ODEI Programming
UIC Law students receive guidance and support in a number of ways, some of which are described below.
Diversity Week Heading link
Diversity Week
Every Spring semester the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion holds a week of events focusing on elevating thought, dialogue, and active engagement around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Many of our student groups create the content and host these events. Diversity Week activities are for ALL members of the law school community. The conversations and new perspectives from this week are a part of how the UIC Law community can connect and learn from each other.
If you’d like to submit a discussion topic, suggest a panel, etc., for Diversity Week, please email law-diversity@uic.edu.
Celebrate meLAWnge Heading link
The “meLAWnge” celebration will take place March 10-13, 2025. Whether you are a student gaining knowledge that will help you with the Bar exam or faculty and staff members attempting to navigate various regulations and policies, there is plenty to occupy your attention. méLAWnge is an opportunity for you to explore these happenings and learn from the best of the best, your colleagues at UIC Law!
The schedule is as follows:
Monday, March 10 – “You Can’t Succeed If You Don’t Breathe!”
Hosted By: Lauren Michelle Jackson – Cultivate Your Essence
Time: 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Location: S-1210
Description: Research indicates that 96% of law students experience “significant stress,” compared to 70% of medical students and 43% of graduate students. In addition, research shows that law students tend to be the most dissatisfied, depressed, and demoralized among any grad student population. Join us to learn how to better manage these feelings so you can be the best version of yourself.
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Tuesday, March 11 – “First Impressions”
Hosted By: First Generation Law Students Association
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: S-1210
Description: A headshot is part of the first impression that a potential employer or mentor will see of you. According to LinkedIn, profiles with a professional headshot are viewed 21x more and are messaged 36x more than those profiles without. The First-Generation Law Students Association aims to provide community and mentorship to first-generation students, and we hope that through this event we can provide an opportunity to update your first impression!
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Tuesday, March 11 – “Equity in Action: The Role of Black Prosecutors in Justice Reform”
Hosted By: Black Law Students Association
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: S-1210
Description: Members from the National Black Prosecutors Association are coming to speak about the importance of having more perspectives in our justice system. They will discuss current trends in the field and how societal norms are impacting their work.
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Wednesday, March 12 – “Considerations for Teaching and Supporting International Students”
Hosted By: Ken Granle – Associate Director, Career Services & Academic Advising
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: S-1210
Description: International students are a vital and vibrant part of our UIC Law community. However, their status, rights, and privileges in the US are often unclear to those who teach and support them. Cultural differences and language barriers can often exacerbate issues, and immigration policies frequently change without considering the best interests of students. We do not need to be specialists in immigration law to understand how to be advocates for this student population, but some further considerations are beneficial for us all.
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Wednesday, March 12 – “Legal Information & The Hostage”
Hosted By: David Whelan– Assistant Professor & Director of Law Library & Instructional Technology
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: S-1210
Description: David Whelan woke up one morning to find his twin brother had been arrested by the Russian government and accused of being a spy. As his brother’s case unfolded over more than 5 years, David faced many of the issues a self-represented party experiences in the US legal system. As a law librarian, this experience gave him a front row seat to the types of every day challenges his library patrons were experiencing, including selecting lawyers, confusing legal terminology, language barriers, and the gap between what the process promises and actual outcomes. David will discuss these challenges, based on his own experience, and suggest ways that participants in the American legal process can anticipate obstacles and improve outcomes.
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Thursday, March 13 – “Creating Communities of Care: Staying Safe, Preventing Harm, and Supporting Survivors as Law Students & Legal Professionals”
Hosted By: Kelly Birch, PhD – Assistant Director, Campus Advocacy Network
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: S-1210
Description: This interactive workshop will explore how gender-based violence (dating/domestic violence, family abuse, stalking, sexual assault, and harassment) shows up in legal spaces, closely attending to how gender violence is shaped by sexism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, classism, and ableism. Together we will develop a toolkit of strategies to advocate for ourselves and each other, respond to harm, support survivors, and prevent violence.
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Thursday, March 13 – “Taste of UIC”
Hosted By: Student Bar Association & Helix Bar Review by AccessLex
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Boilerplate Café
Description: Join the SBA and several of your student organizations as they sample various foods while creating awareness of issues that are important to that club on a grand scale or what problems they are looking to conquer in the next year.
