Community - Faculty - Amy Thompson Profile
“Our coaches do such a great job of stressing that credibility starts with the lawyer, and being trustworthy is how you perform well at trial,” says Amy Thompson.
Faculty Profile Amy Thompson
The defender on trial
Amy Thompson leads the prestigious Corboy Fellows team
Amy Thompson has been involved in Loyola’s Corboy Fellowship in Trial Advocacy for almost as long as she’s been a lawyer. Recently retired, Thompson spent 31 years as a public defender in Cook County, a career she says she chose because “I wanted to do trials, and my own trial team coach told me I was too stubborn to be a state’s attorney.” That passion for the art and science of trial advocacy has kept her on as program director and occasional head coach of the enormously successful teams competing under the Corboy Fellowship, which marks 30 years in 2025.
How and when did you get involved with the Corboy Fellowship?
Tom Donnelly (JD ‘86) was the original director of the Fellowship. After a year or two, he wanted to expand the team, which was only six students then, so he reached out to a co-worker of mine. She recommended me. Tom came to watch me in court to make sure I was good enough to coach the team. I’m now in my 28th year.
What’s unique about Loyola’s Corboy Fellowship?
Our team is not just professional when we compete; we are very ethical as well. I feel an obligation to young lawyers to stress how important that is for them, because it’s so easy in a small community [of Chicago-area trial attorneys] to lose your reputation. Our coaches do such a great job of stressing that credibility starts with the lawyer, and being trustworthy is how you perform well at trial.
How has the program changed over 30 years?
When I started, it was common for coaches to be pretty commanding; we’re more [nurturing] now. Since we spend so much time with these students, I feel a responsibility to look after their well-being and mental health. We’re also more open to trying things the students suggest, which has been beneficial for their professional development and certainly for the team.
“Firms—particularly civil defense firms—seek out people who have come from this program.”
What benefits do Fellows reap from the program?
Above all, they become exceptional trial lawyers. Loyola is a great school, but if you want to be a trial lawyer, you can’t get the kind of intensive training of the fellowship in any class or clinic or seminar. And of all the skills they develop, the most notable is confidence. Our students can stand up in front of people and express themselves well—and be listened to—even as new graduates.
What should prospective Fellows know about the program?
On the practical side, they should know that it’s good for their resumes. Firms—particularly civil defense firms—seek out people who have come from this program.
Students should also know that, while it is a huge time commitment, that commitment fosters lifelong relationships. Actually, we had a student on the team several years ago who came back to be a coach. Now he has his own firm, and he hired several students he coached because he trusts their work ethic. You leave the program with people you can always rely on. I think every single participant would tell you it’s the best educational experience they’ve ever had. –Liz Miller (December 2024)
Amy Thompson has been involved in Loyola’s Corboy Fellowship in Trial Advocacy for almost as long as she’s been a lawyer. Recently retired, Thompson spent 31 years as a public defender in Cook County, a career she says she chose because “I wanted to do trials, and my own trial team coach told me I was too stubborn to be a state’s attorney.” That passion for the art and science of trial advocacy has kept her on as program director and occasional head coach of the enormously successful teams competing under the Corboy Fellowship, which marks 30 years in 2025.
How and when did you get involved with the Corboy Fellowship?
Tom Donnelly (JD ‘86) was the original director of the Fellowship. After a year or two, he wanted to expand the team, which was only six students then, so he reached out to a co-worker of mine. She recommended me. Tom came to watch me in court to make sure I was good enough to coach the team. I’m now in my 28th year.
What’s unique about Loyola’s Corboy Fellowship?
Our team is not just professional when we compete; we are very ethical as well. I feel an obligation to young lawyers to stress how important that is for them, because it’s so easy in a small community [of Chicago-area trial attorneys] to lose your reputation. Our coaches do such a great job of stressing that credibility starts with the lawyer, and being trustworthy is how you perform well at trial.
How has the program changed over 30 years?
When I started, it was common for coaches to be pretty commanding; we’re more [nurturing] now. Since we spend so much time with these students, I feel a responsibility to look after their well-being and mental health. We’re also more open to trying things the students suggest, which has been beneficial for their professional development and certainly for the team.
What benefits do Fellows reap from the program?
Above all, they become exceptional trial lawyers. Loyola is a great school, but if you want to be a trial lawyer, you can’t get the kind of intensive training of the fellowship in any class or clinic or seminar. And of all the skills they develop, the most notable is confidence. Our students can stand up in front of people and express themselves well—and be listened to—even as new graduates.
What should prospective Fellows know about the program?
On the practical side, they should know that it’s good for their resumes. Firms—particularly civil defense firms—seek out people who have come from this program.
Students should also know that, while it is a huge time commitment, that commitment fosters lifelong relationships. Actually, we had a student on the team several years ago who came back to be a coach. Now he has his own firm, and he hired several students he coached because he trusts their work ethic. You leave the program with people you can always rely on. I think every single participant would tell you it’s the best educational experience they’ve ever had. –Liz Miller (December 2024)