Diane Geraghty named to ChildLaw chair

Diane C. Geraghty has been appointed as the first member of the Loyola University School of Law faculty to hold the new Kathleen Beazley Chair in ChildLaw. She is director of the school’s Civitas ChildLaw Center, which she developed 14 years ago.

The endowed chair was created in March by a $2 million gift from alumnus Bernard J. Beazley in honor of his wife. His gifts during the past two years have totaled $7 million.

Geraghty has been at Loyola since 1977, and she has served as the law school’s interim dean. She is a Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers, as is her husband, Thomas F. Geraghty of the Northwestern University School of Law.

Kent faculty to teach in Kosovo university

The Chicago-Kent College of Law has agreed to establish a graduate law study program at American University in Kosovo (AUK) and to provide faculty members.

Students in the program will receive introductions to American and international commercial legal systems, and will be able to earn master of laws degrees from Chicago-Kent in two semesters.

Former dean Henry H. Perritt Jr., who established an Operation Kosovo initiative in 1998, suggested three years ago that AUK was well suited to fill a gap in professional education for lawyers.

“The partnership between Chicago-Kent and American University can empower the best young people to overcome the culture of the past and enable Kosovo to become a model of the rule of law,” he said.

Perritt has written two books about Kosovo’s struggle for independence. His 1998 effort used the Internet and database technology to provide technical assistance for leaders in constructing effective legal institutions.

Dean Harold J. Krent and AUK President Chris Hall initialed the new agreement on March 6.

Law school events

Alumni and friends of the University of Illinois College of Law will enjoy dining and dancing in a semi-formal Spring Gala on Friday, April 18, aboard the Odyssey at Navy Pier, Chicago.

Participants will board the ship from 7 until 8 p.m., when the three-hour cruise begins. For reservations, access http://www.law.uiuc.edu/gala.

The college’s annual Ricket Award dinner for outstanding third-year students will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at Kennedy’s Restaurant at Stone Creek. For information, e-mail  salefski@law.uiuc.edu.

Georgetown University Law Center Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow will deliver the annual Paul M. Van Arsdell  Jr. Memorial Lecture at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, in the Max Rowe Auditorium.

Her topic is “Cultural Variations in Legal Process: When Are ‘Matters’ not Alike?” A reception will follow in the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Pavilion.

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The Loyola University School of Law Elder Law Initiative has scheduled a free presentation on “Reverse Mortgages: Keeping Seniors in Their Homes, but at What Price?” at 6 p.m. Monday, April 21, in Rubloff Auditorium.

The speaker is Donald L. Redfoot of the AARP Public Policy Institute. Call (312) 915-6775 to register, or send an  e-mail to elderlaw@luc.edu.

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Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton will give the Hiram H. Lesar Distinguished Lecture at 5 p.m. Monday, April 28, at the Southern Illinois University School of Law. A reception will follow.

Norton’s appearance was postponed from March 19. Respond to (618) 453-8761 or awcal@siu.edu.

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The Northwestern University School of Law will conduct its 28th annual Ray Garrett Jr. Corporate and Securities Law Institute on Thursday and Friday, May 1-2. For details, access http://www.law.northwestern.edu/garrett.

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The University of Illinois College of Law and American Bankruptcy Institute will present “A Debtor World: Interdisciplinary Academic Symposium on Debt,” on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3.

The conference program will be preceded with a keynote speech and viewing of a documentary film, “Maxed Out,” by producer James Scurlock  on May 1 in Foellinger Auditorium on the university quadrangle.

For more information, access http://www.abiworld.org/Debt08/index.

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The Northern Illinois University College of Law will hold an alumni reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at the Executive Mansion in Springfield. Register at http://www.MyNIU.com or call (815) 753-1452.

The fourth annual NIU Law Alumni golf outing and award presentations will take place Friday, June 27, at the River Heights Golf Course in DeKalb. Proceeds support law scholarships. Call (815) 753-1027.

Commencement slated

The Chicago-Kent College of Law commencement ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 18, in the Arie Crown Theater at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan will deliver the commencement address to recipients of more than 300 juris doctorates and 75 mater of laws degrees.

Changes at Illinois

Charles J. Tabb, interim dean of the University of Illinois College of Law since last summer, will step down at the end of the academic year. After completion in the fall semester of his bankruptcy treatise, he will resume teaching.

Meanwhile, the university provost has reconstituted the search process for a new dean. During the past eight months, three potential candidates were interviewed.

Jeff Coates left his position as assistant dean for development and alumni relations on April 4 after accepting an opportunity to become associate dean for alumni and development at the Duke University School of Law.

Carrie Turner, director of development, will serve as interim assistant dean for development and alumni relations.