Volume 1, Issue 1

Law School Newspaper Re-launches, Looks Back at History In this issue: chose was appealing.‖ Chambers said the paper is intended to ―open up unknowing students‘ Cause of Action 1 History and Future eyes to the variety of diverse student organizations‖ at DePaul by highlighting and reviewing events. He also hopes that the electronic edition of the paper will create DePaul Law News 2 connections with alumni who remember the former editions of the paper. Previous editions of the paper were Student Editorials 4 produced in the 1970s, and throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. "It was around for a pretty long time," Dean Howard Rubin, the faculty Entertainment 7 adviser for SBA, said. "There were gaps when By: Rachael Dickson ‘15 students didn't have an interest." Rubin Cause of Action, the former DePaul University recounted with a laugh that for a few months College of Law newspaper, has officially re- during the 1980s, there was also an opposing Special points of launched as of January 15, continuing a tradition underground paper called, Cause of Inaction that interest: that spanned several decades. would appear around the school on Monday DePaul College of The re-launch of the monthly newspaper was mornings. "The administration was going crazy Law Centennial conceived in the campaign platform of current trying to figure out who was doing it," Rubin Lecture Student Bar Association President Alexandra said. "It was very blunt about certain things. No Demon‘s Advocate: Hochhauser and Vice President Peter one took credit for it." Three Strikes Laws Chambers last spring. Rubin expressed excitement about the re- ―We were upset at the bombardment of launch. "I think it's great," Rubin said. "The Importance of Local communications thrown at the student body attempt to communicate news and information Politics everyday through chalking, flyers, Dean‘s to students through the website and online has Health and Advisory Council emails, and faculty emails,‖ been pretty much a failure. A paper by students Wellness: Yoga Chambers said. ―The idea of a physical and for students will be of more interest." document that students could pick up if they Law Student See Page 11 Newspaper Re-Launch Caffeine Consumption Poll Letter from the Committee Cause of Action aims to be academic school year. By also former, current, and future Staff writers are encouraged the voice of the entire DePaul supplying an electronic edition students to increase to choose from any article College of Law student body. of the newspaper through the awareness of the ever- topics proposed by the Our mission is to provide Student Bar Association expanding DePaul Law committee or to pitch their students with relevant legal website, www.depaulsba.com, community. own topics. This is your and non-legal news, highlight we hope to grow our DePaul All students are encouraged student newspaper- please get or diverse student College of Law community by to become a part of Cause of involved! organizations, and bring light- reaching both alumni and Action as either a committee We sincerely hope you enjoy hearted entertainment prospective students. Thus, in member or staff writer. the newspaper! through monthly publications. addition to our principal goal Committee members meet Cause of Action will be made of providing valuable weekly in order to brainstorm - Cause of Action Committee available in both print and journalism, Cause of Action will ideas, format and edit articles, electronic formats during the provide a way to connect and publish the newspaper. Page 2 DePaul News Law and Emotion – DePaul College of Law Centennial Lecture By: Pete Chambers ‘13 may lead to a favorable result, regardless of that compassion does not play a role in con- As future lawyers, the facts or law. This legal adage isn‘t lost on stitutional issues. Two years later, he au- we are taught, ―if the Professor Susan Bandes, who has spent a thored another opinion which seemed to facts are against you, significant part of her academic career study- state the contrary. In Payne v. Tennessee, the argue the law. If the ing law and emotion. Court held that victim impact testimony law is against you, In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court heard (testimony by family members and others argue the facts. If the Deshaney v. Winnebago County, holding that close to the victim) is admissible during sen- facts and law are a state social services department was not tencing and, in death penalty cases, does not against you, yell like responsible for violating a child‘s due process violate the Cruel and Unusual Punishment hell.‖ Yet, what is rights when it failed to prevent child abuse by Clause. To a curious Professor Bandes, these ―yelling like hell‖ the custodial parent. Justice Harry Blackmun‘s cases opened the door to pursue the new likely to do anyway? I Professor Susan Bandes ―Poor Joshua‖ dissent illustrated the Court‘s field of academia in law and emotion. propose to you one effect: it will instill an emo- compassion for the child; however, Chief See Page 9 Law and Emotion tional response in all of those who listen that Justice William Rehnquist definitively stated The Marketability of a Legal Certificate By: Megan Einsele ‘14 area and helps fine-tune her skills.‖ Trying to decide what classes to take at However if you choose to pursue a certifi- DePaul can often become an anxiety ridden cate, you should consider how it can affect process. Questions constantly swirl in your your job applications. Professor Volini sug- mind: should you take bar classes, skills clas- gested that there are some instances where ses, or get a certificate? As you ask different you might want to omit the certificate from people and receive different opinions you your resume. For instance if you apply for a begin to weigh the pros and cons of each job in tax law and have a certificate in criminal approach to law school. The essential choice law, the employer might assume that this job often comes down to: will it help you obtain a is just a backup plan and not an area you are job? invested in. This job could be lost to you, A certificate is one such choice that you can because of what the certificate indicates about make as a student here at DePaul. DePaul your interests. offers certificates in eleven different areas Having a certificate is a signal of the area of such as: Business Law, Criminal Law, and In- law you are interested in, but it is not a sub- ternational Law. According to Diana White, stitute for experience. Howard Rubin, Associ- Dean of Students, only one-third of each ate Dean of Lawyering Skills and the Director graduating class chooses to pursue a certifi- of the Field Placement Program, advised that cate and the most popular certificate is in in order to be marketable, experience is es- International Law. sential. A certificate is a great highlight and With two-thirds of students choosing not talking point with employers, but with Illinois CERTIFICATES OFFERED AT DEPAUL to obtain a certificate, the essential question not recognizing specialists in specific areas, a to ask is: will obtaining a certificate make you certificate is nothing more. He said that, ―you more marketable to employers or is it just a should be spending as much time outside the highlight on your resume? Professor Anthony classroom as inside‖ if you want to find a job. Business Law Arts and Museum Volini, who works as a lawyer in the area of While considering if a certificate is the right Criminal Law Law Intellectual Property, advised how a certificate path for you, ask lawyers that practice in the Child & Family Law Info. Technology Law could enhance your resume. ―The real func- area you are interested in if it sets you apart. Health Law International & tional value of earning the certificate is the However, consider Dean White‘s advice that Comparative Law student‘s knowledge from taking the courses ―you take substantive classes first, particularly Intellectual Property Public Interest Law and doing well. A certificate could be useful those that are tested on the bar exam. With- IP with a patent Tax Law for niche areas, because it shows a certain out the basics and without passing the bar specialty threshold of foundational knowledge for the exam, the certificate is just a piece of paper to student going into practice in that particular hang on the wall.‖ Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 Musings on Life and the Law with Professor Ottley spend about twelve to fifteen hours a By: Joseph Homsy ‘14 years teaching in Papua New Guinea, and week in class, with the professors, but Many of us sit in then I had a year sabbatical and did an LLM they spend far more time with fellow class and may think at Columbia in New York. I interviewed students. My law school class, of two that our professors with [DePaul], they hired me, and I‘ve been hundred, had only five women. Nowa- were born, fully here ever since. Being in Chicago has days, upwards of fifty percent of the dressed, as profes- worked perfectly for my wife and I, and I students are women. We now have sors. We don‘t really like DePaul and hope to be here until I many students from different back- know much about retire. grounds. There‘s a good mix in there, them outside of the JH: Which do you like teaching more: Torts and I think that having that mix makes classroom. I met with or Civil Procedure? for a better learning experience.

Load more