DePaul Law News

Supreme Court upholds Obamacare: Professor David Franklin weighs in on Justice Roberts' surprise ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court voted today to uphold the Affordable Care Act, leaving it up to voters to decide in the upcoming presidential election. Chief Justice John Roberts, an appointee of George W. Bush, shocked both conservative and liberal parties with his majority 5-4 opinion. In an article for Slate ("Why Did Roberts Do it?"), Vice Dean and Professor David Franklin proposes that Justice Roberts ruled, in part, to salvage the waning public opinion of the court.

"We may never know whether Roberts initially sided with the challengers and then “switched in time,” like a famous Justice Roberts of the past," writes Professor Franklin, "or whether he always intended to save the ACA. Either way, the country—and the court—should be happy he did."

Law Career Services welcomes Dean William A. Chamberlain

William A. Chamberlain will join the College of Law as the new dean of Law Career Services. He brings 15 years of experience to the position. As dean of LCS, Chamberlain will spearhead outreach to public and private employers, counsel students and oversee strategic planning.

Chamberlain comes to DePaul by way of the Northwestern University School of Law, where he served as assistant dean for career strategy and advancement. Prior to his position at Northwestern, he worked in similar student advancement and strategy roles at the University of North Carolina School of Law and the John Marshall Law School.

As a practicing attorney, Chamberlain worked as assistant corporation counsel for the City of Chicago, and as an associate with the firm Schiff Hardin & Waite. He brought his experience back to classroom, teaching a course in legal reasoning and writing at Northwestern Law, and in English and Communication at the University of Texas at Austin.

In a DePaul Newsroom release, Dean Mark praised Chamberlain's comprehensive qualifications and dedication to the success of students. “Bill brings to us not just depth and breadth in his knowledge of the public and private legal markets in Chicago and nationally, but also his own working experience in the sectors any first-class law school can hope to serve,” Dean Mark added. “What’s more, his understanding of the role of the office he will lead will give us the chance to make the student experience at DePaul seamless—a productive and positive experience from the moment of admission through the formative years of a career.”

Chamberlain, who is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law, holds a master’s in American studies from Purdue University and a bachelor’s in American history from Cornell University. He has completed work toward a doctorate degree in speech and English at the University of Texas.

Chamberlain's tenure with DePaul begins Friday, June 29.

DePaul College of Law honors 2012 graduates

Students, faculty members, staff and friends gathered at the Akoo Theater in Rosemont.

On May 20, 2012, DePaul honored 386 scholars robed in blue, red and purple. The College of Law's 114^th law commencement, held at the Akoo Theater in Rosemont, Ill., featured John B. Simon (JD ’67), partner at Jenner & Block and a DePaul trustee, as the graduation speaker and honorary degree recipient. 

The Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., DePaul president, conferred degrees on the graduates, and Vice Dean David Franklin and Donald Mrozek (JD '73), chair of the Law Dean's Council, inducted the new alumni. 

The College of Law's class of 2012 includes 368 JD graduates and 18 LL.M. graduates. They join a law alumni network of more than 14,000.

Excerpts from Simon’s speech and additional photos of the event are posted at Newsline. A complete webcast of the ceremony is available here.

Kwall’s articles make top ten SSRN list

Two of Professor Roberta Kwall's articles “Author-Stories: Narrative's Implications for Moral Rights and Copyright's Joint Authorship Doctrine” (So. Cal. L. Rev) and “Inspiration and Innovation: The Intrinsic Dimension of the Artistic Soul” (Notre Dame L. Rev.) achieved top ten status (all time) on the SSRN list for Aesthetics & Philosophy of Art Journal.