LEGAL BRIEFS
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
LEADERSHIP UPDATE
N
ora Kantwill (BA ’84, MBA ’87)
has joined the School of Law
as assistant dean for development.
She has more than 15 years of higher
education development experience
in several areas, including major gifts,
annual giving, and corporate and
foundation relations.
Kantwill comes to Loyola from
the Georgetown University Law
Center, where she was executive
director of development. Her
husband, Col. Paul Kantwill (BA ’83,
JD ’86), is also a double Rambler.
“Our family is thrilled to
return to Chicago after 25 years
of military service, and the
opportunity to now serve my
alma mater is an even greater
blessing,” says Nora Kantwill.
■
nkantwill@luc.edu
.
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
is playing a key role in supporting the
work outlined in the agreement with
a $1.3 million grant financing the first
three years of work under the MOU.
At the invitation of Her Excellency
the Ambassador of the African Union
to the US Amina Salum Ali, the MOU
was signed by Professor Vincent
Nmehielle, AU legal counsel and
director of legal affairs, and David
Yellen, dean of the School of Law.
S
ealing their milestone agreement
to a multiyear program of
cooperation, Loyola University Chicago
and the African Union (AU) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
inWashington, DC, in October. Loyola
and the AU will work together to help
the AU and African Regional Economic
Communities (RECs) strengthen
governance and the rule of law on the
African continent. The US Department
of State’s Bureau of International
Under the terms of the MOU,
specially selected staff and employees
of the AU and RECs will enroll in Loyola’s
unique Master of Laws in Rule of Law
for Development (PROLAW) program.
Launched in 2011, this one-year,
degree-granting program is offered
at Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center
in Italy. It provides a practice-oriented
program of study aimed at graduating
rule of law professionals who go on
to careers that advance social justice
and effective governance in their own
countries and across the globe.
Upon graduation, participating
AU and REC staffers and their close
advisors will return to their respective
organizations and countries to assume
the task of strengthening governance
and the rule of law. The program of
cooperation is expected to educate
more than 100 rule of law professionals
over the next three years.
■
Dean David Yellen (left) and Professor Vincent Nmehielle (right), African Union legal counsel and director of legal affairs, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Washington, DC, in
October as PROLAW Director William Loris and Ambassador Amina Salum Ali, African Union Mission to the US, looked on.
A step toward strengthening rule of law inAfrica
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3)
CLINICAL GROWTH
The Business Law Clinic continues to thrive under the leadership of Director Shelley Dunck
(standing) and Assistant Director Mary Hanisch (right), with students.
F
ifteen years after he founded the Business
Law Clinic (BLC) at the request of then-
dean Nina Appel, Director Joe Stone is
retiring and turning over the clinic’s leadership
to Shelley Dunck (JD ’89), who has codirected
the clinic since 2011. Mary Hanisch (LLM ’10) is
assistant director.
Loyola’s only transactional law clinic,
the BLC develops essential lawyering,
interviewing, and counseling skills in a
professional, live-client environment. “The BLC
has always been committed to providing clients—
which include small businesses and nonprofit
organizations—with affordable, quality legal
services in keeping with Loyola’s commitment
to serving the community,” says Stone.
“Joe has worked tirelessly building an
effective clinic that gives students valuable
hands-on experience and is a valuable
community resource,” says Dean David Yellen.
“Under his and Shelley Dunck’s direction, the BLC
has made significant steps forward in its first 15
years.” Some highlights are in the chart at right.
What’s next for the BLC? Dunck’s wish
list includes a student advisory board, an
online student-run journal, and community-
oriented workshops at which attendees learn
about common small-business legal issues for
a nominal fee. In the meantime, “We’re always
working on strengthening our curriculum and
increasing our presence in the community at
large,” she says.
■
Business Law Clinic
then and now
Founding director
Joe Stone
asks his
professional network to
refer clients to fledgling
clinic; often portrays “client”
himself using simulated
business problem
Students handle
two or
three clients
at a time
Most clients are
for-profit; Stone works
to
expand the BLC’s
reputation for 501(c)3
designation work
Stone directs the BLC
alone; later, an assistant
director position is funded
and
Stone is named
the inaugural Randy L.
(JD ’91) and Melvin R.
Berlin Clinical Professor
of Business Law
Early clients include a
downsizing husband and
wife who started Scooter’s,
a now legendary North
Side frozen custard stand
BLC courses offered during
fall
and spring semesters only
BLC and commercial
law courses are
primary School of
Law o erings
preparing
students interested in
transactional law practice
The BLC has about 150
client matters on the active
list, with many more on the
waiting list;
about 4,000
matters completed over
15 years
Each student juggles
eight to 10 clients, about
280 cases a year in all
About
60% of clients are
nonpro t,
many focused
on online entrepreneurship;
Loyola is now the go-to
resource for clients seeking
501(c)3 status
Director Shelley Dunck
is now the Berlin
Professor
and works in
tandemwith Assistant
Director Mary Hanisch;
Stone is staying on as part-
time consultant
Scooter’s owners visit
the BLC
to talk to students
about starting a business
from scratch, bring custard
samples to delight of class
Summer session
o ered
for first time
Loyola’s thriving Center for
Business Law
encompasses
three graduate and two JD
certificate programs, an
expanded on-campus and
online curriculum, Institute for
Investor Protection, Business
Law Society, an annual
symposium, and the BLC
2014
1999
Welcoming a new
development leader
“We’re always
working on
strengthening our
curriculum and
increasing our
presence in the
community.”
—S H E L L E Y DUNC K
4
LOYOLA LAW
FALL 2014
5
