Chicago-Kent Law Librarian Named a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

Jean M. Wenger, director of the Chicago-Kent College of Law Library and teaching professor, was recently named a life fellow of the American Bar Foundation. The American Bar Foundation Fellows are a global honorary society of attorneys, judges, law faculty, and legal scholars whose public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession. American Bar Foundation fellows are admitted by invitation only, and membership is limited to 1 percent of licensed attorneys.

The American Bar Foundation is a research institute committed to the principle that a deep understanding of the law is vital to a more just, equitable world.

“I was completely surprised when I received the invitation,” says Wenger.

Wenger is a licensed attorney, but she feels more at home in a law library than in a courtroom. Over her career as a law librarian in both academic and government settings, she has been a passionate advocate for access to justice and equal access to information. In her work, she has assisted students, faculty, judges, government officials, other attorneys, and members of the public in accessing trustworthy, reliable legal information.  

“My passion is research and helping others in their research,” she says. “So being able to support the work of ABF researchers and to network with others who share an interest and passion about law and justice in our world is just fascinating for me.”

She continues, “I feel honored and gratified for this opportunity.”

Wenger is active in the local legal community, serving as the vice-chair of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) Continuing Legal Education Standing Committee. She also participates in several ISBA committees and sections.

Wenger has also been elected to a second term as treasurer of the International Association of Law Librarians (IALL). IALL members hail from 30 countries on six continents. “Members are librarians who are in national supreme courts, foreign government ministries, law firms, universities, and international organizations,” says Wenger.

Wenger’s own interest in foreign courts and political systems, in part, led her to become a law librarian. “While my title has certainly changed over my career, I have always maintained my passion for foreign and international law research,” says Wenger.

“I’ve always had an international interest and focus whether it be law or history or politics, and then I discovered that foreign and international law is a specialized field for law librarians,” says Wenger. Her research, as well as many of her presentations and teaching, focus on foreign, comparative, and international law, and practice-based legal research.

In addition to working with the outstanding students and faculty at Chicago-Kent, opportunities to learn from and engage with colleagues locally, nationally, and internationally make for an incredibly enriching professional experience for Wenger.