Student and Alumni Stories
Chicago-Kent is home to an amazing community, with a diverse range of interests and backgrounds. Brouse our stories below for pictures and perspectives from our students, recent graduates, and alumni of note.
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The Call to be a Defender
- Public Interest Law 2023
While working for a decade as a behavior analyst with students with developmental disabilities in Chicago, Nicole Jansma ’23 came to a discouraging conclusion. “One of the unfortunate realities in...
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The “Generalist” at DEI’s Forefront
- Intellectual Property Law '08
As the top city attorney in Evanston, Illinois, Nicholas Cummiongs '08 never thought the ordinance he helped draft would put him at the forefront of the national DEI debate.
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Diversity by the Numbers
- Labor and Employment Law '06
Michael Wilder '06 made a living helping companies navigate affirmative action audits. Now the organization that he created provides peer support for Black male attorneys worldwide.
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An Agent of Change
- Labor and Employment Law '08
Jessica Muench ’04 says it was tough having national pundits critique the flagship program of the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy she helped build at United Airlines. For her, that meant the change was real.
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Breaking Traditional Ground
- Immigration Law 1991 and 1999
Vivian Khalaf ’91 and Omar Abuzir ’99 have taken a lot of trips to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport over the past several years. Not to get on a plane. Not...
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The Conduit
- Legal Innovation and Technology 2021
Ben Jackson went to law school to reduce the need for lawyers. “The law really belongs to ordinary people. A lot of times by having lawyers in the process, we...
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Seeing Both Sides of Immigration Law
- Immigration Law 2003
When Catherine Paler-Amaya ’03 refers to herself as “a government person,” she’s speaking from experience. A lot more experience than most. Throughout her career she has worked for three federal...
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Environmental Law 2.0
- Environmental and Energy Law 2017
“You don’t want your career to ride on the coattails of something that was hot 20 years ago,” says environmental law attorney Caitlin Ajax ’17. She’s not just talking about...
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Environmental Law in the Fast Lane
- Environmental and Energy Law 2005
“What really motivated me to go into environmental law was having a child,” Yesenia Villaseñor (’05) says. Before applying to law school, Villaseñor was environmentally conscientious to a T: using...
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A Love for Labor Law
- Labor and Employment Law 2022
When Enrique Espinoza ’22 first enrolled at Chicago-Kent College of Law years ago, he was just hoping to get a job helping immigrants like himself. After working for decades in...