Law student Alex Sparhawk discusses a negotiation hypothetical with Legal Prep students.DePaul College of Law volunteers worked closely with high school
students from Legal Prep Charter Academy to teach litigation and
negotiation skills in a yearlong program developed by the Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative.
Law students coached Legal Prep teams for a negotiations competition
among classmates and sent qualifiers to a final round event at law
firm Kirkland & Ellis. Two Legal Prep students advanced to the final
round, earning second place overall.
This is the second consectutive year DePaul has worked with the Legal
Prep Charter Academy, the first legal-themed charter high school in
Chicago. Located in West Garfield Park, it also serves the surrounding
Austin, Lawndale and Humboldt Park communities. Students are exposed to
the legal profession while developing skills in communication, critical
thinking and advocacy.
DePaul welcomed the opportunity to work directly with these students
and pique their interest in the law and legal profession. This year's
volunteer team, comprised of students as well as alumni, faculty and
staff, met with Legal Prep students monthly to teach a skills lesson and
to assist students in working through hypotheticals and practicing for
the competition.
Alumna Jessica Schneider (JD '10) facilitates a mock negotiation to prepare Legal Prep students for their upcoming competition.“Working with students from Legal Prep reminded me why I value
education," said second-year student Amanda Moncada, who participated as
a volunteer. "Education is a medium through which lives can be
transformed. And I saw many of these young scholars transform into
well-spoken, intellectually creative, critical thinkers. This
observation made my volunteering experience with Legal Prep one
certainly worth repeating.”
Second-year law student Alex Sparkhawk agreed.
“Volunteering for Legal Prep was a truly rewarding experience," he
said. "Working with these students and future lawyers really cannot be
expressed in words. I was part of a mock trial program in high school
which eventually led me to law school. I only hoped that I could spark a
light in these students similar to the fire inside me that eventually
guided me into the legal career path.”
For more information about DePaul’s Legal Prep Charter Academy
volunteer team, please contact Pro Bono & Community Service
Initiative Director Cheryl Price at cprice13@depaul.edu.