DePaul Law News

Robert Blagojevich recounts his 'David and Goliath' experience as a federal criminal defendant

Robert Blagojevich, the brother of former governor Rod Blagojevich, spoke to a crowded room of students and lawyers on Thursday about his experience of being on trial for corruption charges. Robert spoke about how the deck was stacked against him, with the large prosecution team against the limited resources of himself and his brother. This “David and Goliath” dynamic played out throughout the trial experience for Robert. Fortunately, the government dropped Robert from the case after the first mistrial, but the experience soured his opinion of the government and the criminal justice system.

Robert spoke about his role in the allegations against his brother, Rod. During the time of the infamous wiretaps, Robert worked as a fundraiser for his brother’s re-election campaign for governor. Certain groups did approach Robert to sell the Senate seat to a specific candidate, but Robert refused these requests, and the government has his refusals on tape. What frustrated Robert most about the whole ordeal was that the government knew he was innocent the entire time. Robert maintains that he was just an innocent bystander in the case, and the government just used him to get to their real target: Rod. Robert emphasized that the prosecution cherry-picked the hundreds of hours of tape to create the appearance of corruption, although there was never any intention of selling the open Senate seat to anyone.

The event created lively discussion afterward about the criminal justice system, particularly the harsh 14-year sentence that Rod Blagojevich received for his conviction. In the evening, Robert spoke to an advanced criminal procedure class about what a defendant expects from his relationship to his attorney. Lively discussion ensued.

DePaul Center for Public Interest Law sponsored the event, and Professor Len Cavise moderated the discussion.

Professor Gerstenblith speaks at conference on Military Cultural Heritage Resource Management

 On December 9, DePaul law professor Patty Gerstenblith spoke at a conference at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The one-day conference focused on the U.S. military’s efforts to develop cultural expertise.

While the military has made the goal of increased cultural knowledge and awareness a priority since the mid-2000s, these developments have yet to be accounted for as part of a broad interagency conversation among military and nonmilitary stakeholders. The increasing relevance of the military’s approaches to cultural challenges to the work of other government agencies and nongovernmental actors, including diplomacy, development and humanitarian relief, makes the present moment opportune for a fruitful exchange regarding the relationship of culture to security.

Professor Gerstenblith’s panel focused on Military Cultural Heritage Resource Management. A webcast of the conference is available from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Criminal Defense Panel Discusses How They Fight for Justice, Encourages Students to Get Involved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Pictured from left to right: Jessica Hunter, Molly Amour, Anthony Plaid, and Carol Brook)

This Wednesday, four criminal defense attorneys from the Chicago area visited DePaul to discuss how they stand up for justice everyday. The lunch panel, which was hosted by the Center for Public Interest Law, featured a variety of defense attorneys, including a private practitioner, an appellate attorney, a federal attorney, and a Cook County public defender. Each panelist took time to discuss how they came to work as a criminal defense lawyer, their motivations for their work, the highlights and challenges of their job, and why students should look into criminal defense as a possible career path.

Though every panelists’ background differed, the common thread among the four was a true desire to help others in their times of need, to provide a voice for the voiceless. For example, Anthony Plaid, a Cook County public defender, said that while he enjoys the thrill of being in a courtroom, the highlight of his job is his ability to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. Likewise, Carol Brooks, an attorney with the Illinois Federal Defender Program, said that although she likes that her job allows her to challenge authority on a daily basis, she’s most proud of the fact that her job truly helps people who would otherwise stand no chance.

However, the panelists are quick to point out that being a criminal defense attorney isn’t always so rewarding. The job presents many challenges, both from an existential and fiscal point of view. Private practitioner, Molly Armour, says she’s just getting by “by the skin of [her] teeth.” However, she says that the benefits of being a private practitioner, such as being able to spend more time with clients, drastically outweigh the drawbacks. Jessica Hunter with the Office of the State Appellate Defender discussed how the job can be challenging from an emotional aspect. She said the job can be “emotionally heavy” because it often requires attorneys to work with people who have committed some pretty serious crimes. However, Jessica explains that she overcomes this burden by focusing on the need for procedural fairness. She also said that she transcends the innate urge to judge by really paying attention to each client’s story.

DePaul Law Auction, February 3: Proceeds to benefit student summer stipends

Mark your calendars for the "Sweet 16" DePaul Law Auction on February 3 at the Union League Club of Chicago, 65 W. Jackson Blvd. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the live auction begins at 7:00 p.m.

The DePaul Law Auction -- a tradition at the College of Law -- is one way the law school supports DePaul’s mission of service to indigent individuals and disadvantaged communities. Auction proceeds fund Public Interest Law Association summer fellowships for students pursuing legal careers that serve these populations. The fellowships enable law students to accept unpaid internships with legal aid and public sector organizations, which, in turn, provide law students with unparalleled legal experience. 

Today, with many local legal aid organizations losing funding, interns at these organizations are even more crucial to the community. A recent ABC 7 News I-Team Report discusses how these budget cuts are affecting Chicago-area legal aid organizations and their clients.

This year’s auction has been refocused to include all alumni, the larger DePaul community, and many big-ticket items to bid on -- Bulls tickets, a deluxe stay at the Talbott Hotel, a behind the scenes curator's tour at the Art Institute, to name a few. Join us for great company and a delicious dessert-themed menu!

For more information, to donate and to RSVP, please visit law.depaul.edu/auction.

The Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative Hosts Spring Service Activities Meeting to Educate Students about Service At DePaul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(PBCSI Student Site Coordinators, PBCSI Director Cheryl Price, and Child and Family Law Fellows make presentations about service opportunities at the Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative's Spring 2012 Service Activities Meeting)

DePaul’s Pro Bono & Community Service Initiative (“PBCSI”) held its Spring  Service Activities Meeting on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at the College of Law.  The goal of the Spring Service Activities Meeting was to educate students about PBCSI and the various volunteer opportunities it offers.  PBCSI is run by an attorney Director and works to facilitate pro bono and community service work among DePaul’s law students, faculty, and staff.  PBCSI gives out service awards at an annual reception to those students who complete at least 50 hours of volunteer work while at DePaul. 

PBCSI’s Spring Service Meeting began with information about PBCSI’s six partner organizations, which include Cabrini Green Legal Aid, The Center for Disability & Elder Law, Lawyers in the Classroom, The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights’ New Americans Initiative, A.N. Pritzker Elementary School, and DePaul Student Legal Services.  PBCSI’s Student Site Coordinators, David Zwaska (Class of 2012) and Rebecca Birger (Class of 2013), gave presentations about these sites and answered students’ questions about volunteering.  Student Site Coordinator, Chastidy Burns (Class of 2012), informed students about PBCSI’s Spring 2012 Donate-A-Day events, which are discrete, day-long volunteer opportunities that do not require any sort of long-term time commitment.  PBCSI’s next Donate-A-Day is co-sponsored by UMIN in the Loop and is scheduled for Saturday, January 28, 2012 with Ladder Up’s Tax Assistance Project.  Loop students and alumni will prepare tax returns for low-income individuals to increase the amount of their refunds.  PBCSI’s February Donate-A-Day is being planned in conjunction with DePaul’s Veterans Assistance Service Organization and will take place on Saturday, February 11, 2012.  Law students will assist with the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center’s Valentine’s Day Concert for Veterans.  Law students will put on a mock trial and mock law school lesson for Pritzker Elementary 6th graders for PBCSI’s March Donate-A-Day.

Center for Public Interest Law publishes winter issue of newsletter

The Center for Public Interest Law recently published the winter 2012 issue of its newsletter, The Advocate. Read about protest art in Chiapas, increasing access to justice through technology, the recent National Lawyers Guild Convention, the search for justice for Reynolds Wintersmith, and more. Click here to view or download the newsletter.

Alumnus Dennis Kass provides free legal advice to Chicago Public Schools students, families

DePaul law alumnus Dennis Kass (JD '06), a history teacher at a Little Village Lawndale High School, puts his law degree to use in a unique way -- offering free legal advice to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students and families.

In 2010, Kass started the Chicago Law and Education Foundation as a way to bring legal services to low-income communities and legal educational initiatives to CPS. He estimates that the foundation has helped thousands of families through a free clinic that operates monthly at nine city high schools.

The foundation partners with the DePaul's Asylum/Immigration Law Clinic and Center for Public Interest Law, among other legal aid and community service organizations.

Read more about Kass and the foundation's work in The New York Times article "A free legal clinic that opens when class is over" or in the Chicago News Cooperative article "A teacher's extra-credit offer: Free legal advice."

Legal education helps alumnus climb to top of IBM

Since its founding 100 years ago, IBM has bestowed only a small handful of employees with the prestigious title of IBM Fellow. The position represents the highest technical honor that an employee of the company can receive. DePaul law alumnus Kerrie Holley (LAS ’76, JD ’82) is one of the several dozen recipients of this title.

“IBM Fellows are folks that created the DNA of a lot of the technology that we use in the market today,” Holley explains. “They are all inventors and have something that they are famous for in the tech field.”

Holley's claim to fame is a concept known as Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), which allows businesses to build application software the same way someone would build a structure out of LEGO blocks. Holley also serves as the chief technology officer (CTO) of IBM Global Business Services.

“As CTO, I provide thought leadership in terms of how we differentiate ourselves in the marketplace,” Holley says. “I also work with clients on some of our most challenging projects.”

Holley chose to attend the College of Law for practical reasons. He received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from DePaul, so he was familiar with the college's respected reputation. He also found the location exceptionally convenient.

“Because I was working in downtown Chicago, I could walk over to DePaul in the evening for classes,” Holley says.

It was at DePaul that Holley began to develop the leadership and managerial skills he would later use in his career.

“I found the Socratic approach challenging,” Holley explains. “The intensive Q&A has this way of making you think and build confidence if you lack it. And it will help you stand toe-to-toe with someone more knowledgeable than you, like a professor. I still use a lot of the content and lessons from that education in what I do today.”

Though Holley does not directly practice law in his current position, he still finds many applications for the skills and knowledge he acquired in law school.

“There is a strong technical flavor to what I do, but there also is a strong people flavor,” he says. “I have to engage with senior executives; I have to identify issues quickly; and I have to be succinct and help them solve problems, which are all part of the training I obtained in law school.”

Contributor: Keith Ecker

 

Brustin's public interest law scholarship encourages academic late bloomers

Not many of Hon. Marvin A. Brustin’s (JD ’61) high school classmates would have voted him “senior most likely to succeed.” And no wonder. Though co-captain of the football team, he was, by his own admission, a “very casual” student, ranking squarely in the bottom quarter of his class.

In fact, Brustin’s academic performance was so lackluster that his high school career counselor advised him to pursue his part-time truck-driving job as a career. 

Brustin, founder and president of the Chicago law firm of Brustin & (Milo) Lundblad (JD ’79), recently gave $50,000 to establish the Marvin and Ben Brustin Endowed Scholarship in the College of Law. The scholarship, named in part for his father, is intended for students studying public interest law, with preference given to students like Brustin—academic late bloomers with a lot of promise and determination.

After graduating from high school, Brustin did take a full-time job driving a truck, but he began to have second thoughts and decided to go to college.

Despite the obstacle of his poor high school grades, he sat for DePaul’s entrance exam and did surprisingly well. So well, in fact, that he convinced the university to enroll him on a provisional basis.

“I had always been a reader,” he says. “I guess I had a brain after all.”

After a year and a half on the dean’s list at DePaul, Brustin transferred to the University of Illinois to complete his undergraduate degree, later returning to DePaul for his law degree.

“I found out I loved to learn,” he says. “And once I started, I never looked back. I am very thankful that DePaul took a chance on me.”