News Archive
Law School Students, Faculty and Alumni Participate in Annual Social Justice Event
02/28/2012
Students from the Equal Justice Works chapter of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law traveled to Chicago to participate in the Annual Norman Amaker Midwest Public Interest Law & Social Justice Retreat. The event was hosted by Loyola University School of Law in Chicago and organized by IU McKinney School of Law graduate Emily Benfer, ‘05 who teaches as Clinical Professor at Loyola.
This year’s retreat, which took place February 24-26, focused on “Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: Public Interest Initiatives for a Better Tomorrow.” According to organizers, this year’s event was inspired by a quote from United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall--“The legal system can force open doors and sometimes even knock down walls. But it cannot build bridges. That job belongs to you and me.” Benfer says, “The Amaker Retreat hopes to develop the next generation of public interest leaders who will build the bridges necessary to become stewards for society and protectors of the underserved.”
The IU McKinney School of Law students who attended were Cristin Just, Doneisha Sanders, Whitney Brockus, Alise Cool, and Katie Rosenberger.
"Attending the 2012 Amaker Retreat was exactly what I needed as a first-year law student to solidify my decision to devote my career to public interest,” said Alise Cool. “I was so impressed with the quality and the enthusiasm of the speakers. I made solid connections with the other student attendees that I'm sure will remain intact past graduation. I will definitely be attending next year."
Whitney Brockus was equally enthusiastic, “The retreat provided solidarity for law students who come to law school but want maintain involvement in their communities," she said.
IU McKinney School of Law Clinical Professor Fran Quigley, ‘87 participated in the event, speaking in a workshop session on breaking barriers to health care. Quigley recently started the law school’s Health and Human Rights Clinic which facilitates law student and alumni involvement in pro bono legal work through a medical-legal partnership with Wishard Westside Community Health Center. Florence Wagman Roisman, the William F. Harvey Professor of Law at IU McKinney School of Law also attended the working session on creating initiatives and spoke on Race Relations.
The retreat was also co-sponsored by the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT).
