C-K C H R O N I C L E
Karen Vaysman impresses legal scholars at Cambridge Karen Vaysman ’17, accompanied by Distinguished Professor Richard Wright, presented her research to leading law scholars at a major international conference held last summer at Downing College, University of Cambridge, in England. Presenting at the eighth iteration of the Karen Vaysman ’17 made a strong Obligations Conference, impression presenting research at Downing College, Cambridge held every two years at University, last year with Distinguished different universities Professor Richard Wright. around the world, Vaysman and Professor Wright addressed the historical development of the standards of persuasion applicable in
non-criminal cases in common law countries, which, as currently portrayed in the legal doctrine, often allow proof based on mere statistical probabilities, rather than, as in civil law countries, requiring a belief in the actual existence of the facts at issue in a particular case. “Karen worked with me on these issues as part of the Kent Legal Scholars Program,” explained Professor Wright. “She put in a tremendous amount of work, digging deeply, broadly and extensively into the available cases and articles in the various common law jurisdictions, going back several centuries.” “Karen’s presentation at the conference wowed all those in attendance, including me,” he added. During law school, Vaysman was a summer associate at Reed Smith LLP and a judicial intern for the Honorable Joan H. Lefkow in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, as part of Chicago-Kent’s Judicial Externship Program. She was also articles editor of the Chicago-Kent Law Review and a member of ChicagoKent’s Moot Court Honor Society.
Diversity program garners key grant support Chicago-Kent has received a $102,000 grant from the Access Group Center for Research & Policy Analysis to support a summer program for prospective law students that promotes diversity in the legal profession. Undergraduates from 17 colleges across the country The law school’s PreLaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) participated in Chicago-Kent’s 2017 PLUS Program. Program, begun in 2002, provides undergraduates from groups The program was recognized with a grant of $102,000 that are traditionally underrepresented in law school and in from the Access Group Center for Research & Policy to support their efforts to promote diversity in law school. the legal profession with a deeper understanding of law school, careers in the legal profession, and how to navigate the law school admissions process. Students who attend the program, held for three weeks each summer, take doctrinal and experiential skills-based courses adapted from the law school’s curriculum and taught by law school faculty. They visit state and federal courts, take part in a mock trial competition, learn about the law school application and admission process, discuss career options, and meet leaders in the legal profession.
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CHICAGO-KENT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2017