June 2015 Vol. 1, No. 2
Illinois State Bar Association
Law-Related education
The newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Committee on Law-Related Education
The Illinois State Bar Association’s Law-Related Education Newsletter is provided free of charge on a quarterly basis during the school year. We are dedicated to promoting law-related education resources and discussion topics appropriate for use in classroom or community settings. If you do NOT wish to receive this complimentary newsletter, please reply and indicate in the message line that you wish to be removed from our mailing list. Statements, expressions of opinion or comments appearing herein are those of the editors or contributors, and not necessarily those of the Association or the Committee.
Chair’s gratitude Inside By Judge Mike Chmiel Chair’s gratitude...... 1 nce again, this publication comes to you future of the State through the interest and effort through the work of the Standing Com- of those who focus on civics. Civics in our schools Omittee on Law Related Education for the As we approach the end of the 2014-15 fiscal (Homes and communities) Public of the Illinois State Bar Association (“LRE”). year of the ISBA, gratitude is specifically stated 2015...... 1 LRE has continued in its endeavors to encourage for Attorney Richard Felice of Wheaton, who as and enhance opportunities for civics education the President of the ISBA, elevated civics educa- 2015 ISBA High School throughout the State of Illinois, through volun- tion for the ISBA as one of his initiatives. Through Mock Trial Invitational. . . . 4 teer attorneys and judges who stand ready, will- his guidance and hard work, along with that of ing, and able to speak to students, through pub- Justice Michael Hyman of Chicago, the ISBA was Model Illinois lications, and through the High School Mock Trial able to join forces with the Illinois Judges Associ- Government ...... 4 Invitational of the ISBA. Gratitude is again stated ation to form the joint Bringing the Courtroom to for all who have participated! More can always Check out these two be done, but things continue to bode well for the Continued on page 2 ABA Web sites for good ideas to improve your programs...... 4
Civics in our schools (Homes and communities) 2015 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the great By Sandra Lin Sweeney, Attorney at Law charter of liberty...... 5
was honored to be a part of the High School ment, let’s say. The educator would stand at Jesse Paul Padilla— Mock Trials for 2015 and was thoroughly the front of the class, speak at the class and as- Someone you should Iamazed at the talent of the students I listened sign reading upon which the students would be know...... 5 to. After the mock trials, I began to ponder if any tested. It was yawnable at best. It did not engage of these young people would then go on to be- the student citizenry. Sadly enough, not many of Abraham Lincoln come a part of our political culture, if the process my student colleagues ever engaged in any form Presidential Library of arguing a position would propel their deeper of politics or self-governing participation, during and Museum celebrates thinking of politics. This thought then pushed my their adulthoods. In fact, there is a lot of apathy 150th anniversary of conscience to thinking about our civics educa- and distrust in politics and politicians, in my gen- Lincoln’s assassination, tion in school, what is it and how is it perceived eration. Most sadly, I see this apathy continuing the end of the Civil War by young minds. with our youth. and the 10-year I recalled when I was in school, many moons So my thoughts then traveled to what would anniversary of our ago, civics education was something seen as museum...... 6 having to endure and get through, a require- Continued on page 3 Law-Related Education | June 2015, Vol. 1, No. 2
Chair’s gratitude
Continued from page 1 the Classroom (“BCC”) Committee. Attorney Thanks go to Retired Administrative Law attention on civics. (As a friend from Crys- Felice engages in the private practice of law, Judge Ed Schoenbaum of Springfield for tal Lake would say, if we all do a little, some but also volunteers countless hours to devel- stepping in to get our newsletters out, and to won’t have to do a lot!) Further, let me extend op such programs. Similarly, Justice Hyman, LRE’s Vice (and Incoming) Chair Rocky Mar- special thanks to ISBA Executive Director who sits on the Appellate Court of Illinois for tinez for working to improve LRE’s presence Bob Craghead, ISBA General Counsel Char- the First District, serves as the President of on the web. lie Northrup, and LRE Staff Liaison Kim Furr. the IJA and also volunteers countless hours. As we look to the upcoming year, things Each does a great job keeping us between The BCC Program was developed by the look great with many opportunities for suc- the ditches of an often bumpy road. Through IJA over the last few years, to provide an in- cess. For starters, LRE plans to continue to their efforts, we have been able to focus on teractive discussion with Illinois students provide and improve each of its offerings. civics and with great hopes and expectations about the court system in Illinois and the LRE also plans to expand its civic educa- for the future. handling of a hypothetical case. In Chicago tion offerings into the grown-up world with Educators are well-advised to explore and this past October, for the first time, attorneys a new program which is tentatively being utilize various free resources which are avail- were trained to join judges who were previ- called Bringing the Courtroom to the Board- able through the websites of the ISBA (www. ously trained to facilitate the discussion at room. LRE looks forward to working with isba.org), the Supreme Court of Illinois (www. schools through a substantive PowerPoint incoming ISBA President Umberto Davi of state.il.us/court), and the Illinois Judges As- presentation. Now, about 200 judges and at- Western Springs and his administration on sociation (www.ija.org). torneys are available to make the presenta- this anticipated venture into the world of We are all working to make our State a tion at schools through throughout Illinois. adult education. better place through education. To such end, Educators are encouraged to contact the As the second year of my one-year term we welcome questions, comments, sugges- BCC Program by emailing Kathy Hosty at comes to a close, let me again thank all who tions, and invitations to make presentations. [email protected] or Kim Furr at [email protected]. have volunteered time to talk to a student or Otherwise, thanks and best wishes for a great Upon request, the BCC Committee will coor- a class, to write an article, to judge or evalu- Summer! ■ dinate a judge and an attorney to make the ate a mock trial, or to focus some level of presentation free of any charge. LRE has also continued to offer its Law- yers in Classrooms Program through which more than 160 attorneys and judges located FREE to ISBA members throughout Illinois, make themselves avail- able to talk on a dozen different topics free of Your research isn’t complete until you’ve charge. The lists of volunteer presenters and searched ISBA section newsletters topics is available through isba.org/teachers. Fourteen years’ worth of articles, fully indexed and In March, LRE coordinated the 33rd Annu- al High School Mock Trial Invitational. More full-text searchable…and counting. than 400 students participated as lawyers and witnesses in a hypothetical case (which was based on a real-life story). Then, in April, the Board of Governors of the ISBA voted to continue with the Invitational into the fore- seeable future. Planning has already begun for the 34th! (Thanks to Attorney Sarah Tay- lor of Carbondale for again chairing the Mock Trial Subcommittee for LRE, the Mock Trial Subcommittee (Judge Pablo Eves, Stephen Iden, Rocky Martinez, Kateah McMasters, Stan Wasser, and Zee Williams), Third Year The ISBA’s online newsletter index organizes all issues Law Student Alexsandra Ostojic of the Uni- published since 1999 by subject, title and author. versity of Illinois who served as Administra- tor for the Invitational, and the University of More than a decade’s worth of lawyer-written articles Illinois Mock Trial Team. analyzing important Illinois caselaw and statutory Throughout the year, LRE also worked developments as they happen. to produce four newsletters and update its Web site. These items are used throughout www.isba.org/publications/sectionnewsletters the State by attorneys and educators alike.
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Civics in our schools (Homes and communities) 2015 Law-Related Education Continued from page 1 for the public help to engage students not only in their them. We need new thinking, we need new Published at least four times per year. learning of “civics” but also to be good citi- blood within our political system. To do that zens, once their formal civics education has we must engage those who will come after ended. I then began to realize that civics us to take over those positions we now hold. To subscribe, visit www.isba.org education is a lifelong, on-going process, So civics teachers know that you have an in- or call 217-525-1760 which if implemented properly should take credible amount of responsibility and that place during our entire conscience exis- is to be a prong in developing our future Office tence. That our “civics” education is begun political and decision makers of our coun- Illinois Bar Center from the moment we are born until the day try, engage them in new ways, not just by 424 S. Second Street we die, being affected by our parents, our teaching rote text, but by challenging their Springfield, IL 62701 schools and the communities we live in. thinking, their questioning of decisions by Phones: 217-525-1760 OR 800-252-8908 www.isba.org We are affected from birth by our par- law makers, by letting our youth know they ents’ beliefs in politics, religion and level of have a voice and they can use it to challenge Editors activity in politics they engage in. We are af- current ways of thinking. Hon. Edward J. Schoenbaum fected during our years of schooling by our This is “democracy.” ■ Pablo A. Eves educators, with how well do our educators Managing Editor/ engage and challenge us in the political pro- A bill making civics class a require- cess, or do they only speak at us. After our ment for high school graduation in Illi- Production own formal education process has ended Katie Underwood nois passed a state Senate committee on [email protected] we are then affected by our own activity May 12. level in the democratic process. How little or Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, spon- Law-Related Education how much we ourselves engage in affecting sor of House Bill 4025, passed the House for the public decisions, or holding them accountable, of 81-29 in April. He said the bill would en- Hon. Michael J. Chmiel, Chair our law makers. sure students are engaged in the political Raquel G. Martinez, Vice Chair I do not believe merely voting, or writ- process, opponents say it is another un- Zeophus J. Williams, Secretary ing letters to the editor is sufficient to be funded mandate on schools that cannot Sarah J. Taylor, Ex-Officio engaged and end political apathy. So if the afford to offer the course. Jessica A. Baer formal type of educational training is not High school students must take at Hon. Rosemary Collins engaging our youth citizenry then what least two years of social studies to gradu- Lauren E. DeJong Stephen D. Iden would? ate. This bill would require at least one Marylou L. Kent I believe that hands on experiences and semester be a civics class. He sponsored Kateah M. McMasters fruitful debate is what will engage our young the bill because he saw a growing trend Todd C. Miller people. It will remove apathy and help our of people not getting involved in govern- Thomas Murray youth to understand that they must be en- ment. Desiree Anna Shiffler Martin gaged in the political process to control the “While it serves a purpose, Facebook Sandra L. Sweeney outcome of politics and how those politics shouldn’t be the number one means of Kimberly A. Furr, Staff Liaison will affect their futures. We must as an adult getting involved in your community,” he Hon. Jessica A. O’Brien, Board Liaison society instill in our “children” that they must said. be involved to have our culture continue as McCormick Foundation, a nonprofit Disclaimer: This newsletter is for subscribers’ personal use only; redistribution is prohibited. a “democracy.” We as parents, educators and provides resources for civics education, Copyright Illinois State Bar Association. Statements the public must get our youth involved in has pledged $3 million to offset any costs or expressions of opinion appearing herein are attending and participating in local political in training for poorer school districts. those of the authors and not necessarily those of meetings; fund drives; gathering signatures the Association or Editors, and likewise the publica- “The McCormick Foundation will fund tion of any advertisement is not to be construed as for local, state and national candidates, help- the training and the rollout,” Cullerton an endorsement of the product or service offered ing with candidates elections; participating said. “There’s private money helping it, unless it is specifically stated in the ad that there is in political clubs and organizations; and but ISBE is creating the overall curricu- such approval or endorsement. Articles are prepared as an educational service maybe engaging in occupations that can lum.” to members of ISBA. They should not be relied have an impact politically. The McCormick Foundation has an upon as a substitute for individual legal research. To engage our youth now will insure that endowment of $1.57 billion, but Cul- The articles in this newsletter are not intended there will be people in the future who will to be used and may not be relied on for penalty lerton said should the funding dry up, avoidance. have the confidence to speak out and chal- other nonprofits and companies have Postmaster: Please send address changes to lenge mediocrity and look to new innova- expressed interest in backing the initia- the Illinois State Bar Association, 424 S. 2nd St., tive ways to approach problems and correct tive. ■ Springfield, IL 62701-1779.
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2015 ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational By Sarah Taylor
he 2015 ISBA High School Mock Trial In- forty-two teams and their coaches, families, host, the College of Law. The Standing Com- vitational was held on March 14 and 15, and other supporters, and the hard work mittee on Law-Related Education appreci- T2015, at the University of Illinois’ Col- of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Law- ates the support and hard work of all of these lege of Law in Champaign, Illinois. Teams rep- Related Education, Mock Trial Coordinator, entities and individuals. resenting 42 high schools from across Illinois Aleksandra Ostojic and the members of the A full list of participating schools, spon- participated in the event. The winning team Illinois Trial Team. The Invitational would not sors, and volunteers, information about vol- was Hinsdale Central High School, which will have been possible without the many judg- unteering, and general information about represent Illinois at the National High School es, attorneys, law students, undergraduate the Mock Trial Invitational program may be Mock Trials in Raleigh, North Carolina. students, and others who generously volun- found at:
Model Illinois Government By Hon. Edward J. Schoenbaum
odel Illinois Government has an than in a semester of classes. linois Supreme Court. Teams of attorneys ar- online home which is one of the MIG Delegates are structured for a legis- gue before a panel of student justices and le- Mpreeminent intercollegiate govern- lative simulation and others prepare for oral gal professionals and are scored on the basis ment simulations in the United States. 2015 argument in the Supreme Court competi- of presentation and knowledge of the case was the 37th and by going to their website tion. Students choose among various roles fact. Please direct all questions to the Chief teachers and students can learn a lot. Check including: Legislators, lobbyists, journalists, Justice. Find the Fact Pattern for the 2015 out their Web site and learn a great deal. attorneys, justices, budget analysts, as well simulation on the Web site.
Check out these two ABA Web sites for good ideas to improve your programs
Be Acknowledged For Your Law Day 2015 Activities . Showcase the planning and success of your orga- nization’s Law Day 2015 programming. The award submission deadline is June 26, 2015. Enter at
Students Give Moving Account of Experience in Nation’s Capital . The ABA Division for Public Educa- tion recently hosted its 5th annual National Civics & Law Academy in Washington, DC. The Academy provides a diverse group of high school students from throughout the country with a rare opportunity to understand the relationship that law, policies, citizens, and institutions have in shaping our nation. Go to the Web site and watch the video at
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800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the great charter of liberty By MaryLou Lowder Kent
n June 15, 1215, in a field at Runny- kered the agreement. Yet two principles ex- rights into the laws of their states and into mede on the banks of the Thames pressed in the Magna Carta resonate to this the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. ORiver, King John affixed his seal to the day: The Magna Carta has resonated through- Magna Carta. Confronted by 40 rebellious “No freeman shall be taken, impris- out the centuries and across the globe as no barons, he consented to their demands in or- oned, disseised, outlawed, banished, other legal text and has been hailed as one der to avert civil war. Just 10 weeks later, Pope or in any way destroyed, nor will We of the most significant documents in English Innocent III nullified the agreement and Eng- proceed against or prosecute him, history. It has served as the basis for the prin- land plunged into internal conflict. Although except by the lawful judgment of his ciple that no one, including kings and presi- the Magna Carta failed to resolve the struggle peers or by the law of the land.” dents, is above the law and that the right to between King John and his barons, it was re- due process of law belongs to everyone. issued several times after his death. “To no one will We sell, to no one The Illinois State Bar Association and its The Magna Carta was written by a group will We deny or delay, right or justice.” Committee on Law Related Education for of barons to protect their rights and property During the American Revolution, the the Public encourage elementary schools, against a tyrannical king. It was concerned Magna Carta served to inspire and justify ac- junior high schools, high schools and univer- with many practical matters and specific tion in the defense of liberty. The colonists sities to provide students with an opportu- grievances relevant to the feudal system. The believed they were entitled to the same nity to reflect upon the Magna Carta and the interests of the common man were hardly rights as Englishmen, rights guaranteed by principles of due process of law embodied relevant in the minds of the men who bro- the Magna Carta. They embedded those therein. ■
Jesse Paul Padilla—Someone you should know By Todd C. Miller
he mission statement of the L.R.E. County Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Pro- Committee speaks to a lawyer’s role in gram, Jesse served as mentor to a Northern Tsociety in assisting in enhancing non- Illinois University Freshman through the lawyers’ understanding of our great judicial Learning and Leading Program. The program system. By inference, attorneys are charged is co-hosted by COUNTRY Financial and State with a responsibility to be role models in all Farm. their various endeavors. Those attorneys that Recently, Jesse graduated from the Multi- best meet these expectations should be rec- cultural Leadership Program. The program is ognized. limited to a class of 26 hand-selected individ- Jesse Padilla is currently employed as in- uals with the drive and desire to serve their house counsel for the Illinois Agricultural As- respective communities through leadership. sociation (COUNTRY Financial). He has been The program is an intense professional de- practicing law for about 11 years and has velopment curriculum that provides a frame- been with COUNTRY Financial since 2008. work to those with an interest in and poten- I first met Jesse in 2011 when he was my tial to step into community leadership roles. mentee through the McLean County Bar As- In addition to the foregoing, in the recent sociation Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Pro- past Jesse has also volunteered his time serv- gram. While he was not a “new lawyer” per ing as a Council Member for the First United se he had a desire to expand his network be- Methodist Church and as Vice President of yond other in-house counsel. Jesse Paul Padilla the Professional Latino/Latina Allstate Net- Jesse is an active participant in the McLean work. County Bar Association. Since 2013 he has is organizing a pilot project and joint effort Jesse and his son live in McLean County. served as Co-Chairman of the Lawyers in the between the bar association, Conexiones La- Those of us who know him respect his pro- Classroom Committee and has, through that tinas and Illinois Wesleyan University to work fessionalism and admire his dedication to committee, spoken to elementary school- with bi-lingual students. Jesse is also work- the legal community and, more importantly, aged children regarding the workings of our ing on creating a Diversity Committee for the to the community at large. All of us should be legal system, both in Spanish and in English. McLean County Bar Association. leading by the kind of example set by Jesse Currently, in his capacity as co-chair, Jesse Following his involvement in the McLean Paul Padilla. ■
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Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum celebrates 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination, the end of the Civil War and the 10-year anniversary of our museum By Hon. Edward J. Schoenbaum, Volunteer at Museum
earning through Artifacts and Docu- July 16th, come back for It’s A Sweet Affair Mr . Lincoln’s Attic Provides educators ments. Imagine how much more mean- with Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln over cake and des- with historical background of this exhibit, Lingful history can be for your students serts as they discuss their own love story and worksheets, vocabulary all geared to the Illi- when they can handle reproduction docu- the love stories of their friends. nois Learning Standards. Topics include “Why ments and artifacts and view online items Teachers with children through the mu- We Collect” and “Do Objects Talk” which in- from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Li- seum can provide a meaningful learning ex- vites students to take on the role of the mu- brary’s unparalleled collection of treasured perience by preparing yourself and students, seum professional in examining artifacts to items used by Abraham Lincoln. Supplement the ALPLM Education Department has cre- reveal the stories behind them. the lessons with suggested classroom activi- ated teacher resource guides specifically for Women’s History Month contains excit- ties. educators bringing a school group to the ing ideas for bringing Women’s History into Museum Scavenger Hunts may be used ALPLM. View Teacher Resource Guides down- the classroom. by students, families, or adults on focusing load Adobe Acrobat Reader if not installed on Black History Month guide is filled with on museum content, prior to, during, or as your computer. Download Adobe Acrobat information and ideas to bring Black History follow-up to a tour. All can be used as a learn- Reader. Month into your classroom. Provides educa- ing tool. Please go to their Web site,
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