DePaul Law News

Center for Public Interest Law Program to Address Race in Chicago: February 29 - March 1

Shaye Loughlin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:26:52 -0600

The College of Law’s Center for Public Interest Law will bring together prominent historical and present voices to discuss race in Chicago on February 29 and March 1. With recent studies showing Chicago as one of the most segregated cities in our nation, the goal of the symposium is to promote awareness about Chicago’s history and current conditions with regard to people of color, especially in the areas of housing, education, and incarceration.

The conference will begin with a keynote discussion on February 29, 2012 at Holland & Knight, 131 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL. The discussion will feature Dr. Timuel Black, Virginia Martinez, and Adam Green, and will lay the historical framework for the remainder of the symposium. Those interested in attending the keynote discussion must RSVP to cpil@depaul.edu to gain entry to Holland & Knight. Appetizers and drinks will be served. 1.5 CLE credits will be offered for the keynote discussion.

The symposium will continue on March 1, 2012 at DePaul University, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Room 8005, with three panel discussions, each focusing on the discreet issues of race and housing, education, and incarceration. The overarching tie between these conversations will be the importance of human rights, and how advocates can approach race issues from a human rights perspective. Moreover, not only will each panel offer action and volunteer opportunities, but the March 1 program will also include tabling with community organizers and prominent organizations fighting for racial justice in Chicago. Breakfast and lunch will be served on March 1, so please RSVP to cpil@depaul.edu. 4 CLE credits will be available for the March 1 portion of the program.

Click here to download a flyer listing the dates, times, and panelists. For more details, email cpil@depaul.edu.

The Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative teams with Veteran’s Assistance Service Organization to serve veterans

Shaye Loughlin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:44:30 -0600

(Pictured: DePaul student, Dan Bishop, helps display valentine cards)

On Saturday, February 11, a group of 10 DePaul law students helped set up for the 2012 Valentines for Veterans Concert at the University of Illinois Chicago Forum. Valentines for Veterans concerts are an expression of appreciation and support for veterans from the VA and the local community. The DePaul volunteers set up hundreds of valentine cards that local schoolchildren wrote for the veterans who attended the concert. The volunteers also opened doors for guests and handed out carnations to veterans as they entered the event. Over 1000 veterans, their families, and members of the community attended the concert.

The celebration paid tribute to veterans, increased awareness of the needs of hospitalized veterans, and gave the public an opportunity to express their own appreciation for the veterans’ sacrifices. The concerts are also a great way for veterans and their families to share time together. Unfortunately, the divorce statistics of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom are staggering. The concerts bring awareness to this issue and help build corporate partnerships and sponsorships to promote the needs of veterans.

Volunteers from the College of Law’s Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative teamed with the Veteran’s Assistance Service Organization, a DePaul student group that works to increase the legal services offered to veterans in the Chicago area. VASO formed as a student organization last year at DePaul, and the group hopes to open a legal clinic at DePaul to serve veterans. The volunteer day was part of the Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative’s Donate-A-Day program.

For more information about the College of Law’s Donate-A-Day volunteer program, please contact Cheryl Price at cprice13@depaul.edu.

Panel of professors discuss the upcoming challenge to Arizona's controversial immigration law, SB 1070

Shaye Loughlin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:55:40 -0600

(Pictured left to right: Professor David Franklin; Professor Daniel Morales)

On April 25, 2012, the Supreme Court will hear Arizona v. United States, one of the most publicized cases of the year. The Department of Justice is challenging four provisions of Arizona’s SB 1070 under the Supremacy Clause. The statute was enjoined by the Federal District Court and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. Students, Professors and Administrators gathered on February 15 to hear Professor Daniel Morales, Assistant Professor of Law, and Professor David Franklin, Vice Dean and Associate Professor of Law, explain the issues surrounding the case and predict the potential outcome.

Professor Morales highlighted the history of migration policy in the United States and argued SB 1070 is not necessary at this time; the federal government is prosecuting undocumented immigration at significantly high rates.

Professor Franklin explained the Department of Justice is challenging SB 1070 under implied pre-emption, meaning the state law poses an obstacle to federal law. Although not explicitly challenged on foreign policy grounds, a plausible case could be made for a facial challenge on foreign policy ramifications.

Ultimately, Professor Franklin predicted the case “may end with a whimper instead of a bang.” The Supreme Court may reverse and dismiss the case as premature, as the challenged provisions have yet to take place and the true effects remain unknown.

Alumni help increase access to justice through technology

DePaul University College of Law — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:13:24 -0600

By Susan Ritacca ('13) -- originally published in the Center for Public Interest Law "The Advocate"

If you have researched Illinois law, chances are you encountered illinoislegalaid.org, the public portal for Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO). Used by trained advocates, students and the public alike, ILAO provides easy-to-understand legal guides in more than 30 areas of law. These resources are especially important to Illinois residents who do not qualify for legal aid but still cannot afford to pay for representation.

“By going online, people can search easily for answers to legal issues or chat with an operator. What we’re doing is providing resources and tools to put the law within reach,” explains ILAO Program Director Teri Ross (JD ’06).

In addition to the public site, members of the legal community can access volunteer opportunities, training and practice support on illinoisprobono.org; Illinois legal aid attorneys can visit illinoislegaladvocate.org for online tools and legal guides; and Spanish speakers can learn about Illinois law on ayudalegalil.org.

Since its founding in 2001, ILAO has been on the cutting edge of utilizing technology to increase access to legal services. Notably, ILAO was recently awarded both the Foundation for Improvement of Justice Award and the ABA’s Louis M. Brown Award for dedication to providing affordable legal information, services and representation to middle- and low-income individuals.

Yet, for all of the accolades and accomplishments, the most remarkable thing about ILAO might be its dynamic staff of DePaul alumni. Working under the direction of Executive Director Lisa Colpoys and Teri Ross are Gwen Daniels (JD ’98), director of technology; Jed Untereker (JD ’06), legal content manager and internship director; and Stephanie Villinski (JD ’03), legal content manager.

ILAO currently dominates a niche market of free online legal services. A recent launch of mobile applications for iPads, iPhones and Androids further streamlines access to legal help for both pro bono volunteers and the public.

“There are common misconceptions about mobile and Internet use among low-income communities,” notes Ross. “The trend we’re seeing is that lower-income users are making up the fastest growing segment of the smartphone market. Mobile devices are the leveling factor in the digital divide.”

Daniels, the driving force behind the functionality of the applications, agrees. “We’ve seen tremendous growth [in the use of] of mobile devices. Over 11 percent of users visiting the public site are coming from mobile devices, up from nine percent just three months ago.”

Not only will mobile access to legal information empower individuals, but it also will allow practitioners to aid their clients more effectively and efficiently. “Since people are on their phones more, the application will make it easy for those in the legal community to find opportunities. Plus, it saves time, especially if they’re in court and need to find the law or a refresher on practice tips and procedures,” observes Villinski.

Through its committed alumni and the public service benefit the website provides, it is easy to see why ILAO has such strong links to the DePaul community.

“We’ve always gotten a great response from DePaul public interest students wanting to intern here. And we’ve had great luck with those who have worked here,” says Untereker. “Interns serve as the backbone of the organization—creating, editing, revising and updating our content. These positions offer a great way to get exposure to the legal aid community in Illinois and the practice of public interest law.”

The LiveHelp program, the semester internship and the summer associate program are three primary opportunities available to students.

For more information about ILAO volunteer and internship opportunities, please visit Law Career Services or IllinoisProBono.org.

DePaul Grad Wins Major Ruling In Illinois Supreme Court

Shaye Loughlin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:48:37 -0600

Heidi Lambros (JD '96) represents Stanley Wrice, a man who gave a coerced, and false, confession that led to his conviction and a 100-year sentence for a crime he says he did not commit. In a major decision in Wrice's case, the Illinois Supreme Court decided that a physically coerced confession can never be considered "harmless error," and is thus grounds for relief.

A Chicago Tribune news story said this case had been "anticipated for months by the legal community." Lambros, who is an Assistant Defender at the Office of the State Appellate Defender, argued forcefully for her client, noting that the Court's decision is "critical to send a message that this type of egregious police misconduct will not be tolerated in Illinois.” Lambros was honored with a rare award from DePaul's Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). Lambros' work is exactly the kind of work the LRAP seeks to promote and facilitate.

To donate to LRAP, please contact Shaye Loughlin, Executive Director of DePaul Center for Public Interest Law, at sloughli@depaul.edu.