Law Offices:
News & announcements for the week of
February 28, 2000

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JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIPS:  FALL 2000 SEMESTER STUDENTS MUST HAVE A MINIMUM 3.25 G.P.A. TO APPLY

 A judicial externship enables a student to become involved in particular legal problems through research and writing, and to contribute to the resolution of those legal problems.  Depending upon the judge, an extern may have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day routine of a judge and discuss with the judge and the judge's law clerk those legal problems which attorneys face in their profession, and the specific problems which attorneys confront in their courtroom.  Take advantage of this prestigious learning opportunity while enhancing your marketability in the legal world!

Application Process

 Applications for the Fall Judicial Externships are available both in the Law Offices reception area (Room 600), and in the Career Services Office. 

 Completed applications for Fall Externships should be submitted to Ms. Carole Ross, Secretary to Professor Gross, Room 612 of Law Offices, by Monday, March 13, at 5:00 p.m.
 
 

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR THIRD YEAR STUDENTS
FALL 2000 SEMESTER:  EXTERNSHIPS WITH U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

If you are interested in exposure to and possible participation in federal trial and appellate practice while assisting the U.S. Attorney's Office in handling its multitude of important cases, please pick up an application from Professor Gross in Room 617. 

Completed applications must be received at the Office of the U.S. Attorney by Thursday, March 16th.  The reason for this accelerated date is because each accepted extern must go through a security clearance, which takes several weeks.

To receive law school credit for this externship, should you be selected by the U.S. Attorney's Office, you must enroll in the law school's Advanced Externship Program.   The law school's externship applications will be available in early March in Room 600 Law Offices and in the Career Services office.

Professor Gross will be happy to answer any questions you may have about either the Externship Program or the externship position with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
 
 

LAW OFFICES - SUMMER REGISTRATION FOR IN-HOUSE PROGRAMS

Students who would like to learn how to practice law while they are in law school should apply for the in-house clinical education program, LAW OFFICES. Applications are now available for the summer semester.  The summer applications are due no later than Thursday, March 16, 2000.

Students may apply for Law Offices after they have completed the equivalent to their first year of law school (27 credits). To be considered for a place, ALL students must complete and return a completed Law Offices application. Applications must be turned in to the Law Offices Receptionist in Suite 600 by 5:00 p.m. on March 16, 2000.

Students who have previously taken or who are now taking Law Offices (continuing students), and who submit their applications by the due date will be given preference in their same practice group if availability permits. Next, priority will be given to the top ten students on each first choice waiting list who did not turn down a place for spring 2000, who were on the waiting list in the division they have marked as first choice, and who submitted their spring application by the due date. New students who have submitted their applications by the due date will be selected in the Law Offices lottery. The total number of available places during each semester is dependent upon the number of supervising attorneys in each practice group.

There are five in-house practice groups from which to choose -- employment discrimination/civil rights with some general practice, criminal defense, tax (prerequisites are Personal Income Tax and Tax Procedure), health law, and mediation & other ADR procedures.

In three of the in-house programs - employment discrimination/civil rights litigation with some general practice program, the criminal defense litigation program, and ADR program - students are given the option of enrolling for three or four credits.  Students who enroll for four credits put in a minimum of thirty-two hours per week, and students who enroll for three credits put in a minimum of twenty-four hours per week during the eight-week semester.  In the health law litigation program and the tax litigation program students enroll for three credits and put in a minimum of twenty-four hours per week. 

For more information, you may talk to the clinical professors who supervise the various practice groups -- Professors Gonzalez (room 629), Leader (room 621) and Norton (room 623) for employment discrimination/civil rights with some general practice; Professors Kling (room 625), and Thomas (room 609) for criminal defense; Professor Abbott (room 625) for tax; Professor Kentra (room 611) for mediation & other ADR procedures; and Professor Kraus (room 627) for health law. Professor Laser (room 631) is also available to answer your questions. 
 
 

PREFERENCE SHEETS ARE AVAILABLE 
IN ROOM 600 FOR CONTINUING LADR STUDENTS

In addition to completing a Law Offices Application, LADR students must submit a Preference Sheet to select their first and second choices of Clinic for the summer semester.  Please pick up a form in the Reception area in Room 600, or you may send an e-mail response indicating your preference to Rosemary Alexander, ralexand@kentlaw.edu.  You must make your selections by Monday, March 13.
 
 

STATUS OF LADR APPLICATIONS

The LADR Selection Committee has received the transcripts of the LADR applicants for the Fall 2000 entrance class.  The Committee will meet to discuss the applications and should have a decision by Friday, March 3.  You will be notified by e-mail of the Committee's decision.  Thank you for your interest in the LADR Certificate Program.
 
 

PROFESSOR RICHARD KLING AND IN-HOUSE CRIMINAL CLINIC STUDENTS MEET THE PRESS

As reported in the February 7 and February 16 issues of the Contact, a bulletin for the Illinois Institute of Technology community, Chicago-Kent professor Richard Kling and Kent students   Monica Lepe-Negrete, Kathleen Moriarty, Susana Ortiz, and Scott Stewart have been interviewed by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, Washington Post, USA Today, WLS-TV, WMAQ-TV, WBBM-TV, WGN-TV, CLTV, the Associated Press, WBEZ-FM, WVON-AM, the syndicated show "Extra," and American Lawyer Media about the case of Edgar Hope, Jr.  Professor Kling and the students uncovered evidence and witnesses to prove that Hope did not commit the murder for which he was sent to death row.

PROFESSOR RICHARD KLING SPEAKS WITH THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL

In the February 21, 2000 edition of the National Law Journal, Staff Reporter David E. Rovella reported on the death penalty moratorium called by Illinois Governor George H. Ryan.  On the issue, Professor Richard Kling stated,  "There were a lot of questions as to whether the moratorium was an attempt to deflect from the bribery scandal."  Professor Kling is among those in the bar who have expressed general concern about the Death Penalty, and who particularly question Governor Ryan's underlying motives for calling the moratorium.
 
 

LAW OFFICES OF CHICAGO-KENT

The Law Offices of Chicago-Kent offers nine long-standing programs in live-client clinical legal education which accommodate over 150 students in the fall and spring semesters and over 50 students in the summer semester. 

For a complete description of all clinical programs, please visit the Law Offices Home Page at www.kentlaw.edu/academics/clinic
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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