For more information, please contact:
Gwen Osborne, director of public affairs, (312) 906-5251
ADVISORY TO PRODUCERS, COLUMNISTS AND ASSIGNMENT, LEGAL, PLANNING, BUSINESS, AND DAYBOOK EDITORS
CHICAGO-- February 23, 2005--Chicago-Kent College of Law, the Stuart Graduate School
of Business and the Center for Financial Markets have experts available to discuss current issues.
To reach any of our experts, call Gwen Osborne, director
of public affairs, at (312) 906-5251. Copies of press releases and earlier advisories are available
on our Web site: http://www.kentlaw.edu/news/advisory.
A jury of eight women and four men has been selected for Michael Jackson’s trial on
charges of child molestation, conspiracy and illegal use of alcohol with a minor. Oral arguments
are expected to begin next week after eight alternate jurors are seated. Professor Nancy
S. Marder, who teaches a course on juries, judges and trials, has written extensively about
the American jury system. Professor Marder is the author of the newly published book called Jury
Process. Her recent law review articles include Juries, Justice and Multiculturalism and
Juries and Technology: Equipping Jurors for the Twenty-First Century. Professor Marder is
available for interviews about the jury system.
Strategies and problems related to high-profile criminal cases. Chicago-Kent professors
Douglas W. Godfrey and Richard
S. Kling are available for interviews. Professor Godfrey is a former prosecutor in the Kings
County District Attorney's office, where he served in the sex crimes and homicide bureaus. Professor
Kling is a criminal defense attorney who teaches evidence and forensic sciences courses.
What role does age play in the legal process? Professor Howard
C. Eglit is an expert on law and aging and the author of the new book, Elders
on Trial. Professor Eglit has served on the board of the Illinois chapter of the National
Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and on the advisory committee for the Buehler Center on Aging, McGaw
Medical Center, Northwestern University. He is available for interviews about the interaction between
the U.S. legal system and the aging American population.
The first game of Major League Baseball’s spring training season will be played March
1 when the University of Miami team takes the field against the Florida Marlins. Sports attorney
and adjunct professor Eldon L. Ham
is the author of a forthcoming book, Larceny & Old Leather: The Mischievous
Legacy of Major League Baseball. He is available for interviews about the Major League Baseball.
The Taxman Cometh. Chicago-Kent's Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic is seeking taxpayers who have
disputes with the IRS. Those who meet certain income criteria may qualify for free assistance with
their tax disputes, including collection matters, audits, appeals and litigation before the Internal
Revenue Service, United States Tax Court, and United States District Court. Students work under
the supervision of Professor Jonathan Decatorsmith.
The program Web site at www.kentlaw.edu/academics/clinic/tax
has information about the program. Professor Decatorsmith is available for interviews about
the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, but is unable to answer media queries for current tax filing stories.
Cook County residents with domestic relations disputes, including legal separation, divorce,
child support, child custody, visitation and guardianships, may qualify for representation through
Chicago-Kent's Family Law Clinic. Clients will pay on a sliding scale fee basis, depending on their
financial circumstances. Students will work under the supervision of Professor Ira
C. Feldman. He is available for interviews about the program.
Chicago-Kent’s Immigration Law Clinic is seeking those who need legal assistance
with immigration, asylum and nationality matters. The clinic is supervised by Professor Matthew
I. Bernstein whose practice includes advising corporations, nonprofit organizations and
individuals in all areas of immigration law, including professionals; aliens of extraordinary ability
in the sciences, arts and business; individuals seeking immigration benefits for family members,
asylees and individuals threatened with removal from the United States by the government. Professor
Bernstein is available for interviews about the Immigration Law Clinic. He is also available to
speak with organizations about immigration issues.
Summer Programs:
March 28 is the deadline for Chicago-Kent's Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars program (PLUS).
The program is geared toward first-, second- and third-year undergraduate students currently matriculated
in U.S. colleges and universities who are interested in careers in law. The special four-week session
is funded by a grant from the Law School Admission Council to increase diversity among underrepresented
groups. Participants will take courses adapted from the law school's curriculum, visit courts, and
learn about the law school admissions process. They will also participate in a mock trial and complete
a one-day "internship" in a legal setting. Applications and information are available
at http://www.kentlaw.edu/adm/plus/.
April 10 is the deadline for American law students interested in applying for Chicago-Kent's
summer abroad program in Mexico with Tec de Monterrey, one of Mexico's leading private universities.
The ABA-approved, practice-oriented program is taught in English. It gives U.S. law students an
opportunity to study Mexican law and U.S./Mexican legal issues. Classes will be held from May 30
through July 13, 2005.
Downtown Campus Events:
March 1: The 1997 “Girl X” case will be the focus of a luncheon program co-sponsored
by Chicago-Kent and the Chicago Bar Association. "Girl X," whose real name was Toya Currie,
was 9 years old when she was beaten, choked, raped, forced to ingest insect poison, spray-painted
with graffiti and left for dead in the Cabrini-Green housing development. Patrick Sykes was arrested,
tried, convicted and sentenced to 120 years in prison for the crime. Anita M. Alvarez, currently
chief of staff for the Cook County state's attorney's office, and William T. O'Brien, currently
a Cook County circuit judge, prosecuted Sykes. Kevin P. Durkin of the Clifford Law Offices
filed a civil suit on Currie's behalf and later obtained a $ 3 million settlement from the Chicago
Housing Authority. Alvarez, O’Brien, and Durkin will discuss the case. The discussion is free
and open to the public. For more information on the luncheon, contact Denise Lang at dlang@kentlaw.edu.
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