BENJAMIN E. ALBA ______1153 W. Vernon Park Place • Chicago, IL 60607 • (312) 362-8483 • [email protected]
LEGAL DePaul University College of Law (2002 - present). Academic rank: Senior Professional Lecturer (2007 – present).
• 2018-19 Academic Year Assignments: Academic Success Workshops (Fall 2018 and Spring 2019).
• 2017-18 Academic Year Assignments: Academic Success Workshops (Fall 2017 and Spring 2018): Bar Passage Workshops (Fall 2017 and Spring 2018); Bar Passage Strategies (Spring 2018), plus supervise one adjunct-taught section and one section delivered by Themis Bar Review; Multistate Performance Test Strategies (supervise one adjunct-taught section).
• Director of Academic Success Program (June 2013 - ). Direct all aspects of program aimed primarily at first-year students and secondarily offering support for upper-level students. Recruit, train, and supervise upper-level ASP teaching assistants. Conduct weekly ASP workshops for day and evening 1Ls, as well as occasional workshops for international students and student organizations. Build first-year and upper-class curriculum in academic success. Counsel and monitor progress of all students in ASP and other students identified as academically at-risk. Oversee and coordinate annual 1L diagnostic assessment of first-year students. Coordinate with law school academic affairs, student affairs, and faculty, as well as with relevant University offices to best serve academically at-risk students. In 2017, drafted and submitted proposal (subsequently approved by the faculty) to increase the rigor of the law school’s good standing policy. Teach special workshops at law school open house and admitted student programs.
• Director, Bar Passage Program (January 2003 – June 2018). Developed and taught or supervised courses to enhance bar preparation, especially of at-risk students, including (1) the 2-credit Bar Passage Strategies course (2009), and (2) the 2-credit Multistate Performance Test Strategies course (2017); drafted proposals for such courses for faculty approval. Developed course materials and learning outcomes, and trained adjunct instructors. Taught bar preparation workshops and panel discussion programs open to all students in their final year. Developed and fostered collaborative partnerships with external bar support services to enhance bar preparation of at-risk students. Counseled individual students and alumni to improve bar passage. Counseled graduates who failed and must retake a bar exam. Developed statistical data relevant to tracking the bar exam success of College of Law graduates. Established Chicago Bar Passage Consortium of directors at Chicago-area law schools. Writer of College of Law’s annual Learning Assessment Report to the University (2009 - 2012). Solicited and reviewed proposals from commercial bar review services to support new bar skills courses. Organized and presented bar passage data to accreditors, in coordination with other staff and administrators. In 2017, coordinated and aided in developing strategic partnership between DePaul and nonprofit Minority Legal Education Resources (MLER), serving as the law school’s liaison to MLER and overseeing administrative support for MLER’s summer and winter Bar Process Management Program. Organized and coordinated alumni mentors for new graduates preparing to take a bar exam for the first time, as well as for graduates who need to retake the exam.
• Director of Student Advising (January 2013 – June 2016). Advised students at-large on a variety of academic and other matters, working with other administrators to unify and otherwise improve the student experience. Revamped College of Law Student Resource Guide and bar exam preparation brochure. Visited all 1L sections each spring to explain course registration process, graduation requirements, bar exam preparation, and other matters of importance to 1Ls in their second semester.
• Conference presentation: Co-presented “Bridge Over Troubled Writers: Using Teaching Assistants to Connect Real World Skills to the LRW Classroom” at the Central States Regional Legal Writing Conference (September 2011, Chicago).
• Faculty presenter at annual JumpStart and CLEO programs (2012 - ). Teach workshops introducing legal analysis and reading/writing skills to undergraduate students for program sponsored by the Council of Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO). Teach workshops to introduce at-risk entering law students for the rigors of law school for JumpStart program sponsored by the Just the Beginning Foundation.
• CLE presentation: Panelist, Vincent Vitullo Ethics and Professionalism Seminar, Panel on Civility (June 2011, Chicago).
• Co-Moderator, 2009 CIPLIT Visiting Artist Program - Recruited acclaimed jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano as the 2009 DePaul Center for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Visiting Artist. Prepared CLE program consisting of a panel discussion and Q&A, followed by a musical duet with the artist.
• Senior Professional Lecturer, LARC Program. Taught first-year Legal Analysis, Research and Communication (2002-09), including: inter-office memoranda, trial court briefs, appellate court briefs, pleadings, professional correspondence, legal research, legal citation, composition, and oral argument. Student load varied between 16 and 60.
• Interim Associate Director - Legal Analysis, Research & Communication (June - Dec. 2004). Assisted newly appointed LARC Director; recruited judge and attorneys to participate in legal writing discussion panels during 1-L orientation; interviewed and hired LARC teaching assistants.
• Member, Diversity Scholarship Committee (2007 - ). Review and rank applications for annual scholarship awards. Previously emceed for annual Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) scholarship banquet (2010–12).
• Member, Faculty/Staff Diversity Committee (2015 - ).
• Member, Readmission Committee (2015 - ).
• Chair, Bar Passage Committee (2017-18). Review College of Law bar passage data and develop proposals for programs, courses, and other initiatives to enhance bar passage.
• Faculty Advisor, Asian Pacific-American Law Student Association (August 2012 - ). Informally served in this position since 2007.
Member, Faculty Moot Court Committee (2002-03) - developed proposal for appellate brief-writing seminar that became a prerequisite for participation in national competitions among Moot Court Society members; developed guidelines for trial advocacy team coaches. Faculty advisor for DePaul’s team in 2002 Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition.
• Legal Writing Instructor for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) (Summer 2004) – taught legal writing to 16 diverse pre-law students.
• Frequently assist at College of Law recruiting events, giving presentations on the LARC and Bar Passage programs, teaching sample mini-classes and participating in at-large and diverse faculty discussion panels.
• Performed live piano music at College of Law receptions (2003-12).
Sneckenberg, Thompson & Brody, LLP, Chicago, Illinois. Of Counsel (2002 - 2015); Partner (1990 - 2002); Associate (1983-89). Trial and appellate practice (plaintiff and defense) in Illinois state and federal courts. Practice areas included: insurance, personal injury (including traumatic brain injury), malpractice (including wrongful death), civil rights, products liability, administrative review, and alternative dispute resolution.
• Tried 26 cases to verdict or bench ruling in Chicago area state and federal courthouses; in 16 cases, either sole or first chair. Two trials involved severe BENJAMIN E. ALBA Page 4
personal injuries and exposures in excess of $1 million.
• Directly involved in writing 18 appeals in state and federal appellate courts. Resident editor for numerous briefs drafted by other partners and associates in the firm.
• Hired and supervised law clerks, associates, and support staff.
• Certified arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County (1990 - 2015).
• Co-authored chapter of Insurance and Litigation Implications of the Chicago Flood of 1992 for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Authored fraud investigation guide for major insurer client. Authored several editions of firm’s marketing brochure. Developed and conducted seminars on insurance fraud and claim investigation for insurer clients.
Loyola University Chicago School of Law Senior Lecturer in Law, Pretrial Litigation (1989-93); created and taught “Pretrial Litigation,” an innovative lawyering skills course using outside resource professionals, including judges, lawyers, and court reporters (1990-93). Instructor, Legal Writing and Moot Court (1984-87).
Assisted at promotional receptions for prospective students. Panelist on "Minorities in Law," Conference of Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (1993).
ACADEMIC “Team Up with Your TA: Incorporating Elements of Late-Night TV into the PUBLICATIONS LRW Classroom,” SSRN abstract ID 1943706 (04/18/2011).
PROFESSIONAL American Bar Association, Filipino-American Lawyers Association, AFFILIATIONS Association of Academic Support Educators.
EDUCATION Loyola University Chicago School of Law Juris Doctor (1983). Commendation for Leadership and Service; Legal Writing/Moot Court Teaching Assistant; Freshman Student Advisor. Assistant for Chicago Street Law Project: developed course materials for high school law education programs; taught Street Law at Weber High School.
DePaul University Bachelor of Science (1979) with Highest Honors (Major: Psychology). Danforth Foundation Fellowship Finalist; William James Award for Creativity in Psychology (Psi Chi); Assistant, Psychology and Mathematics Departments.
COMMUNITY St. Vincent De Paul Parish Finance Commission (1994 - 2002) and Parish AFFILIATIONS Council (1988-92). Director and pianist of Contemporary Choir (1977-84). BENJAMIN E. ALBA Page 5
Board Member – Grant Park Advisory Council (1997 - 2015), a Chicago Park District advisory council catalyzing public input on issues affecting Grant Park and downtown Chicago.
Chairman – Grant Park Conservancy Board (2003- ), a nonprofit dedicated to the restoration and future development of Grant Park.
Assistant Campaign Manager – City of Chicago 42nd Ward aldermanic campaign for Dennis O’Neill (1998-99).
Treasurer – Committee to Elect Stuart M. Brody Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County (2007-15).
Vice-president – Tuscany Club Villas Townhome Association (2003-07). Supervised a comprehensive revision and update of association’s declarations and bylaws.
NEWSPAPER Published in Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times on transportation, PUBLICATIONS development, and other urban issues (25 op-ed letters since 1996). Letters received commendations from Mayor Richard M. Daley.
ENTERTAINMENT Commissioned by entertainer Andy Williams to write liner notes appearing PUBLICATIONS on several of his CDs, including Andy Williams’ Greatest Hits: Live from The Moon River Theatre (Laserlight 1994), Andy Williams Live: Treasures from His Personal Collection (Concord 2001), and Andy Williams: “Butterfly” and Other Great Hits of the 1950s (Barnaby 2011).
Inventing Late Night: Steve Allen and the Original Tonight Show (Prometheus Books, hardcover, October 2005). Have given over 100 radio, television, or print interviews. Highlights include:
• Radio interviews:
The Sunday Papers with Rick Kogan (WGN, Chicago, 9/26/04 and 11/13/05).
Talk of the City (KPCC-FM, Pasadena, CA, 10/28/05).
Holder at Night (CJAD-AM, Montreal, Canada, 10/28/05).
Good for Life (KPFK, Los Angeles, CA, 11/1/05).
The Tom Ryan Show (WDMC, Detroit, MI, 11/16/05).
The Alex Bennett Show (Sirius satellite network, 11/18/05).
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The Saturday Radio Special with Bob Sirott (WCKG-FM, Chicago, 12/3/05).
Extension 720 with Milt Rosenberg (WGN, Chicago, 12/2/05).
The Right Balance with Greg Allen (Accent Radio Network, 12/7/05).
Beyond Words (KCLU, Santa Barbara, CA, 1/7/06).
Gary O’Brien and Friends (WDWS, Champaign, IL, 1/25/06, 3/29/06, 9/25/06, 12/13/06, 9/26/07, 7/29/08).
Suncoast Magazine with Doug Miles (WIBQ-AM, Sarasota, FL, 7/26/06).
The Gary Owens Show (Music of Your Life syndicated network, Hollywood, CA, various dates throughout 08/06).
Entertainment USA (USA Radio Network, 9/25/06).
The Jenn & Joe Show (CFUN-AM, Vancouver, BC, 9/27/06).
The Steve Cochran Show (WGN-AM, Chicago, IL, 11/6/06).
Nightside with Gregg Hunter (CRN Digital Cable Network, 1/21/08).
The Nick Digilio Show (WGN-AM, Chicago, IL 9/19/09, 4/18/14).
DePaul Authors Series (Radio DePaul, Chicago, IL 3/18/11).
The Bill Leff Show (WGN-AM, Chicago, IL 9/27/12, 12/12/12).
Sirott & Murciano (WGN-AM, Chicago, IL 9/27/13).
Bill Leff & Wendy Snyder (WGN-AM, Chicago, IL 2/13/14).
The Dave Sims Show (Radio DePaul, Chicago, IL 7/18/17, 10/21/18).
• Television Interviews:
Chicago Tonight with Bob Sirott (WTTW, Chicago, 11/1/05).
Between the Lines with Barry Kibrick (KLCS, Los Angeles, CA, 11/4/05 and 1/09/08).
Connie Martinson Talks Books (Adelphia Cable, Van Nuys, CA, 11/7/05).
Fox and Friends (Fox News Channel, 11/18/05).
Money for Breakfast (Interview with Alexis Glick, Fox Business Channel, 7/24/08).
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• Speaking engagements:
Dutton’s Bookstore book signing with Jayne Meadows (Beverly Hills, CA, 11/4/05).
Vroman’s Bookstore book signing with Jayne Meadows (Pasadena, CA, 11/6/05).
Roundtable West Book Club luncheon with Jayne Meadows (Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA, 11/7/05).
Barnes & Noble DePaul Center book signing (Chicago, 11/17/05).
Independent Writers of Chicago lecture (Chicago, 3/14/06).
Center for Inquiry-West presentation and book signing with Jayne Meadows (Steve Allen Theater, Hollywood, CA, 7/16/06).
Columbia College Chicago: History of Television class guest lecture (Chicago, 10/17/06).
• Reviews/Features
Publishers Weekly (August 2005).
The Daily Variety (11/17/05).
The Weekly Standard (11/29/05).
Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (3/27/06).
Entertainment Weekly (6/2/06).
• Quoted/Contributed
Los Angeles Times Magazine (“The Late, Late Comer,” 12/16/05).
The Sunday Times/Times Online (“Craig Ferguson ‘may be next Letterman,’” 5/4/08, London, England).
Chicago Tribune Magazine (“Why Lenny Bruce Still Matters,” by Rick Kogan, 7/6/08).
Advertising Age (“And Now, Conan O’Brien! . . . and Younger Viewers,” by Brian Steinberg, 11/3/08).
Dziennik (“Talk-show naszego powszedniego daj nam dzis,” by Eliza Sanracka-Mahoney, 12/20/08).
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Christian Science Monitor (“The tepid return of Conan O’Brien - Time to Rethink Late Night,” 1/28/10).
Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise (Sam Irvin, Simon & Schuster 2010).
Grantland.com (“The Tomorrow Show: Assessing the state of late night after a turbulent week,” 3/29/13).
Slate.com (“Just Call Me ‘Bean Bag’!” 5/10/2015).
RedEye.com (“Who is the real Stephen Colbert?” by Ryan Smith, 9/7/2015).
Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night (Jason Zinoman, Harper 2017).
Last Man Standing: Mort Sahl and the Birth of Modern Comedy (James Curtis, Univ. Press of Mississippi 2017).
• Book excerpt: “Setting It Right on Tonight” - Emmy magazine, published by the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences (2004, Vol. 5).
• Op-ed: “Steve Allen quiet champion for artists of color,” Chicago News-Star (Sun-Times News Group, 1/30/08).
• Op-ed: “Late night needs more than celebs,” Chicago Sun-Times (Sun-Times News Group, 6/15/09).
MUSICAL Musical Director and Keyboardist: Godspell (1992), Little Shop of Horrors PROJECTS (1994). Keyboardist, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1995). Keyboardist/Vocalist for the band Vox Pop (1996-97). Piano bar entertainer at Palaggi’s Ristorante (2001-03), Caffe’ La Scala (2004), and Davenport’s (12/18/05). Keyboardist/Vocalist for Bric-a-Brac (2012 - ).
Rev.10/2018