DePaul Law News

Child/Family Law Center gives 34 students financial awards for public service

This summer the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center has given financial awards to 20 students for service learning work in public service agencies focusing on issues such as child abuse and neglect, elder law, divorce, sexual exploitation, juvenile justice, LGBTQ family issues, special education, domestic violence, etc. Additionally, the Center gave 14 students public service financial awards for part-time work during the school year. The Center places students in numerous service learning opportunities, including but not limited to: Office of the Public Guardian, Cook County Public Defender, Cook County States Attorney, Chicago Public Schools, Center for Disability and Elder Law, Life Span, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Legal Aid Society, Cook County Domestic Violence Court, Cook County Domestic Relations Court, National Immigrant Justice Center, Chicago Legal Clinic, etc. Note: The Center also assists in placing numerous students in private Family Law Firms

Share Your Wisdom mentoring reception

The Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center hosted their annual "Share Your Wisdom" Mentoring Reception, a special networking event for students and family law attorneys, on April 9. Twelve attorneys attended and shared their insights on life as a family law practitioner. The event featured "speed lawyering," an interactive format in which one to two attorneys were seated at each table. Groups of four or five law students rotated to a different table every 10 to 15 minutes to speak informally with the lawyers.

Program details how to start a practice

Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center presented “Flying Solo,” a program showing law students the nitty-gritty on how to start a practice. Max Elliott (pictured right), a recent DePaul College of Law alumna, and attorney Molly Armour spoke at the event, which was held as part of the center’s monthly free Hot Topics luncheon. 

500 "at-risk" teens attend annual conference at DePaul College of Law

The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center hosted its 8th annual "Just Us Girls" day-long conference Feb. 18 for 500 "at-risk" girls, ages 12-18. Community leaders, psychologists, legal professionals, and school personnel offered a full day of workshops on social and legal issues the girls and their families face. Thurty-five DePaul law students helped organize and run the event. Students also interacted with the girls and participated in workshops.

Center discusses Strauss-Kahn allegations at annual family violence lecture

On February 8, the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center hosted its 8th Annual Distinguished Valentine's Day Family Violence Lecture.

Washington D.C. Prosecutor Roger Canaff, who provides technical assistance to U.S. Army rape prosecutors, discussed the evidence in the rape allegations against Dominique Strauss-Kahn. He and fellow presenter, Lester Munson, attorney and senior writer for ESPN.com, entertained a lively discussion about the role that universities and sports institutions play in tacitly accepting violence against women.

Child and family law lunch series focuses on Chicago sex trade

The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center hosted it's monthly "Hot Topics in Child and Family Law" lunch series on March 14 with the presentation, “Who’s Buying Sex in Chicago?” Rachel Durchslag, executive director of Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, discussed research findings from one of the nation’s only "customer" surveys.

Durchslag presented a slide show focusing on how customers view the women and children they buy; how they view their wives, partners, and children; the prevalence of the rape myth; and how perceptions of masculinity perpetuate the sex trade industry.

Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center's annual service project at Cook County Juvenile Detention Center

Fourteen DePaul law students spent their spring break vacation week volunteering at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center as part of the Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center's annual service project. The students designed and ran interactive workshops with the juveniles on topics such as the juvenile justice system, juvenile record expungement, courtroom etiquette, job search and interviewing, street law/know your rights, and communication and negotiations. As always, this project was extremely rewarding for both law students and the youth residents at the Juvenile Detention Center.

Animal abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse program hosted

The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center hosted a presentation Feb. 22 on the intersection of animal abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse as part of its monthly Hot Topics in Child & Family Law series. The program, "Violence Against the Vulnerable," was presented by Aileen Robinson, Program Coordinator with the Chicago Police Department. She discussed the relationship between these acts of violence, with a focus on prevention and the psycho-social issues involved.

DePaul law students win Whittier juvenile law competition

DePaul students Patrick Viktora and Kelly Olivier won Whittier Law School’s 17th Annual National Juvenile Law Moot Court Competition held February 3-4, 2012. They defeated a team from UC Hastings in the final round, and argued in front of former DePaul professor and founding dean of UC Irvine School of Law, Erwin Chemerinsky. The team’s first-place award was a $1,000 academic scholarship.

The competition problem focused on "child health through the lens of the foster care system." Teams explored legal issues relating to childrens' health and upbringing, including poverty and access to community resources.

Legal writing instructor Allison Ortlieb coached the team.

Photo: From left, Professor Jennifer Mertus, director of the Whittier Law School Center for Children's Rights; Patrick Viktora; Hon. Michael Nash, Los Angeles Superior Courts; Dean Chemerinsky; and Kelly Olivier.

 

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.