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--September 12 , 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.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has begun hearings on Judge John Roberts’ appointment as chief justice of the United States. If confirmed, he will become the nation’s 17th chief justice. Chicago-Kent dean Harold J. Krent says, “Time may tell whether John Roberts’ views on constitutional construction correspond with President Bush's selective views. The Constitution simply cannot be interpreted strictly without ignoring over 200 years of history. Our society has changed dramatically, and presidential actions, as well as Supreme Court decisions, have altered the framework within which the constitutional language need be understood. Bush’s call for strict construction of the Constitution instead may thinly veil his support for a particular conservative ideology.” Dean Krent, the author of Presidential Powers, is available for interviews.
Although new charities have been established to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, Professor Evelyn Brody says, “In cases of disaster relief, it’s a good idea to give to an established organization – especially one with the ability to work effectively in the region experiencing problems.” She says, “The Better Business Bureau’s 'Wise Giving Alliance' Web site (www.give.org) is a good place to do background research on specific charities, and its home page has links to charities focused on Hurricane Katrina relief.” Professor Brody is an associate scholar with the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy and is a board member of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action. She is available for interviews.
Potential donors should also beware of online sites, unsolicited e-mails and Internet auctions set up to forward assistance to groups or individuals. “They may be phishing schemes or other sites designed to steal important financial information,” says Dean Harold J. Krent. Chicago-Kent Honors Scholars established a Web site, “You Don’t Know Auctions” (www.youdontknowauctions.com) designed to alert consumers to the dangers of online auction fraud. The site is an ongoing collaboration among Chicago-Kent, the City of Chicago and AT&T. Dean Krent is available to discuss the Web site project and issues related to online auction fraud and identity theft.
Did the Gulf Coast region ignore the lessons of "The Great Flood of 1927"? In April of 1927, torrential rains caused the Mississippi River to flood hundreds of towns between Cairo, Ill., and New Orleans. More than one million people were homeless and about a thousand people died. Distinguished professor Dan Tarlock is an internationally recognized expert in environmental law and the law of land and water use. Professor Tarlock has extensively studied floods and the Mississippi River. He has published a treatise, Law of Water Rights and Resources, and is the co-author of casebooks on water resource management, environmental law, land use, and environmental protection. Professor Tarlock is available for interviews.
September 17-23 is Constitution Week. Experts are available for interviews about the U.S. Constitution and issues on the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court docket.
The corruption trial of former Illinois Governor George Ryan begins this week. 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; Professor Kling is a criminal defense attorney.
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. See the program Web site for more information. Professor Decatorsmith is available for interviews about the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic.
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.
Downtown Campus Events:
September 16: “Fundamentalist Religion and Democracy” is the topic of a lecture by Martin E. Marty, the Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the History of Modern Christianity at the University of Chicago Divinity School. The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. in the Event Room. It is sponsored by Chicago-Kent’s Institute for Law and the Humanities.
September 19: Amr Abdullah Al Dabbagh, governor and chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), will address the topic, “Responsive Government, Responsible Governance. Governor Al Dabbagh will discuss ways to incorporate concepts of private-sector culture into public sector governance. A question-and-answer period will follow his remarks. The program is free and open to the public, but for security purposes reservations are required. RSVP to Sarah Gillooly at (312) 906-5134 or sgillooly@kentlaw.edu.
September 21: Lt. Col. Ret. Amos N. Guiora, a professor at Case Western Reserve Law School, will discuss the challenges facing democratic societies as they simultaneously battle terrorism, protect human rights and uphold international law. Professor Guiora served for 19 years in the Israel Defense Forces’ Judge Advocate General Corps, where he held a number of senior command positions, including Commander of the IDF School of Military Law, Judge Advocate for the Navy and Home Front Command, and Legal Advisor to the Gaza Strip. He had command responsibility for the development of an interactive software program that teaches soldiers and commanders a code of conduct based on international law, Israeli law, and the IDF code. The program is free and open to the public, but for security purposes reservations are required. RSVP to Sarah Gillooly at (312) 906-5134 or sgillooly@kentlaw.edu.
September 22: “The New Civil Service Up and Running?” is the theme of Chicago-Kent College of Law's 23rd annual Federal Sector Labor Relations and Labor Law Program. The keynote panel will discuss the impact of the new Department of Homeland Security regulations on the future direction of labor relations. Panelists include David L. Feder, retired associate commissioner, Office of Labor-Management and Employee Relations, Social Security Administration; Frank Ferris, executive vice-president, National Treasury Employees Union; Charles Hobby, deputy general counsel, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO; and Ronald J. James, chief human capital officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Barbara J. Sapin, a member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, will deliver the luncheon address. Sponsored by Chicago-Kent's Institute for Law and the Workplace, the program is the longest running conference on federal sector and postal labor relations and labor law held outside of Washington, D.C. For more information, call (312) 906-5090.
September 28: The Hon. Abner J. Mikva, director of the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School, will address the topic “The War Power and the Constitution: A View from Three Branches.” Mikva has served as a member of Congress, as chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and as White House Counsel to President Clinton. The program, which will begin at 3 p.m., is free and open to the public. A reception will follow. The program is co-sponsored by the Chicago-Kent Chapter of the American Constitution Society and the Institute for Law and the Humanities. For more information, call (312) 906-5192.
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