Curriculum

A unique exploration of the spiritual relationship between legal prose and poetry by lawyers, the first in the United States, is being conducted this week at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign.

“Poetry and the Law: Opening Argu-ments,” initiated by Urbana attorney Carl Reisman, was inspired by James Elkins, a University of West Virginia law professor and opening keynote speaker at 4:40 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at the law school.

A subsequent discussion, “Does the Practice of Law Kill Passion?” with five lawyer-poets will precede a reception in the Kincaid Pavilion.

Presentations from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at the Channing Murray Foundation in Urbana include Lincoln and Whitman: The Poetic Imaginers of Us, Law and Poetry as Spiritual Paths, Law and Social Justice: Is All Justice Poetic? and readings by faculty members and students.

The Loyola University School of Law International Law Review is conducting a program, “The Rule of Law and Delivering Justice in Africa” on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 15-16. For details, access www.luc.edu/law/africa2007.

The keynote address will be given by Justice Modibo Ocran of the Supreme Court of Ghana at 6:15 p.m. Thursday in Kasbeer Hall.

Presentations from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Friday in the Rubloff Auditorium will precede a closing address by Heinz Klug of the University of Wisconsin Law School.

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The John Marshall Law School Center for Intellectual Property Law will conduct its 51st annual conference on practice developments on Friday, Feb. 23, and a Patent Cooperation Treaty seminar for patent administrators on Monday and Tuesday, March 12-13. Call (312) 427-2737, ext. 581.

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Hans Blix of Sweden, chair of the International Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction, will deliver the Hiram H. Lesar Lecture, based on his book “Disarming Iraq,” at the Southern Illinois University School of Law at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 7.

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Retired Supreme Court justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow, distinguished jurist in residence at the Loyola University School of Law, will give the Corboy Lecture, “Truth in Advocacy,” on Tuesday, March 27.

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The ISBA Committees on Women and the Law and Minority and Women Participation will hold a reception for women and minority lawyers and law students from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 30, at the Northern Illinois University College of Law.

An investiture ceremony for University of Illinois Law Prof. Larry Ribstein as the Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Chair in Law will take place at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in the Max Rowe Auditorium. A reception will follow in Pedersen Pavilion.

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ISBA Assembly member Wenona Y. Whitfield will retire as associate dean of the Southern Illinois University School of Law at the end of this academic year. She will be succeeded by law library director Frank Houdek.

Whitfield also serves on the ISBA Committee on Continuing Legal Education, Committee on Judicial Evaluations and Committee on Bar Elections Supervision.