IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law Day: A Proclamation from the Governor of Illinois

WHEREAS, since 1888, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has been dedicated to providing distinctive legal education to students from across the state and the nation; and,

WHEREAS, for the past one hundred and twenty-five years, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has educated thousands of students and shaped the practice of law; and,

WHEREAS, as the second law school in the State of Illinois, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has been a great asset to the Land of Lincoln; and,

WHEREAS, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law serves as a model for best practices among law schools across the country; and,

WHEREAS, in 1976, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law opened the nation's first in-house, fee-generating law school clinic, allowing students to work with faculty on real cases under the discipline of actual practice conditions. In a typical year, clinical professors and students handle hundreds of cases in employment, criminal, health, and tax law; and,

WHEREAS, in 1978, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law once again served as trailblazer by pioneering a three-year legal research and writing program, which is now emulated at law schools across the nation; and,

WHEREAS, recognizing the emergence of technology based education, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law established the Center for Law and Computers in 1983 and consequently became the first law school in the country to make computers and integral part of the study of law; and,

WHEREAS, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has positioned itself as a leader among law schools across the country, becoming the first to adopt curriculum on emerging areas of study such as Financial Services Law and International Intellectual Property Law; and,

WHEREAS, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law's longevity is a testament to the quality of the education they provide and the relationships they have developed over the years; and,

WHEREAS, an anniversary such as this is a significant milestone and provides an excellent opportunity to reflect back on all that IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law has accomplished over the past one hundred and twenty-five years; and,

THEREFORE, I, Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim February 23, 2013 as IIT CHICAGO-KENT COLLEGE OF LAW DAY in Illinois, in recognition of their quasquicentennial anniversary, and on behalf of all residents do hereby offer best wishes for continued success.