Law Offices

Law Offices In-House Clinics - Spring 2016

Applications are now available and being accepted for the Spring 2016 semester. They can be picked up on the table by the third floor elevators, in the Law Offices, Suite 600, or online.

Spring 2016 Semester Law Firm Associate Program

Chicago-Kent's Semester Law Firm Associate Program (SLFAP) is a unique for-credit non-graded program open to 2Ls and 3Ls with a minimum 3.2 GPA. Semester Associate externs work for academic credit (without pay) as "Associates" for designated prestigious firms.

Semester Associate externs receive 6 credits and devote 24 hours a week during the semester to the fieldwork component. Students gain experience and perspective from work on different aspects of litigation and transactions, and firms strive, to the extent possible, to expose students to a range of legal problems demanding varying skill sets or competencies. In conjunction with the fieldwork, there is an accompanying classroom component, scheduled on designated Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

This is a terrific opportunity to learn substantive law and about life in a law firm as well as more about your own strengths, and to make an impression on the lawyers with whom you come into contact (even though there is no expectation of future employment).

To Apply for Spring 2016 SLFAP:

Below are the participating firms and legal practice areas. If you are interested in applying for an externship at any one of the listed firms, email a current resume and unofficial transcript to Professor Gross (vgross@kentlaw.iit.edu) by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2015. Also indicate to which firm(s) you are applying.

Each firm will conduct its own selection process. You must accept the first offer you receive and cannot withdraw after your acceptance with the respective firm.

Participating Firms:

Deutsch, Levy & Engel
Commercial Litigation

Grund & Leavitt
Matrimonial Law

McDonald Hopkins LLC
Tax/Benefits Law

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
IP Law

Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, LTD
Litigation (commercial/possibly some toxic tort)

Stahl Cowen Crowley Addis
Commercial Litigation

Please contact Professor Gross immediately if you are selected.
 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) LEGAL EXTERNSHIP
FOR CREDIT ONLY
SPRING 2016 LEGAL EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM (4 CREDITS)

If you have any questions, contact Prof. Gross (vgross@kentlaw.iit.edu).

Student Argues Before Judge

Kudos to Law Offices student Tracy Harkins, supervised by Professor Richard Kling, who argued in front of a 7th Circuit Judges Kanne, Hamilton and Sykes in Federal Court on Wednesday, October 7. The oral argument was based on the appeal of the district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence. Tracy argued that the finding of reasonable suspicion, in support of a "Terry" stop, at the district court level was erroneous, on the basis that the facts the district court found supported reasonable suspicion were not articulable and reliable enough to confer such suspicion.

Hear the argument here.

ACCESS2PRACTICE
SPRING 2016 LEGAL EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Why Extern?

Chicago-Kent has long recognized that classes and textbooks alone are not sufficient to complete the education of our students and their transformation into lawyers. Students also need practical experience in the real world to acquire legal skills not accessible in the traditional classroom and to gain insight into the strategic and ethical dimensions of the legal profession.

Some students gain experience when they are hired as part-time clerks. But most students don't have access to paid or volunteer positions in a legal setting of their choice and/or one that teaches them the skills they want to acquire.

LEP presents a unique and important opportunity to gain exposure to an area of law you are interested in and helps you significantly broaden your practical employment opportunities.

What is LEP?

Access2Practice (A2P) Legal Externship is a 4-credit-hour Pass/Fail program which enables Kent 2Ls and 3Ls to gain supervision/mentoring in a wide variety of legal areas – both civil and criminal.

LEP externships are offered in the Fall and Spring semesters and in the Summer session and consist of two separate components: fieldwork and classroom.

Externs must work 16 hours a week during the Fall/Spring semester for a minimum total of 224 hours.

In addition, externs attend a series of classes that meet on designated Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. - 5:50 p.m. Classes focus on different legal areas and the often complex realities at the core of law practice.

Where Can Students Extern?

Students interested in civil law may extern in a wide variety of places. For example, some have externed at the City of Chicago Corporation Counsel's Office, Office of the Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Commerce Commission, Immigration Court of the U.S. Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. and Illimois Environmental Protection Agencies.

Students interested in criminal law have externed at the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Office of the Federal Defender, and at the offices of the State's Attorney and Public Defender in Cook County as well as the surrounding counties.

In addition, in Fall and Spring semesters, there are a small number of private law firms and in-house corporate legal departments which have been formally screened and approved for LEP placements.

How to Apply:

The Information and Application packets for the Spring 2016 LEP are available online, or in hard copy on the table by the third-floor elevators, in the Career Services Office, and in Room 600 Law Offices reception area.

If you would like more information, please check the Externship web page

JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM - SPRING 2016 SEMESTER

While the application process for Judical Externships has passed, there is an application for those who have secured an externship with a judge who is not a participating member in the Chicago-Kent Judicial Externship Program and wish to explore the possibility of converting that opportunity into a for-credit externship. If you have secured your own judicial externship, please contact Professor Vivien Gross (vgross@kentlaw.iit.edu) and fill out the application online.

For additional information about JEP, you may also refer to the Law School Website, "Law Offices/Clinical Programs".

If you have any questions about the Program or the application itself, please contact Professor Vivien Gross (vgross@kentlaw.iit.edu).

IN THE NEWS

Clinical Professor of Law Richard Kling is quoted in a Chicago Sun-Times article about former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s latest appeal efforts.

 
On May 6, as the nation grappled with anger and protests over death of black men in custody or under arrest by white police officers, Chicago’s City Council passed a nationally ground-breaking ordinance awarding reparations to black victims of police torture. Clinical Professor of Law Daniel Coyne has been chosen to screen applications for Burge reparations. Read more here.

 
Clinical Professor of Law Daniel Coyne is interviewed in a Chicago Sun-Times article about an upcoming fraud trial involving state health grants.

 
The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin published an article focusing on the legal writing and clinical education programs.
 

Professor Richard Kling was interviewed by Fox 32 about the possibility that consumers may soon be able to shop for legal services via Groupon. Watch the interview here.
 

Remembering the 1963 March on Washington - A talk with Clinical Professor Richard Kling
 

Clinical Professor Ed Kraus spoke with Peoria's WEEK-TV about the needs of diabetic children in schools and the necessity of accommodation from and education of school staff, for a story about a local couple whose 10-year old son has struggled to perform needed care on the bus: http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Mom-says-son-denied-to-properly-treat-diabetes-is-life-or-death-issue-200679431.html
 

IIT Chicago-Kent Legal Fellow/Research Associate Sarah Blenner, who works with Clinical Professor Ed Kraus in the Health & Disability Law Clinic, discussed privacy and discrimination concerns surrounding a new policy in which CVS drugstores will require employees to submit to body weight and BMI testing or face higher health insurance premiums, in an ABC 7 News story. View the video.

For a complete description of all clinical programs, please visit the Law Offices' Home Page at http://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/legal-clinics

For a description of all externship programs, please visit the Externship home page at http://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/externships.