A Message from
Dean Jenn

Dear DePaul Law Alumni Community:

We all remember our bar exam summer—the lectures, the flash cards, the practice exams—and worrying about whether you were doing enough, while sometimes being overwhelmed by anxiety and fear about what you would do if you did not pass the first time. That anxiety and fear is exacerbated by COVID-19 and concerns about whether the bar exam can be administered safely when scheduled. Across the fifty states, there are at least 14 variations of in-person and/or remote administration of the exam and/or a diploma privilege (and states are still shifting weekly). It's hard for the grads to keep focused amidst all these changes.

In Illinois, we are preparing for an in-person exam on Sept. 9 and 10, with safety protocols consistent with state and city restrictions (including safe-distancing, a maximum of 50 test-takers in a room and masks for all throughout the exam). The Illinois law school deans are supporting the bar examination with space and proctors where possible. To that end, we are looking for volunteers to assist in proctoring the exams. If you are interested, please see the volunteer information below on how you can help.

Also, the Illinois Supreme Court is considering an emergency petition to grant the graduates an Illinois diploma privilege (instead of taking a bar exam). We anticipate the Illinois Supreme Court will decide the petition soon.

In the meantime, our DePaul Law graduates are taking bar classes online, including the supplemental Demon Bar course led by Professor Jamie Kleppetsch. She teaches our students every day with expertise and tireless dedication.

One recent positive change is that the Illinois Supreme Court passed 711(g), a new section to the 711 student practice rule that allows our grads to work in private firms and organizations (in addition to public interest firms or government agencies). The greatest help you can provide right now is to hire our grads as 711(g) practitioners or hire them permanently after they take the bar exam.

I know you join me in supporting our graduates' success on the bar exam, and in staying safe while doing so. If any class can stay strong, it is our wonderful Class of 2020.

All my best,
Dean Jenn

____________________________

____________________________

Volunteers Needed: Illinois Bar Exam Proctors

As Dean Jenn shared above, this will be a very different and difficult year for administering the Illinois bar exam to our recent graduates and the other Illinois bar takers. DePaul Law is committed to supporting the Illinois Board of Admissions with the bar and assisting in the process in every way that we can. This includes asking members of our community (faculty, staff and alumni) to volunteer to serve as exam proctors. Due to COVID-19, the bar exam will take place at many locations across the city (all test locations will be in the city of Chicago) and will require more exam proctors than in previous years. The bar will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 and Thursday, Sept. 10.

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer proctor for the Illinois bar exam, please email Kristy Rawson at krawson@depaul.edu. She will provide your contact information to the Illinois Board of Admissions. We gratefully appreciate your consideration of this special request.

College of Law Receives $1 Million Gift to Establish Kopple Scholars Endowment

The Kopple Scholars Endowment aims to recruit and retain law students with the highest academic credentials

DePaul University's College of Law is honored to announce the Kopple Scholars Endowment, made possible through a $1 million gift from alumnus Robert C. Kopple. Beginning in 2022, the endowment will provide recognition and financial support for two full-time law students who demonstrate outstanding academic credentials.

"We are so grateful to Bob and Carole Kopple for their strong belief in DePaul's mission and for their commitment to academic excellence," says Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea. "The Kopple Scholars Endowment will enable us to attract and retain some of the most academically stellar students and continue to build our law school's strong national reputation in a competitive environment. We hope this generous gift will also inspire others to give back and make a difference in the lives of future DePaul Law students."

Kopple, an esteemed DePaul graduate and Double Demon, earned his bachelor's degree in 1965 and JD in 1967. At DePaul, Kopple served as associate editor of the Law Review. He later received an LLM in taxation in 1968 from New York University. Co-founder of the Los Angeles-based firm, Kopple and Klinger (now Kopple, Klinger & Elbaz LLP), in 1992, he has spent his entire career in estate planning, taxation and business law. Among other notable skills, Kopple is respected for assisting clients with complex estate and gift tax issues, including noncitizens and nonresidents of the United States.

"The purpose of our gift was to express our appreciation for the fine college and law school education I received and for all the things it enabled me to do in life. We designed the Kopple Scholars Endowment to help attract the best students to the law school so it could continue to compete effectively with other law schools," says Kopple.

DePaul College of Law is an urban law school committed to developing legal professionals who understand the bigger picture and their place in it. With flexible degree programs, including juris doctor, master of jurisprudence and master of laws degrees, taught by the nation's most respected faculty, DePaul College of Law boasts a diverse network of alumni who have gone on to become successful lawyers and leaders in their fields. Click here to learn more. 

____________________________

____________________________

Thank You
Alumni & Friends!

The 2019-20 fiscal year (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020) at DePaul was one of service, spirit and success. And thanks to our generous and loyal law donors, DePaul can celebrate the last twelve months as a period of new beginnings and continued growth. Despite the adversity we faced in the spring, our community made life-changing experiences happen for our students. We look forward to continued success this year with help from donors like you.

Watch our fiscal year wrap-up video and read more about the impact DePaul donors made over the last twelve months.

Jaharis Health Law Institute CCB Healthcare Compliance Virtual Conference

The 2020 Healthcare Compliance Conference will address the key requirements for an effective compliance program and some of the challenges compliance professionals face when conducting education and training, responding to compliance violations, auditing and monitoring, implementing HIPAA protections and communicating and reporting.

The conference will specifically address telehealth, preparedness and the use of new technology for the delivery of healthcare in the current environment. Speakers will address the changes required in response to the recent pandemic, compliance in the current landscape and how to transition to the anticipated new norm.

Thursday, Aug. 27
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Live Web Conference

The conference agenda, CLE credits and registration information can be found here.

____________________________

____________________________

2020 Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Virtual Symposium: The Current State of Elder Law

On Monday, Oct. 12, join us for the 2020 Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center Virtual Symposium: The Current State of Elder Law.

Through various panel discussions with experts in the field, panelists and attendees will explore the intersection of family law and elder law, emergency guardianships, advance directives, public benefits, caregivers, choices in end of life matters, protecting your loved ones from financial exploitation and LGBT seniors. Panelists will address the current landscape, the changes required in response to the recent pandemic and how to transition to the anticipated new norm. There will also be an elder law case law update you don't want to miss!

The agenda, speakers, and registration can be viewed here.

The cost to attend this full day symposium is $99 per person, with a reduced rate of $49 for non-profit and government employees (free for students).

DePaul University College of Law is an accredited CLE Provider. This program has been approved for up to 7 general Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits.

Pending approval, this program will include 1 hour of diversity and inclusion CLE credit.

Volunteer Opportunity:
The Pro Bono & Community
Service Initiative

Looking for a remote and flexible pro bono opportunity? The Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative is seeking College of Law alumni to partner with law students to answer legal questions posted on Illinois Free Legal Answers.

Illinois Free Legal Answers is a secure website run by Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) where lower income Illinois residents can ask a lawyer for help with civil legal issues.

The Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative will match alumni with law students who will research and draft the initial answers, and the alumni will review and post the answers.

Training and materials will be provided. To volunteer, please email Lauren Worsek.

Upcoming Virtual Alumni Programming