interpretation of air services agreements.

Over the course of the lecture, Byerly engaged with students and shared his views on international aviation, diplomacy and his long career at the State Department. From 2001 until his retirement from government service, Byerly was the lead U.S. negotiator for air transport agreements, including the landmark U.S.-EU Open Skies agreement and the U.S.-Japan air transport agreement. Each spring, he visits the institute and teaches a class as scholar-in-residence.​​

A criminal record is like a ball and chain — even after the sentence is served, it can weigh a person down for years. An old conviction can keep a person from getting jobs, loans, and even public housing, and those being crushed beneath this burden rarely have the legal resources to free themselves. Sue Lee finds injustices like these intolerable, and that indignation moved her to pursue a career in public interest law. 

DePaul University College of Law’s Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative (PBCSI) recognized 84 students who collectively reported more than 15,000 service hours during academic year 2015-2016 at an awards reception on April 21.

Among the awardees, 30 graduating students received the Benjamin Hooks Distinguished Public Service Award for contributing 200 or more hours of service while at DePaul. The award is named for the late Benjamin L. Hooks (JD ’48), a civil rights activist and former executive director of the NAACP, the first African-American to be named to the Federal Communications Commission, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“I learned the importance of giving back,” she said. “With my law degree comes a responsibility to use it to give back to my community.” Antonacci will be working as an assistant public defender in Palm Beach County, Florida, after graduation.

Following are this year's award recipients.

The Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., president of DePaul, will confer the degrees in a ceremony scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

During a career spanning nearly four decades, Silverman led and shaped refugee resettlement and immigrant integration policy on the local, state and federal levels. With Silverman’s guidance, Illinois became a leader and national model for refugee resettlement. He began serving as the Illinois state refugee coordinator in 1976, first under the Governor’s Center for Asian Assistance, which then became the Refugee Resettlement Program under the Illinois Department of Public Aid.

On a wider scale, Silverman worked with lawmakers and policy experts on refugee matters and helped draft the United States Refugee Act of 1980, which established the Federal Refugee Resettlement Program.

From 2003-11, he chaired the Advisory Council for Immigrant and Refugee Affairs for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. Now retired, Silverman’s long career made it possible for international victims of war, violence and terrorism to make new lives in the United States.

Silverman will be introduced by Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea of the College of Law.

Since its establishment in 1912, the College of Law has graduated more than 19,250 students. DePaul law graduates have gone on to become highly skilled, committed and vigorous leaders of the bar, bench and business industries. Alumni include numerous state and federal judges, three Chicago mayors and managing partners of dozens of major law firms.

Its rich history of quality education, access and diversity has long set the College of Law apart. DePaul was among the first law schools in Illinois to admit historically excluded groups including female and Jewish students.

The college is home to distinguished centers and institutes that are dedicated to teaching, research, advocacy, and public education and engagement across a wide range of disciplines. Distinctive educational opportunities for students include joint degrees, certificate programs and experiential learning taught by 36 full-time faculty members who are all accomplished attorneys.

Areas of concentration for the College of Law include business law and taxation; child and family law; criminal law; health law; intellectual property law and information technology; international and comparative law; and public interest law.

In 2015, the National Law Journal named the College of Law's Clinical Program, Master of Laws (LLM) Program and joint Juris Doctors/Master of Business Administration Program the “Best in Chicago.”

DePaul has had the most alumni recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers for the past seven years. In the 2016 edition, 340 were listed, with 11 in the top 100, two in the top 10 and one ranked the No. 1 attorney in Illinois.

The Rosemont Theater is located at 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Those unable to attend may watch a live stream of the event at http://bit.ly/DPUGrad2016Live. Click on the word “webcast” once the ceremony begins.

Commencement ceremonies for DePaul’s nine other colleges and schools are scheduled for June 11 and 12. For additional information, including a list of speakers and honorary degree recipients, visit http://depaulne.ws/DPUGrad2016.

DePaul's 2016 health law symposium featured practitioners, technological experts and other professionals working together in the health care sector and using technological advances to improve upon traditional practices. "The New Frontier of Health Innovation: Navigating the Regulatory Landscape" offered insights from individuals navigating an increasingly complex set of statutory and administrative rules and the legal practitioners that aid their efforts.

"In many ways, this is a lecture we couldn’t have given two to three years ago," said Dr. Raj Shah, principle investigator at the Chicago Area Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Network and associate professor of family medicine at Rush University Hospital. Shah led the panel discussion, "Protecting Information in the Face of Innovation: Precision Medicine and the Population Health Research in Health Systems." Shah provided a brief history of health care security regulation, including complications with the HIPAA Privacy Rule and HITECH, and presented current tensions needing resolution. He described evolutionary steps toward acquiring more data, such as contractual agreements to enable efficient and value added data flows for research, institutional collaboration and data repositories at institutions. In addition, he discussed the balance between data privacy and protecting commons.

"The symposium provided DePaul a terrific opportunity to bring together health care innovators with lawyers and regulators to discuss both the potential and the challenges that technological advances and the use of big data bring to the field," said Associate Professor Wendy Netter Epstein, faculty director of the Jaharis Health Law Institute (JHLI). "This sort of collaboration among key industry players is central to the mission of the institute."

The symposium was presented by the DePaul Journal of Health Care Law,  the JHLI, the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology, and the DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property. ​

Third-year law student Grace Allen is the recipient of the DePaul University College of Law 2016 Dr. Martin Luther King Scholarship. She received $2,000 for her winning essay.

“​Though the mode of the movement is evolving, the driving force behind the movement remains the same, a burning desire for substantial change. [...] The key to a successful civil rights movement is the passing of the torch from the older generation to the younger generation. One must ‘pass on to others’ that which they gained from their predecessors. This ensures that the legacy will continue to grow stronger from generation to generation. Modern day activists must begin to look to the past to gain inspiration and guidance as to how previous methods and theories can be applied to current movements. It is through conducting a close reading of past trials and triumphs that one can learn the pathway to success in the future. The struggles currently faced by African-American communities were foreshadowed by events that occurred in the past. As young activists begin to study the methods and theories behind the movements and protests conducted in the 1960s -1980s they will be better able to understand the direction in which the current movement must be steered.”​

From a teen growing up in Illinois’ foster care system to a lawyer and law school professor, Professor Martin Shelby has surmounted many obstacles. Yet she cites the constant movement from one foster home to another as a top challenge in her life.

Describing her journey for law students and staff, Professor Martin Shelby credited teachers and caseworkers as some of her staunchest advocates, helping her with everything from clothing and toiletries to discovering a path to college. She recalled one caseworker, in particular, who told her she could attend college for free and helped her navigate the application process. Once in college, Professor Martin Shelby identified law school as a goal and proceeded to earn her JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Following law school, she joined law firm Sidley Austin and worked on regulatory and corporate matters involving hedge funds, commodity pools and derivatives trading.

Professor Martin Shelby also discussed the role of lawyers and the court system in her life. She found her guardian ad litem most helpful, she said, if she needed a new placement because of issues in a particular foster home or with a particular foster family. She also talked about how Illinois’ foster care system could improve, particularly when supporting youth who are transitioning out of foster care to independence.

The Black Law Student Association(BLSA) and Center for Public Interest Law co-sponsored the event. In addition to teaching at the College of Law, Professor Martin Shelby is the faculty advisor for BLSA.

BLSA President Gloria Crawford was deeply moved by the presentation. “The January Lunch-n-Learn with Professor Martin Shelby was one of my favorite panel discussions that I have attended thus far in my law school career,” said Crawford. “As BLSA president I have had the pleasure of working closely with Professor Martin Shelby. She has always encouraged and supported me both personally, and as a law student and student organization leader. For me, learning the story behind the woman was inspiring and motivating. Her experience in foster care was eye-opening for me, because my background in a two-parent household was vastly different. She could have let this difficult situation define her and her future. Instead, she used it as fuel for success for herself and her son. As a law student I feel blessed and honored to know that Professor Martin Shelby is on the faculty of my law school. Her presence lets me know that I can face adversity and win. One of the most important lessons that she taught me [during the presentation] was that it is possible to achieve success while unapologetically striving for my own happiness.”​

Jeffrey Becker (JD ’04), Swanson, Martin & Bell;

Andrew Engle (JD ’03), Davis | Friedman;

Sarah King (JD ’11), Clifford Law Offices; and

Matthew Passen (JD ’06) of Passen Law Group.

The DePaul alumni were selected from more than 1,400 attorney nominations submitted for this year’s publication.

If you are interested in attending IACDL’s annual dinner, please register here. ​ 

Chicago Legal Clinic Co-Founder Edward I. Grossman (JD '81) is a recipient of the Justice John Paul Stevens Award​ for his commitment to community and public service. Grossman was honored at the 16th annual John Paul Stevens Award Luncheon at the Standard Club in Chicago on October 13. ​Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stevens was in attendance to help honor this year's eight award recipients. ​​​

​Grossman co-founded the Chicago Legal Clinic in 1981 and has served as its executive director since 1985. The clinic provides legal services in southeast Chicago, Pilsen, Austin and the downtown areas, serving more than 375,000 people. He is active in several bar associations, including the Federal Bar Association, the Chicago Bar, the Illinois Trial Lawyers and the Federal Trial Bar. He is an arbitrator of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and a special commissioner for the Federal Courts, Northern District of Illinois.​

Presented by the Chicago Bar Foundation and Chicago Bar Association (CBA), the Justice John Paul Stevens Award honors lawyers and judges who reflect Justice Stevens' lifetime effort to improve the system of justice and his active participation and dedication to the CBA.​ ​

The Center for Public Interest Law​ (CPIL) and Legal Assistance Foundation's (LAF) Young Professionals Board cohosted "The Healing Lawyer: Bringing the Affordable Care Act to Communities in Need" panel on October 14.  

The panel consisted of two attorneys from LAF who work with those positively affected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA): Carrie Chapman, director of the public benefits group, and Alice Setrini, medical legal partnership project supervisory attorney. The conversation was moderated by David Rodriguez, clinical instructor of the Poverty Law Clinic​ and director of the Third Year in Practice Program​.

Chapman and Setrini discussed how those living in poverty have specifically benefitted from the ACA and how access to healthcare has helped open doors to healthier communities, breeding more economically and socially stable communities. They also described how LAF has identified and pursued implementation issues surrounding ACA and the importance and growth of medical-legal partnerships. Chapman and Setrini then offered tips for lawyers interested in helping, such as familiarizing oneself with resources under the ACA now available to clients, directing clients to the ACA marketplace website and helping clients fill out applications. 

The event was cosponsored by the Jaharis Health Law Institute​, the Public Interest Law Association​, and the Pro Bono and Community Service Initiative​. 

DePaul University College of Law faculty members placed 20 articles in the top 50 law reviews during the 2014-2015 academic year. Their work covered a wide range of topics—from Susan Bandes’ work on emotion in evaluating proof and prejudice, to Monu Bedi’s application of the mosaic theory to social networking communications, to Zoe Robinson’s research on religious institutionalism. For a complete list of DePaul law professors and their recent scholarship, visit our faculty profile pages.

DePaul Law Faculty Articles in Top 50 Law Reviews*

Susan Bandes

• Empathy and Article III: Judge Weinstein, Cases and Controversies
  DePaul Law Review (forthcoming 2015)
• Emotion, Proof and Prejudice: The Cognitive Science of Gruesome Photos and Victim Impact Statements
  Arizona State Law Journal (2014) (with J. Salerno)

Monu Bedi

• Social Networks, Government Surveillance, and the Fourth Amendment Mosaic Theory
  Boston University Law Review (2014)

Emily Cauble

• Safe Harbors in Tax Law
  Connecticut Law Review (forthcoming 2015)
• Detrimental Reliance on IRS Guidance
  Wisconsin Law Review (forthcoming 2015)

Andrew Gold

• Fiduciary Governance
  William and Mary Law Review (forthcoming, 2015) (with P. Miller)

Max Helveston

• Consumer Protection in the Age of Big Data
  Washington University Law Review (forthcoming 2016)
• Judicial Deregulation of Consumer Markets
  Cardozo Law Review (2015)

Michael Jacobs

• The Incoherence of Bargaining Power in Contract Law
  Wake Forest Law Review (2014) (with M. Helveston)

Daniel I. Morales

• Crimes of Migration
  Wake Forest Law Review (2015)

Bruce Ottley

• New York Times v. Sullivan at 50: Despite Criticism, the Actual Malice Standard Still Provides ‘Breathing Space’ for Communications in the Public Interest
  DePaul Law Review (2014) (with J. Lewis)

Zoe Robinson

• Lobbying in the Shadows: Religious Interest Groups in the Legislative Process
  Emory Law Journal (2015)
• The Contraception Mandate and the Forgotten Constitutional Question
  Wisconsin Law Review (2014)
• What is a “Religious Institution”?
  Boston College Law Review (2014)
• Constitutional Personhood
  George Washington Law Review (forthcoming 2015)
• The Failure of Mitigation
  Hastings Law Journal (forthcoming 2014) (with R. Smith & S. Cull)
• Bias in the Shadow of Criminal Law: The Problem of Implicit White Favoritism
  Alabama Law Review (forthcoming 2015) (with R. Smith & J. Levinson)
• The Family Unit in the Age of Religious Institutionalism
  University of Illinois Law Review (forthcoming 2016)

Mark Weber

• Intent in Disability Discrimination Law: Social Science Insights and Comparisons to Race and Sex Discrimination
  University of Illinois Law Review (forthcoming 2016)
• Accidentally on Purpose: Intent in Disability Discrimination Law
  Boston College Law Review (forthcoming 2015)

* Top 50 Law Reviews as listed in the Washington and Lee University School of Law Library “Law Journal Rankings Project” for 2014.

“These survey results reflect the breadth of DePaul’s distinctiveness—from experiential learning in the Chicago community, to strong joint programs with a nationally renowned university, to LLM programs in fields where DePaul is well-known,” said Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea. “We continue to define DePaul Law with these excellent programs, and are proud to be recognized by NLJ’s readers.”

This is the second consecutive year that readers rated DePaul’s clinical and LLM programs as No. 1 in Chicago. The JD/MBA program moved up to first place from third in last year’s survey. More than 1,400 readers voted in nearly 80 categories in the 2015 survey.

DePaul’s nine clinical programs provide students with community-based service opportunities and hands-on learning experiences outside the classroom. The clinical program areas include asylum and immigration law, civil rights, criminal appeals, family law, housing law and community development, mediation, misdemeanors, poverty law, and technology and intellectual property.

Offered jointly with DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, the JD/MBA program prepares students to be effective leaders and problem-solvers in the areas of law and business. The College of Law also partners with several other colleges at DePaul to offer joint degree programs in international studies, computer science and public service management.

DePaul’s LLM programs focus on the areas of health law, intellectual property law, international law and taxation. The programs are designed to provide foreign-trained lawyers and graduates of non-U.S. law schools with an understanding of the U.S. legal system, as well as to provide U.S. lawyers and law graduates with expanded knowledge and training.

DePaul University College of Law ranks in the top third of U.S. law schools (64th) in a recent study measuring the scholarly impact of law faculties.

Professor Gregory Sisk and colleagues at the University of St. Thomas School of Law conducted the 2015 study, which uses the “Scholarly Impact Score” developed by Professor Brian Leiter at the University of Chicago. The scholarly impact ranking is calculated from the mean and median of total law journal citations by tenured faculty over the past five years.

The study also notes the 10 most cited scholars for each ranked law school. The most cited DePaul law faculty members include Susan Bandes, Sumi Cho, David Franklin, Patty Gerstenblith, Andrew Gold, Roberta Kwall, Joshua Sarnoff, Jeffrey Shaman, Stephen Siegel and Mark Weber.

"DePaul faculty continue to be distinctive in the breadth and quality of their scholarship," said Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea. "It's great to see that distinction recognized nationally!"

Scholars present on a wide range of topics under the umbrella of intellectual property law. The conference format is designed to facilitate free-ranging discussion and to help scholars hone ideas. Papers presented are works-in-progress and open to peer commentary and critique. Participants also have the opportunity to learn from their peers, high-caliber scholars.

“I'm especially looking forward to this year's IPSC because it is the 15th anniversary of the conference, and the first plenary session will address the evolution of IP scholarship during the last 15 years,” said Professor Margit Livingston, CIPLIT director. Among this year's presentations, Professor Livingston noted a trend toward more internationally focused works as well as more interdisciplinary ones.

The annual conference is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology, UC BerkeleyBoalt Hall School of Law; the Intellectual Property Law Program, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; the Center for Intellectual Property Law and Information Technology, DePaul University College of Law; and the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology, Stanford Law School.

The New ‘Anti’ Hero

Despite the ubiquity of the Internet, there is oftentimes still a befuddling, gee-whiz quality ascribed to it. Algorithms and SEO-speak are not easily translatable for the average person, and even though coding may be in the skill set of many millennials, that isn’t the case for older generations. What you see isn’t always what you get, especially when it’s exactly what you want.  While the Internet has been tamed since the 1990s, that doesn’t mean everybody plays nice.

Scam artists abound, capitalizing on the anonymity afforded them by the constructs of a location-agnostic digital marketplace. They use a smoke-and-mirrors approach to a sale, hoping to distract potential customers enough that they “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain”—or screen—until they give up their credit card information. These websites deal in counterfeit brands, and their significant profits are a pain point for both consumers and the brands they love … and love to buy.

In fiscal year 2013 alone, according to the website of the Washington, D.C.-headquartered International Anticounterfeiting Coalition: “The Department of Homeland Security seized counterfeit goods valued at over $1.7 billion at U.S. borders.” And that’s only the counterfeit goods that were confiscated.

Into this dizzying fray of international fraud and trademark infringement walk attorneys like Justin Gaudio (JD ’08), shareholder with Greer, Burns & Crain (GBC) in Chicago. His legal career has focused on all facets of intellectual property law, including patents and trademarks, with the bulk of his experience on Internet and technology law aimed at combating online counterfeiting and infringement.

Gaudio truly enjoys his work; he’s passionate about using his technical skills to right wrongs. “It’s interesting because it combines a lot of the technical aspects of how the Internet works with my knowledge of those concepts to shut down these mostly Chinese-based counterfeit websites,” Gaudio said of his online anticounterfeiting skills, which he learned in his undergraduate career, honed at DePaul’s College of Law and has been putting into practice at GBC since 2007.

He didn’t enter into law to defend the sensibilities, reputations and wallets of duped brands and consumers from fraudulent infringers, per say. Rather, the University of Cincinnati graduate planned to use his BS in computer engineering and his minor in mathematics to work with patent law. “But,” Gaudio said, “I just fell into this Internet counterfeit enforcement space.” And he has thrived as though it was all planned.

In fact, Gaudio has worked on more than 200 cases during his short tenure at GBC, having helped develop the IP firm’s online enforcement solutions. In just the past three years, Gaudio and his colleagues have seized more than 120,000 counterfeit domains, restrained more than 19,000 PayPal accounts (and frozen more than $26 million in these accounts) and redirected more than 20 million unique visitors away from counterfeit websites.

“The massive volume of online counterfeit websites, along with the covert nature of the individuals behind the sites, usually located in China, creates significant challenges for brand owners,” he explained. “We have success shutting them down by using technology to facilitate large scale enforcement through third-party Internet providers.

“[The anticounterfeiting space] is an area that will continue to grow and will continue to be challenging,” Gaudio predicted. “Many of the people that we help clients shut down are located offshore in China, so it’s challenging to get to them, particularly from the U.S. Having the technical background combined with the legal, I think, is advantageous: It’s a skill set that you need to succeed in this arena.”

Being able to understand the Internet and how it operates—and navigate it as deftly as a fraudulent site operator would—Gaudio added, are all crucial elements to shutting down counterfeit sites. His education choices and his efforts to stay abreast of industry news and trends continue to allow him to thrive in the anticounterfeiting space. He advises that first-year students find their niches and own them. “Become an expert in a certain area; find a niche and focus on that. Don’t try to do everything. And, have an open mind,” Gaudio said.

Lucky for Gaudio’s clients—but unlucky for would-be fraudulent site operators—he is firmly entrenched in the anticounterfeiting space.

A new endowment at DePaul University College of Law will expand and strengthen scholarly and educational programs at a dynamic intersection of legal studies— intellectual property and health law. 

Wendy Netter Epstein, Faculty Director

Katherine V. Schostok, Executive Director

Gloria Crawford, Rush University Medical Center

Luci Doler, Baxter International

Tobin Klusty, American Medical Association, Council on Ethics and Judicial Affairs

Nesko Radovic, Presence Health

Lacey Rogers, Walgreens Co.

Asik Shaa, American Medical Association, Office of the General Counsel

Leah Sibbio, Husch Blackwell

Andrea Torgrimson, Accretive Health

​​​​​In April, the Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL) invited four attorneys from the Office of the Cook County Public Defender to speak with students about the realities and myths of a career as a public defender. Students interested in becoming public defenders had an opportunity to receive career advice and to learn about the pivotal role public defenders play in challenging our nation’s criminal justice system.

Public defenders Ashley Shambley, Katie Calhoun, Joey Cavise and Theodore Thomas shared their experiences and answered students' questions. Shambley shared her personal experience with police violence and racism, and how these experiences led to her desire to advocate for poor communities of color. Calhoun addressed students' concerns about transitioning into practice, common student fears about preparedness, and how she navigated those concerns and now comfortably and confidently carries her caseload. Cavise and Thomas advised students on what classes to take and other opportunities available at DePaul to help them in their training to become successful advocates.

"This was an i​​ncredible panel that reaffirmed my commitment to fight for justice as a public defender," said Max Suchan, a third-year student. "I would encourage younger students to attend similar events in the future, and get involved with the Center for Public Interest Law.” 

​​​When it comes to comparing maternity leave and paid-time off with other countries, the United States ranks close to last. The Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL) gathered students, practitioners and faculty together on Wednesday, March 18 to discuss gender and pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.  Attorneys Amy Meek, Mike Persoon and Sarah Baum shared their knowledge, advice and personal experiences related to the topic of gender and pregnancy discrimination. 

DePaul University College of Law will hold its commencement May 17 at the Rosemont Theatre where some 280 students will receive their Juris Doctors or Master of Laws degrees. The Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., president of DePaul, will confer the degrees. M. Cherif Bassiouni, DePaul emeritus professor of law, will address the graduating class. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. 

Bassiouni, who will receive an honorary degree at the ceremony, has spent much of his life’s work advocating for human rights and practicing international criminal law. In his 50 years with DePaul, he co-founded the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences and DePaul’s International Human Rights Law Institute. For decades, the United Nations has chosen Bassiouni to conduct investigations when heinous human rights crimes were suspected. His contributions to the establishment of an International Criminal Court, where those who commit crimes against humanity are now prosecuted, earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 1999. 

Bassiouni will be introduced by Bruce Ottley, interim dean of the College of Law.

Since its establishment in 1912, the College of Law has graduated more than 19,000 students. DePaul law graduates have gone on to become highly skilled, committed and vigorous leaders of the bar, bench and business industries. Alumni include numerous state and federal judges, three Chicago mayors and managing partners of dozens of major law firms.

Its rich history of quality education, access and diversity has long set the College of Law apart. DePaul was among the first law schools in Illinois to admit historically excluded groups such as female and Jewish students.

The college is home to distinguished centers and institutes that are dedicated to teaching, research, advocacy, and public education and engagement across a wide range of disciplines. Distinctive educational opportunities for students include joint degrees, certificate programs and experiential learning taught by 36 full-time faculty members who are all accomplished attorneys. 

Areas of concentration for the College of Law include business law and taxation; child and family law; criminal law; health law; intellectual property law and information technology; international and comparative law; and public interest law.

In 2014, the National Law Journal placed DePaul’s College of Law first for Best LLM Program and Best Law School Clinical Program in Chicago. DePaul has had the largest number of graduates on the Illinois Super Lawyers list for the past six years. 

This July, the College of Law will welcome Jennifer Rosato Perea, a nationally recognized leader in legal education, as dean. Throughout her 25 years in higher education, which includes 11 years as a law school administrator, Rosato Perea has been an active voice in the national dialogue about legal education. At DePaul, Rosato Perea will lead a law school recognized for its world-renowned faculty and innovative academic programs. 

Among the Class of 2015 is Amanda Moncada, an ambitious Latina from Chicago with plans for a career in corporate law. Read her story.

The Rosemont Theater is located at 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont. Those unable to attend may watch a live stream of the event. Click on the word “webcast” once the ceremony begins.

Commencement ceremonies for DePaul’s nine other colleges and schools are scheduled for June 13 and 14. For additional information, including a list of speakers and honorary degree recipients, visit http://depaulne.ws/DPUcommencementspeakers2015. 

117th Commencement

This spring marks the 117th commencement for DePaul University. An estimated 6,700 students will graduate this academic year. DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the United States and the largest private, nonprofit university in the Midwest, with nearly 24,000 students and about 300 academic programs. 

DePaul was founded in Chicago in 1898 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), a Roman Catholic religious community dedicated to following the ideals of St. Vincent de Paul, the 17th century priest for whom the university is named. DePaul’s tradition of providing a quality education to students from a broad range of backgrounds, with particular attention to first-generation students, has resulted in one of the nation’s most diverse student bodies. More information is at depaul.edu.

Story courtesy of the DePaul Newsroom.