From the Dean Supporting Public Interest Careers Over the last two years, Chicago-Kent has worked to develop the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) in an effort to make public interest careers a viable employment opportunity for our students and alumni. The LRAP program helps Chicago-Kent graduates repay law school loans by providing funds based on application criteria. After this two-year journey, I am pleased to announce that the first disbursements of the LRAP will be made this month. This is an important accomplishment on many levels. Not only does it underscore Chicago-Kent’s commitment to the public interest, it comes at a time when federal and private loans are in jeopardy and students are accruing more and more debt in a declining economy. Twenty-four Chicago-Kent alumni were chosen as the first beneficiaries of the LRAP, selected by a committee of Chicago-Kent faculty, staff, and alumni. Criteria for the awards included earning less than $55,000 per year and working in the public interest (including government) sector. I am proud that our law school can help make a small difference for alumni who chose to improve their communities by taking lower-paying public sector jobs.   Thank you to those who generously funded the LRAP; in particular, the class of 2007, who designated their class gift to the project, the 2007 Reunion classes of 1982, 2002, 1997, 1952, 1957, 1962 and 1967, as well as Vince DiTommaso ’82, who helped with a cy pres award. We owe the success of the program to many in our Chicago-Kent Community and we look forward to increasing its scope over the years to come. For more information on the LRAP, please visit www.kentlaw.edu/publicinterest/lrap. Sincerely, Harold J. Krent Dean and Professor of Law

The Chicago-Kent Student Hurricane Network worked with the Sierra Club to restore buildings in the Lower 9th Ward over winter break. Students are pictured outside one of the new "green homes" in the Lower 9th Ward built by Brad Pitt's organization, "Make it Right 9."

In This Issue

News and Announcements

Chicago-Kent Named among "Most Innovative Law Schools"

Chicago-Kent is one of 10 "most innovative law schools" featured in the Winter 2009 issue of preLaw magazine. In the article, Dean Harold Krent describes how Chicago-Kent explores the intersection of law and technology through a variety of groundbreaking programs, including the Center for Access to Justice and Technology, the courthouse-based Self-Help Web Center, and a hands-on course focusing on litigation technology.

Alumna Accompanies Student Hurricane Network on Gulf Coast Trip

In early January, the Chicago-Kent College of Law chapter of the Student Hurricane Network (SHN) took their biannual trip to the Gulf Coast region to help with the revitalization of the area post-Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Students split up in the New Orleans area and worked on projects ranging from rebuilding a church to policy research with the Alliance for Affordable Energy. 

A unique opportunity arose under the past experience of SHN leader and 3L Jonathan Rhodes to gain momentum with the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act (HR 4048). This bill is currently in the House of Representatives and focuses directly on stimulating the economy, infrastructure, and environment of the Gulf Coast region. Pairing up with SHN and Chicago-Kent alumna, Prashanthi Rao ‘07 as a supervising attorney, the students researched projects for immediate implementation in the next 90 days. 

Students met with various community organizers from the New Orleans area, coastal Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to compile information on funding needed for community projects. The compilation of information was provided to the Equity and Inclusion Campaign of the Louisiana Recovery Foundation (founded by Governor Blanco’s office) in a final report to be discussed with President Obama in the coming weeks. The bill is being endorsed by John Podesta and the Center for American Progress. 

Barnes & Thornburg LLP, where Rao is an associate, partly sponsored Chicago-Kent’s trip as recognition of their support and encouragement for the efforts of the students and community affected by the storms. Rao has been to New Orleans numerous times over the course of the last two years to help with revitalization efforts, so the decision to serve as supervising attorney was a simple one. “Alumni should keep abreast of developments within their particular area of interest and to stay involved with the Kent community for similar opportunities and life-changing experiences,” she notes. “It’s an incredible way to give back—with skills and abilities learned at Kent and fostered and refined thereafter.”

For more information regarding Student Hurricane Network, please contact Jonathan Rhodes at jrhodes@kentlaw.edu. If you would like make a donation towards the group’s next trip, please visit www.kentlaw.edu/give and choose “Student Hurricane Network.”

Article contributed by Prashanthi Rao ’07.

On the Edges of Science and Law

The Institute for Science, Law and Technology (ISLAT) at Chicago-Kent College of Law has launched a new blog, On the Edges of Science and Law, to address timely issues of ethics and legality in rapidly expanding technological fields such as genetics, alternative reproduction, human research and nanotechnology. Initial items from ISLAT bloggers include posts on the question of DNA testing to determine Native American tribal identity and on the ethical concerns raised by the prescription of placebo treatments by physicians.

The awards are given in honor of the Hon. Abraham Lincoln Marovitz ‘25.

Make Your Nomination for the Marovitz Public Interest Awards

Each year, the law school honors alumni who demonstrate outstanding public service leadership with The Hon. Abraham Lincoln Marovitz Public Interest Award. The award includes a stipend intended to help offset the cost of law school loan repayment for alumni who take lower-paid public interest positions.

We encourage you to nominate a fellow alumnus or alumna for this honor. Alumni working in the public interest sector who have graduated in the last 15 years are eligible. Nominations are accepted until Friday, February 20, 2009.

This year’s recipients will be honored at the Public Interest Awards and Networking Reception on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.

Apply to Serve on the 2009-2010 Chicago-Kent Alumni Board of Directors

Applications are available to volunteer for Chicago-Kent Alumni Board of Directors. The Alumni Board of Directors represents the Chicago-Kent alumni community by overseeing and supporting various programs and events. The Board is dedicated to the goal of strengthening bonds between the law school and its students and graduates, and serves as a voice for the Chicago-Kent alumni community.

If you are interested in applying or nominating a fellow alumnus/a to be a Board of Director, please return the application by March 2, 2009.  If you have questions, please contact Tara Anderson, Director of Alumni Relations at 312.906.5245 or tanderson@kentlaw.edu.

Moot Court Competition Seeking Judges: CLE Credit Available!

Chicago-Kent is host to the Midwest Super Regional Competition of the 2009 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition on February 12 - 14, 2009 at the law school. The International Law Students Association is currently recruiting volunteers to serve as judges for the oral rounds of the Competition, which will take place Friday, February 13 between 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, February 14 between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Each oral round is approximately two hours long. Judges are asked to arrive 30 minutes early.

Volunteers can earn 8.0 hours of IL MCLE credit for each oral round judged. If you would like to volunteer to serve as a judge, please contact Ashley Walker, the Administrator of the Midwest Super Regional Competition, at awalker@ilsa.org.

Moving across country? Chances are there are Chicago-Kent alumni in your new town. You can search the online directory by city, state, and country by clicking the “Alumni Directory” link and choosing “advanced search.” To start, visit www.alumni.kentlaw.edu. Not yet a part of the community? Request your login information.

Save the Date

Social Events - Chicago

Chicago-Kent's Night with the Bulls
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
7:30 p.m.
United Center, 1901 W. Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60612.

Watch the Chicago-Bulls take on the Detroit Pistons at the United Center. On this special night, all Chicago-Kent College of Law alumni, students, faculty, family and friends have the opportunity to purchase tickets at half-price!  Tickets regularly priced at $46 and $70 are available for only $23 and $35!

This game will feature, among others, special guests Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen who will honor Johnny Kerr, a longtime Bulls broadcaster.

To order tickets, click here to complete the payment form and submit to the Chicago Bulls by Friday, February 6th. Please note that tickets are subject to availability and due to high demand, we encourage you to register as soon as possible.

Atty Gen. Lisa Madigan will be honored by Phi Alpha Delta.

Phi Alpha Delta Judges’ Night Honoring Lisa Madigan
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
5:00 – 7:30 p.m
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Lobby, Chicago, IL 60661

Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity is pleased to recognize Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan at its annual Judges’ Night.

If you received your invitation or are affiliated with PAD, RSVP to (312) 263-1360, Ext 20. Co-hosted by the Chicago Alumni Chapter (Board of Director, John Norris ’83), the William Blackstone Chapter, and Chicago-Kent College of Law.

2009 Public Interest Awards and Networking Reception
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
5:00 p.m. Awards, Networking Reception to Follow
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Ogilvie Auditorium, Chicago, IL 60661

Please join us as we honor the 2009 Marovitz Public Interest Award recipients.

Nominations for the awards are accepted until Friday, February 13, 2009. For more information, visit the Public Interest Awards page.

Dean Krent will host an alumni gathering in Houston, Texas this month.

Social Events - Regional

Houston Alumni Gathering
Thursday, February 26, 2009
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Piatto Ristorante Galleria, 4925 W Alabama, Houston, TX 77056

Dean Harold J. Krent will host a dinner for Chicago-Kent alumni in the Houston, Texas area.

RSVP by Monday, February 23, 2009 to eturley@kentlaw.edu or (312) 906-5241.

East Coast Florida Alumni Gathering
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Palm Beach area, FL (Location TBA)

RSVP by March 16, 2009 to alums@kentlaw.edu or (312) 906-5240.

Sixth Annual West Coast Florida Alumni Gathering
Saturday, March 21, 2009
12:00 p.m. ~ Lunch
Polo Grill & Bar, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

IL Solicitor General, Michael Scodro, will speak at the D.C. Alumni Dinner in April.

Hosted by Roy C. Palmer ‘62 and Susan Palmer.

RSVP by March 16, 2009 to alums@kentlaw.edu or (312) 906-5240.

Washington D.C. Alumni Dinner
Sunday, April 5, 2009
6:00 p.m. Cocktails ~ 7:00 p.m. Dinner
The University Club of Washington, D.C., 1135 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-4885

Please join Dean Harold J. Krent for an Alumni Dinner in Washington D.C. at the University Club, featuring special guest, Michael Scodro, Illinois Solicitor General and Chicago-Kent Professor.

Tickets are $50/person. Click here to RSVP online by Monday, March 30. Please note: business attire is required (no denim or athletic shoes please).

Lectures & Conferences

Justice Zakeria Mohammed Yacoob

Justice Zakeria Mohammed Yacoob has served on the Constitutional Court of South Africa since 1998, during which time it has ruled on many issues fundamental to building the rule of law in post-apartheid South Africa. For many decades before joining the court, he was an activist lawyer promoting social justice and democracy under Apartheid. He was also intimately involved in the negotiations which ultimately shaped the new constitutional order in South Africa. Judge Yacoob has been blind since childhood and is presently Chairperson of the South African National Council for the Blind.

This event is free and open the public.

Panel Discussion: The Impeachment Trial of Former Governor Rod Blagojevich
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
5:00 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Room C50, Chicago, IL 60661

A panel of experts will discuss the impeachment trial of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Panelists include Dean Harold J. Krent, Chicago-Kent Professor and Freehling Scholar, Mark D. Rosen, and Michael J. Kasper, Partner with Fletcher, Topol, O'Brien & Kasper, who is a member of the litigation team on behalf of the Illinois General Assembly in the impeachment, General Counsel and Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Illinois, as well as former General Counsel to Illinois House Speaker, Michael J. Madigan. A cocktail reception will follow.

This event is free and open the public. Sponsored by the American Constitution Society, Chicago-Kent chapter. Contact jellis@kentlaw.edu with questions.

American Constitution Society’s Supreme Court Review
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
12:00 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60661

Distinguished Professor Sheldon Nahmod gives his third annual Supreme Court Review, sponsored by the Chicago-Kent chapter of the American Constitution Society. Professor Nahmod will discuss key cases and holdings from the Supreme Court’s 2007-08 term.
This presentation will be conducted from a non-ideological, informative perspective.

This event is free and open to the public. ACS will provide lunch and refreshments for all attendees. RSVP to Julia Ellis at jellis@kentlaw.edu by Monday, February 16, 2009.

IP Speaker:
Anupam Chander

Chicago IP Colloquium Speaker: Professor Anupam Chander
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
4:00 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St. Room 305, Chicago, IL 60661

Anupam Chander, Professor at UC Davis School of Law, will speak on his paper, “Youthful Indiscretion & Digital Memory.”

This event is free and open to the public. The Chicago IP Colloquium is cosponsored by Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Please visit the Colloquium’s website for more information on the speaker series.

Forum on Gay Marriage with special guest William Eskridge, Yale Law School
Friday, March 6, 2009
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60661

William Eskridge, John A. Garver Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School, and Chicago-Kent Professor Katharine Baker will chair a panel on the legal issues surrounding gay marriage,

This event is free and open to the public.

CLE Opportunities

Using Technology to Organize and Present Cases
Friday, February 27, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Marovitz Courtroom, Chicago, IL 60661

This seminar will illustrate how technology is effectively used to present information to juries and mediation panels, to manage complex litigation, to prepare and execute cross examination, and to assess feedback from focus group presentations. Attendees will see demonstrations of innovative technology in opening and closing argument presentations, direct examination of expert witnesses, and mediation presentations.

Piper Lecturer:
Richard B. Freeman

Attendees are eligible for 7.0 Hours of IL MCLE credit. For more information and to register, visit www.kentlaw.edu/depts/cle.

31st Annual Kenneth M. Piper Lecture: Why Market Fundamentalism Failed
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Ogilvie Auditorium, Chicago, IL 60661

Richard B. Freeman, Herbert Ascherman Professor of Economics, Harvard University, will speak on “Return of the Public: Why Market Fundamentalism Failed and What Labor Can Do about It to Save the World.”

Attendees are eligible for 1.25 hours of IL MCLE credit. For more information, visit www.kentlaw.edu/depts/cle. This event is free and open to the public.

Morris Lecturer: Catherine Kessedjian

19th Annual Henry Morris Lecture: Uniformity v. Diversity in Law in a Global World
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Chicago-Kent College of Law, 565 W. Adams St., Ogilvie Auditorium, Chicago, IL 60661

Catherine Kessedjian, Professor, University of Paris II, France, will speak on “Uniformity v. Diversity in Law in a Global World: Examples in Commercial & Procedural Law."

Attendees are eligible for 1.0 hour of IL MCLE credit. For more information, visit www.kentlaw.edu/depts/cle. This event is free and open to the public.

Past Event Highlights

Arizona Alumni Gathering

Dean Harold J. Krent hosted a cocktail reception for Chicago-Kent and Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) alumni in Arizona on Sunday, January 25, 2009.

Twenty-five IIT and Chicago-Kent alumni and friends gathered at the Marriott Camelback Inn Scottsdale to discuss changes taking place at the University and to meet fellow alumni in the area.

Photo at right: (l-r,standing) Ellyn Goldwin and David Goldwin '88, (l-r, seated) Michael Sawyer '01 and Lori Sawyer.

More photos from the event are available on the Alumni Online Community at www.alumni.kentlaw.edu/arizona.