November 2007
Dean Charles J. Tabb
Alice Curtis Campbell Professor of Law
Interim Dean
Telephone (217) 333-9857
ctabb@law.uiuc.edu
Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Campus Leaders, and Friends,
As October draws to a close, I look back on a busy and exciting month that was filled with lectures and conferences of significant scholarly impact, David Hyman's investiture, and the opportunity to welcome back to campus Board of Visitors members and hundreds of alumni for Homecoming weekend. We also celebrated the outstanding deanship of David C. Baum Professor Heidi Hurd.
During the past two weeks, we did the following (and then we rested!):
-
welcomed the Fourth District Appellate Court as Judges John Turner, Sue Myerscough, and Robert Steigmann heard arguments in the Max L. Rowe Auditorium to the benefit of more than 150 law students;
-
féted Heidi -- UIUC Provost Linda Katehi hosted a roomful of campus administrators, fellow faculty members, and students honoring and thanking Heidi Hurd for her five years of service as Dean of the College of Law. Provost Katehi, Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations Jeff Coates, Associate Dean Ralph Brubaker, and I were joined by UI College of Medicine Dean Bradford Schwartz in thanking Professor Hurd for her successful Deanship;
-
hosted the 67th David C. Baum Lecture -- more than 170 students and faculty from the College of Law and across campus filled the Max L. Rowe Auditorium for University of Chicago Ernst Freund Professor Martha Nussbaum's compelling Baum lecture, "Equal Respect for Conscience: Roger Williams on the Moral Basis of Civil Peace," focusing on the life and work of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island in 1636;
-
held the most significant symposium hosted by the Program in Business Law and Policy, as we welcomed Chancellor William Chandler from the Delaware Court of Chancery, presenting "The Mystery of Delaware Law's Success" to another roomful of business law students and faculty. Our own Larry Ribstein, holder of the Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Chair, was one of the illustrious speakers;
-
invested Professor David Hyman as the Richard W. and Marie L. Corman Professor of Law. Among the guests was alumnus J.D. Epstein '67, one of the nation's leading health law attorneys and the benefactor of the College's Program in Health Care Law and Policy directed by Professor Hyman;
-
in front of yet another capacity crowd, we witnessed the engaging Vacketta-DLA Piper Lecture featuring Marc Grossman, formerly U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Director of the Foreign Service, and the Undersecretary of State in the wake of the September 11 attacks, presenting "American Diplomacy in the 21st Century";
-
met with our more than 40 loyal Board of Visitors members for our biannual meeting. Among the topics covered by the Board were the current $50 million "Brilliant Futures" capital campaign, co-chaired by Board members John Bradford '80, Peer Pedersen '48, and Carl Vacketta '65;
-
announced the creation of the Center on Law and Globalization, in partnership with the American Bar Foundation. Thanks go to Professor Thomas Ginsburg and Assistant Dean Charlotte Ku for their vision and energy in bringing this exciting new initiative to pass;
-
hosted Homecoming, enjoying the return to campus of all the "2" and "7" classes (the 1967 group appeared to enjoy a particularly fine time!);
-
and honored our Distinguished Alumni at a festive reception. Our five Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients are Judge Eugene Brott '62, Charles J. Devens '77, Judge Mary P. Gorman '77, James B. Jurgens '67, and Stephen P. Stanczak '82. In addition, we were proud to see College of Law Annual Fund Co-Chair Jane Hays '79 be honored with the University of Illinois Alumni Association 2007 Constituent Leadership Award for her service to the College.
College announces key Staff promotions and hires
I am very pleased to announce several staff promotions and new hires on our superb administrative team.
Maxine Sandretto, formerly Director of Budget and Resource Planning, has been promoted to Assistant Dean for Finance and Human Resources. Dean Sandretto joined the College in July 2003, just as the University introduced the Banner Enterprise-Wide Resource Planning system. For the past four years, Maxine has managed budgeting, fiscal planning, and daily business operations for the College, and was responsible for compliance with Federal, State, University, and College policies and regulations. Maxine received her MBA and her Master of Library Science degrees from Indiana University. Prior to joining the College, she served as Assistant Director to the Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance on this campus. She is a graduate of the first class of a four-year University Administrative Fellows Program at the University. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, she was the Financial Administrator for the fourth largest public library in Indiana, managing both finance and human resources.
Virginia Vermillion '86 has been promoted to Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Dean of Students. Dean Vermillion joined the College of Law in 1999 as Associate Director of Career Services and was later promoted to Director of Career Services, followed by Assistant Dean for Career Services. For the past four years, Virginia has served as Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Administration, playing a key role in overseeing student activities and governance, counseling students regarding academic and administrative issues, assisting with the design of course schedules, overseeing Orientation and Commencement activities, preparing numerous information and statistical reports for the College and outside agencies, and participating on University-wide committees. Virginia obtained her undergraduate degree in Social Work and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining the College in an administrative role, she had served as national and regional counsel for privately and publicly traded insurance companies, headquartered in Chicago.
Dr. Charlotte Ku, formerly Director of Graduate and International Studies, has been promoted to the position of Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Studies. Dean Ku joined the College in March 2007 and has been actively working to make the LLM and JSD programs even stronger as well as implement various partnerships with universities worldwide, especially in Asia and Africa. In addition, she is spearheading the College's new joint project with the American Bar Foundation for the Center for Law and Globalization. Charlotte received her Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and was Assistant Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia and Visiting Professor at Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Nanjing Center (China) before holding several positions in the field of international law. She served twelve years as Executive Director, then Executive Vice President of The American Society of International Law and has published extensively in the field of international law.
In the office of Development and Alumni Relations, we are pleased to announce that Meredith Olson has been promoted to the newly-created position of Assistant Director for Alumni Relations after her outstanding work over the past two years. Meredith will take a leadership role in organizing and managing the broad portfolio of alumni events sponsored by the College of Law throughout the country . These events include Homecoming, regional alumni gatherings and class reunions. Her duties will also involve managing the content for the alumni Web site; planning and directing alumni networking events; serving as the ex-officio member of the University of Illinois Law Alumni Group and the University's Alumni Association; and overseeing the various components of the College's donor stewardship program. In addition to her tenure at the College of Law, Meredith has worked with the University of Illinois Alumni Association and as the Community Involvement Coordinator for Old Navy, Inc. Meredith earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois and is currently a semester away from obtaining a master's degree in Educational Organization and Leadership.
Judge Lee Edmon '81 serves as President of the American Bar Endowment
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon '81 was elected to a one-year term as president of the American Bar Endowment, a non-profit affiliate of the 413,000-member American Bar Association. As president of the ABE, Judge Edmon leads the Board of Directors through the planning process for a five-year strategic plan and focuses on broadening communication about the ABE's unique insurance program.
Judge Edmon, assistant supervising judge of the civil departments of the Superior Court, was appointed to the bench in 2000 by Governor Gray Davis. In 2006, Judge Edmon was named the Alfred J. McCourtney Trial Judge of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. A member of the College of Law's Board of Visitors, she was honored as a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 2004-2005. Before joining the bench, Judge Edmon was a partner with Dewey Ballantine, which she joined as an associate in 1987 after beginning her legal career with the law firm of Adams, Duque and Hazeltine. Judge Edmon has been active in charitable and civic activities her entire career, participating in organizations including the Los Angeles County Bar Association (serving as president in 1998/1999), the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, the Los Angeles County Law Library, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Alliance for Children's Rights, Inner City Law Center and the Constitutional Rights Foundation.
On-Campus Interviews: By the Numbers
Tony Waller, Assistant Dean for Career Planning and Professional Development, along with the talented team of Donna Miller, Director of Career Services, Jolynn Caroline, Associate Director of Career Services, Joe Gavin, Associate Director of Career Services, and Sunda Wells, Assistant Director, hosted On-Campus Interviewing at the University's Digital Computing Lab and at the College of Law. The OCI event was a terrific success, bringing together prospective employers and Illinois law students. During the course of the Fall OCI program, more than 5,400 applications were received from students resulting in more than 2,000 scheduled interviews. From the scheduled interviews, 256 students had interviews with 133 schedules and 103 employers. The Fall job fair season was equally successful. The office processed 530 applications for the six city focused job fairs (NY, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Washington and Los Angeles). In total, our students ended up with 86 interviews in those six cities. New York was the most successful fair, with nine students earning 31 interviews. Los Angeles was close behind with nine students earning 27 interviews.
Student organizations host Service Day to benefit local Juvenile Detention Center
College of Law student organizations, including the National Lawyers Guild, Black Law Students Association, Prisoners' Rights, American Civil Liberties Union, and the American Constitution Society have joined together to sponsor an all-law school "Service Day" this coming weekend. The students will volunteer at the Juvenile Detention Center in Urbana, tackling a variety of projects including working directly with children at the Center and maintenance projects.
Japan Illini Club alumni host Assistant Dean Charlotte Ku in Tokyo
More than 20 University of Illinois alumni and friends hosted a Japan Illini Club reception in October at the grand conference room of Yuasa & Hara in downtown Tokyo. The Japan Illini Club is the official chapter of the University of Illinois Alumni Association. The featured speaker and guest was Dr. Charlotte Ku, the College's Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Programs. Dr. Ku shared the College's ambitious Global Law plans and the new Center on Law and Globalization partnership with the American Bar Foundation.
Among the guests were Professor Yukio Fujita '70 M.C.L., Teikyo University Faculty of Law, Mr. Yasushi Okubo '86 M.C.L., Kobe Steel, Senior Corporate Counsel, Mr. Hiroyuki Kanae '87 M.C.L., Bingham Mackachen/Sakai Mimura & Aizawa Law Office, Partner, Ms. Junko Mukoyama '88 LL.M., Nippon Avaya Co. Ltd., Corporate Counsel, Mr. Masatoshi Yasunaga '89 LL.M. Hatasawa Wakai & Yasunaga, Partner, Mr. Masaru Adachi '94 LL.M., The Coca-Cola (Japan) Company, Senior Legal Counsel, Mr. Kozo Yabe '94 LL.M., Yuasa & Hara, Partner and member of the College's Board of Visitors, Mr. Shunpei Tanaka '95 LL.M., Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Partner, Mr. Junji Yamashita '95 LL.M., Kobe Steel, Corporate Counsel, Mr. Yoshiaki Muto, '96 LL.M., Baker & MacKenzie/Tokyo Aoyama Aoki & Koma Law Office, Partner, Mr. Rika Sato '97 LL.M., Jones Day Tokyo Office, Partner, Mr. Kazutaka Mizuochi '02 LL.M., Baker & MacKenzie/Tokyo Aoyama Aoki & Koma Law Office, Partner, Ms. Fumi Abe '04 LL.M., Juhmonji Gakuen Women's College Faculty of Social Information, Adjunct lecturer, Mr. Kaiho Mizuno '04 LL.M., Cast Itoga P.C. Beijing Office, Partner, Mr. Hideki Hayashi '07 LL.M., Shin Nikkoh Holdings Co. Ltd., Mr. Masato Sugeta '07 LL.M., Nissan Motors Co. Ltd., Ms. Yahua Tai '07 LL.M., Judge Ogawa, Visiting Scholar, Tokyo District Court, Associate Judge, Mr. Glenn Newman '90 J.D., Newman Law Office (Portland, Ore., U.S.A.), Mr. Keiji Ueno, Kobe Steel, Legal Department, Mr. Hisashi Komine, Potomac Associates, Representative (The Japan Illini Club, Secretary General).
Thanks to Kozo Yabe '94: A Tireless College of Law Promoter in Japan
The linchpin behind the Japan Illini Club event was our own Adjunct Professor Kozo Yabe '94, a tireless promoter for the College in Japan. Professor Yabe is a partner and patent attorney of Yuasa & Hara in Tokyo, Japan. Yuasa & Hara is a pioneer firm to combine interdisciplinary practice of international business transaction, intellectual property (litigation and prosecution) and accounting in Japan since 1902. Professor Yabe holds an LL.B. (1985) from Chuo University in Tokyo and an LL.M. (1994) from the University of Illinois College of Law. After his two-year legal apprenticeship of the Legal Training & Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan, he as an associate joined Yuasa & Hara in 1991 and became a partner in 2001.
Professor Yabe is a board member of the Japan Trademark Association and a member of various international Intellectual Property entities — AIPPI, AIPLA, INTA, APAA, and ALAI. He teaches Litigation of Industrial Design Law to Japanese patent attorneys who wish to obtain an official Japan Patent Office certificate of representing their clients in infringement cases, in Japan's Patent Attorney Training Program. He as adjunct faculty also teaches Legal Clinic of Intellectual Property Law at Chuo University Law School. At Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association, he is Vice Chair of the Law School Committee to advise Japanese law schools on legal clinic and other practical programs for law students. He has been primarily practicing in intellectual property, international business transactions, and international litigation.
Professor Yabe is the main instructor for the College of Law's popular course, "Doing Business in Japan," with other co-instructors, Glenn Newman '90 of Newman Law Office, Masatoshi Yasunaga '88 LL.M. of Hatasawa & Wakai, and Shunpei Tanaka '95 LL.M. of Nagashima, Ohno & Tsunematsu. The two-week course is currently taking place at the College with more than 30 students enrolled.
Alumnus Brian Carlow '83 works on behalf of wrongful convicted prisoners
Brian Carlow '83, along with fellow Public Defender Karen Goodrow, serves as Co-Chair of the Connecticut Innocence Project, a state-sponsored program dedicated to exonerating men and women serving in Connecticut prisons for crimes they didn't commit. In just two years, Carlow's hard work has resulted in securing the freedom of James Calvin Tillman, whose wrongful conviction was overturned on July 11, 2006.
Former Connecticut State Chief Defender Gerald Smythe recruited Goodrow and Carlow as co-chairs. Ms. Goodrow is the head of the Public Defender's office in Tolland County and is know for her ability to manage case files and contact the right people to find information. Mr. Carlow, who runs the Hartford Public Defender's Office, has developed an expertise in forensics, with years of experience in the field of DNA litigation. A local law firm, McCarter & English, donated an office suite for the Connecticut Innocence Project in Hartford's CityPlace. Carlow and Goodrow then developed a questionnaire for inmates, sifting through more than 200 applications from inmates and looking for the critical criteria necessary to potential success – additional evidence that might potentially prove a convicted person's innocence, such as evidence arising from further investigation or from new or additional forensic testing.
In 2004, the Connecticut Innocence Project accepted the case involving James Calvin Tillman, who had already served a third of his 45-year prison sentence for rape handed down in 1989. The case took two years, illustrating the enormous amount of work and research in tracking down and rediscovering evidence from a 15-year old case.
As the Connecticut Lawyer notes in its May, 2007 issue, "their eventual victory in clearing Tillman's name was achieved through a combination of science, luck, and – without a doubt – much hard work on the part of the attorneys involved." It was an incredible journey, from discovering the victim's dress and pantyhose still stored in a box at a Legal Aid office in Hartford. The DNA forensic tests showed that Tillman could not be the source of the biological material on the pantyhose as well as three of four stains on the dress. The evidence was brought before Hartford Superior Court Judge Thomas Miano in summer, 2006. Judge Miano overturned Tillman's conviction, setting his judiciary process back to the stage of plea entry. When Carlow and Goodrow moved to dismiss the case, there was no objection from the prosecutor and on July 11, 2006, James Calvin Tillman became a free man after 18 years in prison.
Carlow assisted Mr. Tillman in finding employment following his release from prison and Tillman is now a member of the Capitol Region Education Council in Hartford.
Judge Jeffrey Ford '76 continues his "DUI Road Show" at local schools
Champaign County Judge Jeffrey Ford '76 has spent the last seven years visiting nearly every local high school and delivering his strong Pre-Prom message – vividly – to high school students about the catastrophic and tragic dangers of drinking and driving. Judge Ford is passionate about this topic – as a former traffic court judge, he has seen the awful remnants of drunk driving accidents. And, he's not shy about bringing the story, and the victims, directly to the high school students.
At Champaign Central High School, Judge Ford's "DUI Road Show" enlisted Carle Foundation Emergency Room nurse Patty Metzler, Champaign County Sheriff Sergeant Allen Jones and College of Law Professor Steve Beckett, a long-time Urbana attorney. But it was the poignant story of Champaign resident Jo Miller that had the students' collective attention. Ms. Miller was nearly burned to death and her father was killed nearly 30 years ago in a car crash caused by a drunken driver and she recounted her painful life in which she characterized as "one big scar from the neck down."
Monticello High School students witnessed the photos that Judge Ford brought along, showing a beautiful 18-year old girl named Jackie and the after effects of a fiery car wreck, costing her all of her fingers, her hair, her sight in one eye, and her ability to cry. Judge Ford doesn't pull any punches because he's trying to reach these students before it's too late. Similar stories come from students from local high schools, including St. Joseph-Ogden, Champaign Centennial, Urbana, St. Thomas More, Unity, and many more.
A frequent guest on Judge Ford's "DUI Road Show" is Jim Esworthy, whose twin daughters were killed by a drunken driver in 1997 and Terri Burnett, who was paralyzed by a drunken driver in Campustown in 1981.
Thanks to Judge Ford for this valuable and thankless job. No doubt he has saved countless young lives over the years by making students think about their actions on the eve of their Prom dances.
Paying it Forward
Dan King '80 and Phyllis Holmen '74 create public interest summer experience for 3L Wingo Smith
Third-year College of Law student Wingo Smith '08 knew he wanted to make a difference in people's lives and get involved in public interest law. Enter College of Law alumni Dan King '80 and Phyllis Holmen '74. Smith had spent time working in the Champaign County Public Defender's Office but was ready to do more for people in need. Mr. King, a partner with King & Spalding in Atlanta, funded Wingo Smith's summer experience with Georgia Legal Services. Smith had the opportunity to work directly with people trying to prevent homelessness, working with people at risk. He worked with clients, landlords, and tenants to help people meet mortgages, obtain drivers licenses necessary to work, and working through the eviction process so that people could relocate during difficult transition periods. He advocated for more affordable subsidized rental housing in the explosive housing market in Savannah, Georgia, making a fact-finding presentation to the Savannah City Council on the changes in the housing market. The generosity of Mr. King allowed Smith to focus on his studies during the school term and then to concentrate on helping people in his job during the summer.
"I worked with two gentlemen who had become homeless and lost their driver's licenses due to a variety of circumstances. They needed to get their licenses back in order to get to work and pay the bills. With no license, they had no job, no car, and then nowhere to turn. I was assigned to work with the chief counsel of Driver Services to sort out the facts in the case and advocate for these men. It was very rewarding."
Smith couldn't see himself going anywhere else and he has alumni Dan King and Phyllis Holmen to thank for his chance.
"Public interest is why I came to law school and Illinois has given me the opportunity to pursue public interest," said Smith, who is active with the Prisoner's Rights Research Project and the National Lawyers Guild Jailhouse Lawyers. "Illinois is committed to public interest and the clinical programs are outstanding. I couldn't imagine doing anything else."
Judge Duncan honored by fellow "Illini Judges" in DuPage County
The Illini Judges of the 18th Judicial Circuit honored retiring Judge Edward R. Duncan '72 last month. Judge Duncan retired earlier this fall from the bench after serving the Circuit Court of the 18th Judicial Circuit based on DuPage County, Illinois. Judge Duncan was joined at his retirement by fellow "Illini Judges" -- Judge Peter G. Dockery '75, Judge Ronald D. Sutter '80, Judge Brian G. Diamond '82, Judge Bruce R. Kelsey '73, and Judge James G. Konetski '83. Judge Duncan's son, Robert, is a 2002 College of Law graduate.
American Association of Justice hosts "Kiss a Pig" fund-raiser
The American Association of Justice/Litigation Club hosted its first "Kiss a Pig" Contest to raise more than $200 for the Prairie State Legal Foundation. Students, faculty, and staff bid on specific student class representatives and a faculty/staff member to kiss the pig at the October 11th Peer's Pub [note: I did not do the honors!]. The AAJ/Litigation Club also raised additional funds by selling freshly grilled burgers, hot dogs, and vegetarian options. Helena Varnavas (1L), Allison Getz (2L), Dan Herrera (3L), Lin Qiu (LL.M.), and Assistant Dean Tony Waller (Faculty/Staff) were selected by the College community as "Pig Kissers," an event that drew a large crowd of students, faculty, and staff.
Black Law Students Association welcomes Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown
Ms. Dorothy Brown, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, presented the 2007 BLSA Fall Leadership Symposium "40 Years of History: Looking Toward the Future" to undergraduate and law students in the Max L. Rowe Auditorium on October 17. Ms. Brown made history when she was elected as the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County in 2000, becoming the first African American to hold that position. Re-elected to a second term in 2004, she won both elections by overwhelming margins, illustrating voter confidence in her abilities. As the official keeper of records for all judicial matters in Cook County, Ms. Brown is responsible for managing an annual operating budget of more than $100 million with a workforce of more than 2,300 employees in one of the world's largest unified court systems.
"Illinois Law" – College's TV show moves into third season
The College's popular half-hour television program, "Illinois Law" returned for a third season on Sunday mornings on local CBS affiliate, WCIA-TV, and statewide on more than 100 cable systems on the Illinois Channel. "Illinois Law," hosted by Professor of Law and Journalism Amy Gajda, a former television anchor, reporter and talk show host, focuses on legal issues in the news, research developments, articles and publications and other newsworthy items from the College of Law faculty. "Illinois Law" recently broadcast its 23rd episode and has featured nearly 20 College of Law faculty members during the past three seasons.
"Illinois Law" has consistently drawn praise from WCIA-TV General Manager Russ Hamilton for its newsworthy and informative content and has created a large and enthusiastic regional audience. You can watch any of the past episodes on your computer from the College's website at http://www.law.uiuc.edu. Just click on "Blogs and Media" and select "Illinois Law" and you'll have access to every episode.
Calendar of College of Law Events
November 2007
November 7, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Max L. Rowe Auditorium: "The Politics & Policy of School Finance Reform" forum featuring Illinois State Senators James T. Meeks (D), Michael W. Frerichs (D), and Dan Cronin (R), along with Illinois State Representative Chapin Rose '00 (R). Lunch will be provided. The forum is hosted by the College of Law and the Institute for Government and Public Affairs (IGPA), along with Professor Rick Winkel as part of the Law 792-J Class "Public School Finance & Reform." The forum is open to the public.
November 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: University of Illinois Law Alumni (UILA) Reception for the Class of 2007: Bin 36, 339 North Dearborn in downtown Chicago. Reception for alumni and graduates who have been recently sworn in by the Illinois Bar Association.
November 15, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Room C: Lunch with Alumni from San Diego. You are invited to have lunch with visiting alumni Brian M. Kramer ('00) and Ryan T. Brown ('99) for an informal discussion about San Diego's legal market. Lunch and drinks will be provided to the first 60 students. For more information contact Sunda Wells at 217-265-5345 or sunda@law.uiuc.edu.
November 15, 4:00-6:00 p.m., Pedersen Pavilion: Peer's Pub: Great American Cities Program featuring San Diego. Students have the opportunity to introduce themselves to visiting alumni Brian M. Kramer ('00) and Ryan T. Brown ('99) and enjoy delicious food and beverages from the San Diego area. For more information contact Sunda Wells at 217-265-5345 or sunda@law.uiuc.edu.
November 28, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Chicago Alumni Luncheon at The University Club of Chicago, 76 E. Monroe Street in downtown Chicago. Special guests at the luncheon will be Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients Robert Benziger '67, James Matanky '85, and Jeanette Sublett '82 as well as Professor Jay Kesan, the new Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Faculty Scholar. Sign up to attend at http://www.law.uiuc.edu/chicagoalumniluncheon or call (217) 333-2628.
