Tuesday September 23, 2008

Sometimes I am asked by prospective students whether I enjoy my job as Dean. The answer is always a resounding “Yes.” In fact, most recently I had a particularly enjoyable day.

On the day in question I was in Chicago with several of our law students who are working on Project SALUTE, our national tour to assist veterans with their federal disability benefits. And I have to admit that the day started pretty early. In fact, we all had to get up at 4 am to get into the Mobile Law Office by 4:45 so that we could make our way from our hotel to the WGN-TV studios in Chicago. Once we arrived at WGN-TV, we were greeted by a producer who took the students and me on a tour of their entire facility, including giving the students an opportunity to watch as the early morning news anchors did their job on the air.

By 6:45 am it was our turn to go on the air, as we were interviewed (standing in front of the Mobile Law Office) about what the students and faculty would be doing in Chicago over the next few days
(WGN –TV Morning News). As in most cities on the tour, the students (always under the supervision of our superb faculty) spend several days meeting with veterans, both in groups and one-on-one, to answer their questions and identify cases that our Veterans Clinic can handle. On the final day the faculty and students offer an all-day training session for local attorneys interested in handling veterans federal disability benefits cases pro bono. (We have now trained more than 300 attorneys around the nation, with more to come.)

After our TV appearance, we all went together to have breakfast at IHOP. I always enjoy these kinds of informal meals, because I get to talk with the students in a casual environment about what they’re doing, how they’re enjoying law school, their plans for the future, and other such items, in addition to talking about other things such as sports, current events, etc.

Later that morning we headed over to the Cook County Criminal Courthouse where we met with Richard Devine, the State’s Attorney for Cook County. We then did a press conference with State’s Attorney Devine and others about Project SALUTE and its activities in Chicago. Devine said all kinds of nice things about what UDM School of Law and its students are doing. We were also joined by a representative of Catholic Charities (which was serving as our host in Chicago), as well as someone from the office of Illinois Lieutenant Governor Quinn who presented us with a proclamation welcoming UDM School of Law and Project SALUTE to Illinois. At the press conference, a representative from the McCormick Foundation also announced that the Foundation was giving us $15,000 to help fund the Project.

For me the highlight of the press conference was the comments by our students, who spoke about their experiences helping veterans, the types of cases they handle, and their reasons for being part of our Veterans Law Clinic. (Speaking at the press conference were students Stacey Pyszora and Derek Miller; also joining us at the press conference were students Holly Muir and Matthew Hammer.)

After the press conference, the students were given a tour of the Courthouse and met with a judge (while I was off meeting with attorneys in a national law firm’s Chicago office which is interested in interviewing our students for summer associate positions).

By the time I was finished with my meetings and the students had had a bite to eat, it was about 4 pm. That gave us enough time to take one of those wonderful architectural boat tours of the Chicago River. (I told the students that I really couldn’t have the school pay for their boat tour, but that since I had gotten them up at 4 in the morning, the tour would be my treat.)

After the boat tour, we wandered around some of downtown Chicago, went to Millenium Park, had dinner, and gradually made our way back to the hotel (stopping, of course, for the required Baskin Robbins interlude). I had them back to their hotel rooms by about 9:15 pm. The students then spent the next two days doing a great job meeting with 60 veterans in Chicago, and then assisting our faculty on the third day in training about fifty local Chicago attorneys willing to assist veterans pro bono.

I realize that this is not a typical experience either for a law school dean or for law school students. But when I see how much our students learn on these excursions – and when I hear the gratitude of the veterans being assisted – I think it’s well worth it for everyone.