I have noticed a growing civic engagement among our students. This spring break, 23 Chicago-Kent students will travel to the Gulf Coast with the Student Hurricane Network (SHN). SHN is a national association of law students dedicated to providing long-term legal assistance to communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. SHN teams student volunteers with local lawyers to help provide services to residents in need. Our students previously have assisted in a wide range of activities, from searching for property deeds to protecting the rights of contract workers. (For further information and how you may help, please see below). Students have volunteered for local causes as well, and many have announced an intent to join our new public interest certificate program.

I also wish to share with you the wonderful accomplishments of students Keya Rajput (3L) and Joshua Jones (2L) who won the Regional Championship of the 2007 National Trial Competition held last month in Champaign, IL. The team was undefeated in its trials against Notre Dame, Indiana University, John Marshall and Loyola. Its success is a reflection upon the dedication of coaches Justice Warren Wolfson, Justice David A. Erickson, Margaret Firnstein ‘99, Nicholas Caputo ‘01 and Danielle Kays. We wish the team well as it heads to the National Competition in Houston, Texas.

Students also recently enjoyed a visit from U.S. Rep. Peter J. Roskam ’89 (R-IL), who reminisced about his days at Chicago-Kent and his journey to Washington, D.C. Representative Roskam graciously acknowledged the debt he owed to his participation on our Trial Ad team, and recalled fondly the national championship season of 1988. I was gratified by the turnout of almost 200 students.

Finally, this past weekend, Derek Johnson (3L), Kristin Munsch (3L), and Patrick Pocock (3L) argued against teams from over seventy other law schools at the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Pace University in White Plaines, New York. Derek, Kristen, and Patrick had the most successful competition of any environmental law moot court team in Chicago-Kent's history. In addition to reaching the Quarter Finals (for the second year in a row), our team swept the "Best Oralist" awards for every Preliminary Round in which we participated, with Kristin receiving one award and Derek receiving two, and Derek received the "Best Oralist" award for the entire national competition.

Thanks for your continued interest and support,

Harold J. Krent
Dean and Professor of Law


U.S. Rep. Peter J. Roskam ’89 (R-IL) (far left) poses
for a photo with the Trial Ad Team and Dean Hal Krent.

Request your Online Directory Username and Password – and Win a Prize!

We have received a great deal of feedback from alumni using the alumni online directory and community and want to encourage more of you to do so. The directory provides a convenient way to update your contact information and to submit your latest personal and professional news. To encourage continued participation, we are offering a prize to every 25th person again this month who requests a username and password AND logs on to the new online community. The Office of Alumni Relations will send you a Chicago-Kent baseball hat (a $20 value) just for trying it out. If you are a winner, you will be notified immediately.

To request your username and password, click here, otherwise, log on to the online directory by visiting the Chicago-Kent Online Community

***Tell us what you think***
C-K Legal Writing and Research Program

As Chicago-Kent alumni, you know how proud we are of our rigorous and comprehensive Legal Research and Writing Program. But now we need your help to determine whether research training in law schools is in step with the present and future of legal research. We know you all are busy, but ask you to take a few minutes to respond to our survey on the ways in which you research, how the resources you use have changed, and in what ways you anticipate those resources will be changing over the next few years. We are gathering this information from lawyers and law librarians all over Illinois in an effort to determine what changes law schools should make in research training to better prepare today’s law students to be tomorrow’s lawyers.

The survey should not take you more than ten minutes and a click of your mouse as the following link will take you directly to it.

Click here to take part in this brief survey

Thank you in advance for taking the time to contribute your valuable insights to our survey and helping our students.

Students Participating in Hurricane Relief Need Your Support!

This spring break, a group of 23 Chicago-Kent law students have decided to travel to the Gulf Coast with the Student Hurricane Network (SHN) to engage in legal hurricane relief. SHN is a national association of law students dedicated to providing long-term legal assistance to communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. SHN teams student volunteers with local lawyers to help provide services to residents in need. Students will have the opportunity to work on a variety of legal issues including criminal, landlord/tenant, professional responsibility, consumer protection, estate succession, immigration, administrative, family, foreclosure, and employment law.

Although volunteering with SHN provides great benefits to students and Chicago-Kent, it also comes at a financial cost. The week's cost for each student volunteer is estimated at $500 for travel, housing, and food. Your gift can help displace some of the volunteers’ costs. Chicago-Kent has established a tax-deductible account to receive donations on behalf of these students. To donate, please visit our online giving page. In the Gift Information section, designate your gift to “Other” and type “Student Hurricane Network” in the textbox. Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated.

This will be the third organized Chicago-Kent trip to the Gulf Coast. The efforts of Chicago-Kent students have been written up in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Mississippi Sun Herald, ABA Student Lawyer, and in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Kent Justice Foundation Auction - Gifts or Experiences Needed!

The Kent Justice Foundation (KJF) Annual Spring Auction will be held on March 28, and student organizers are in search of wonderful donations for the auction, with proceeds benefiting the KJF. Do you have spare sports tickets or a restaurant gift certificate you wish to donate? Perhaps you can give an afternoon of yourself so that a student may bid on spending the day with you? If so, let us know! Please contact Michelle Yu, KJF Alumni Liaison, at myu@kentlaw.edu

Muslim-Jewish Dialogue and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Dr. Judea Pearl, President, Daniel Pearl Foundation
Wednesday, March 7
3:00 PM - Governor Richard B. Ogilvie Auditorium, Chicago-Kent College of Law
Reception to Follow

UCLA Professor Judea Pearl, President of the Daniel Pearl Foundation and co-editor of I am Jewish (2004), will discuss how a reconciliation of these two Abrahamic faiths can be achieved through respectful dialogue. After his son, Wall Street Journal reporter and musician Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan by terrorists in 2002, Dr. Pearl formed the non-profit organization in Daniel’s name to promote cross-cultural understanding, diminish ethnic and religious hatred, encourage responsible and creative journalism, and unite people through the universal language of music.
We encourage you to attend this extraordinary speaking engagement, which is co-sponsored by UIC.

There is no charge and alumni are encouraged to attend. To RSVP, email the Office of Alumni Relations or phone (312) 906-5240.

Upcoming Chicago-Kent
Alumni Events in Florida

Dean Krent looks forward to seeing you in sunny Florida at one (or both) of the upcoming Chicago-Kent alumni events.

Sarasota
Saturday, March 17
12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Lunch and Entertainment
At the home of Roy C. ’62 and Susan M. Palmer
2050 Ben Franklin Drive
Complimentary Valet Parking


Guests enjoying themselves last spring
at our alumni brunch at the home of
Roy '62 and Susan Palmer.
.

Miami
Sunday, March 18
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Cocktails and Hors D’oeuvres
At the home of Mark Scott ‘97
1770 Micanopy Avenue
Coconut Grove

Mark your calendar and RSVP to Lisa Turley, eturley@kentlaw.edu or 312-906-5241.

Intellectual Property Law Society Alumni-Student Reception
Wednesday, March 21
5:00 PM - Judges’ Wall Lobby – First Floor – Chicago-Kent

The IPLS and Office of Alumni Relations cordially invite you to attend their Annual Alumni Reception. Come spend an evening with area IP alumni as well as students and volunteers who contribute to the success of the Intellectual Property Program at Chicago-Kent College of Law.

For more information, or to RSVP, click here or phone the Office of Alumni Relations at (312) 906-5240.

INSTITUTE FOR LAW AND THE WORKPLACE
The 29th annual
Kenneth M. Piper Lecture
Religion and the Workplace
Tuesday, March 27
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Governor Richard B. Ogilvie Auditorium, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Lecturer: Thomas C. Kohler, Concurrent Professor of Law and Philosophy, Boston College Law School

Commentary: Kim Bobo, Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice

Robert D. Campbell, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, NiSource Inc.

The public is cordially invited to attend the lecture. No registration is required.

To view/print the detailed program brochure or for more information, visit http://www.kentlaw.edu/depts/cle/piper/index.html or phone (312) 906-5090.

Ralph Brill Chair Update

Our effort continues to fund Chicago-Kent’s very first endowed chair and to honor Professor Ralph Brill. To date, more than 320 alumni and friends have made gifts totaling just more than $900,000 in support of the Chair. To reach our goal of $1.5 million, we need your support as well.

To make a gift online, click here or contact Elizabeth Turley, eturley@kentlaw.edu. All gifts from alums who have not given in the past 10 years will be matched, dollar for dollar, by an alumnus who wishes to remain anonymous. Give today and double the impact of your gift.


Professor Ralph Brill

Take a Break Needs You!

The Alumni Board of Directors Mentorship Committee is looking for volunteers to participate in our alumni/student roundtables this semester. Panel discussions centered around various legal disciplines, philosophies and networking opportunities give students an inside look at the profession. The very popular Take a Break gives students the chance to consider their own careers, and ask the questions they have always wanted answered.

Sessions are moderated by a member of the Alumni Board, and volunteers are asked to speak about their careers before the session is open to Q&A. Each Take a Break is informal, and begins at noon and lasts for about 60-90 minutes. Volunteers from all classes are encouraged to take part in these or future topics.

We are looking for volunteers for these upcoming Take a Break topics:
Tuesday, March 20 - Big firm/small firm and "Going out on your own"
Tuesday, April 3 - Alternative Legal Careers

We want your news!

Be sure to send us any news about your career highlights, new employment or organizational appointment, and we will gladly post in the Class Notes sections of our Web site and Online Community!