Michael Koptik, a January 2001 graduate of The John Marshall Law School, was named the Kissane Award winner at commencement ceremonies.

The $5,000 award is given by the Kissane family to a graduate of the law school who has a distinguished law school career and is committed to a career with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The award is given in memory of Elmer Kissane who worked for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office for 43 years.

Koptik has been with the agency for more than a decade. He started with the State's Attorneys Office in the Community Services Unit, and later transferred to the Real Estate Tax Unit. He also was with the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, and then the Narcotics Forfeiture Unit where he was the administrative supervisor.

The last two years, Koptik has been the law clerk to the Medical Litigation Division where he has assisted eight assistant state's attorneys on all phases of medical defense litigation. With his 711 Student's Law License, he has presented and argued motions before law division judges, as well as drafted motions, appellate briefs, legal memoranda and interrogatory responses.

Koptik graduated in the top 15 of the J.D. class. He has received the Dean's Scholarship each semester of his law school career. At John Marshall, where he was evening division student, Koptik was a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association National Mock Trial Competition 2000 team, a semifinalist for the Chicago Bar Association Moot Court Competition in 1998, and was an octofinalist for the Dean Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition in 1998.

The John Marshall Law School Center for Intellectual Property Law announces a new 12-week certificate course, "A Practical Approach to Domestic and Foreign Patent, Trademark, Trade Secret and Copyright Documentation." The course is offered to intellectual property administrators, legal administrators, legal assistants and paralegals from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, March 6 through May 22, at the law school, 315 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago.

The course is designed to take the paralegal or legal assistant through the many details, forms and processes unique to the practice of intellectual property law, and train the participant to become an integral part of the law firm or corporate law department intellectual property law team. It is specifically designed to help cultivate a comprehensive, systematic knowledge of intellectual property law, to ensure a productive, fulfilling and advancing career. A final examination will be administered and a certificate of completion will be presented to students who complete the course.

Course instructors are Stacy Chronopoulos and Brent Hawkins handles the firm's Chronopoulos, of Penderson & Houpt's trademark analysis and prosecution division, received a bachelor's degree in English literature from Miami University and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law. Hawkins, of Wallenstein & Wagner, Ltd., practices intellectual property prosecution, litigation and licensing. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and a J.D. degree from the University of Illinois College of Law.

The $495 registration fee includes all course materials, and is due by Friday, Feb. 23. For additional information, contact the John Marshall Law School's Department of Event Management at 312-987-1420 or e-mail events@jmls.edu.

On February 1-3, the Fair Housing Legal Support Center conducted its 9th Annual National CLE Litigation Skills Training Program. Participation was restricted to 36 attorneys. Participants were from 18 states across the nation; fair housing groups (9), governmental agencies (17), other legal agencies (5), and included persons from the private practice Sector (5).

Acting Chief Judge William Cregar, and Judges Thomas Heinz and Constance O'Bryant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development Administrative Law Office in Washington, D.C., and Attorney, Edward A.Voci from Law Offices of Edward T. Stein in Chicago, were the instructors for this program.

Instruction focused on the skills an attorney needs to handle a contested hearing or trial in a fair housing case. The first day consisted of a plenary session where the instructors discussed fair housing law and practice with the attorneys. Instruction thereafter was by way of mock trial exercises. Green v. Hall and Rose, NITA-sixth edition, by Kenneth S. Broun, Professor of Law, University of North Carolina and updated by Michael P. Seng, was the problem used for the training.

The HUD Administrative Law Judges are well known at The John Marshall Law School, and all appreciate their valuable contribution to legal education. Edward Voci is an adjunct professor at John Marshall and frequent lecturer at the Fair Housing Legal Clinic.

Professor Michael L. Closen

Publications

His article, "Notary Record Privacy and Wisconsin's New Law" (co-authored with Illinois notary and John Marshall student Trevor Orsinger) has just appeared in the American Notary (the magazine of the American Society of Notaries), 1st Quarter 2001, at page 10.

Professor John D. Ingram

Publications

His article, "State Interference with Religiously Motivated Decisions on Medical Treatment", 93 Dick. L. Rev. 41 (1988), was recently cited numerous times in 76 Notre Dame L. Rev. 147.

His article, co-authored with Lynne Ostfeld (John Marshall '85) and titled "The Distinction Between Accidental Means and Accidental Results in Accidental Death Insurance,"

12 Fla. St. L. Rev. 1 (1984), was cited recently in 86 Iowa L. Rev. 173.

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Visiting Practitioner Addresses Copyright Infringement Issues at The John Marshall Law School

The John Marshall Law School Center for Intellectual Property Law recently hosted visiting practitioner Morton David Goldberg (far left), partner of Cowan Liebowitz & Latman in New York. Goldberg presented a Lunch and Learn lecture, "Gimme Some Music: The Place of Napster in Copyright History," discussing recent copyright struggles between Napster and recording companies and music publishers. He also led a separate, smaller discussion on similar issues with the student Intellectual Property Law Society. Welcoming Goldberg are (from left) Michele Bridges, associate director of the center, and Jim Sweeney, center director.

Monday, February 12th

The Christian Legal Society's flower sale.

The Children's Law Society is reactivating and is looking for new members. All are welcome. 12:15 p.m. in room 201 and pizza will be served.

The Decalogue Society will meet at 12:30 p.m. room TBA.

If you are of Italian descent, you might want to attend the Justinian Society meeting at 5:00 p.m. in room 217.

Tuesday, February 13th

CLS flower sale continues.

Would you like to purchase a class ring? Josten's will be present from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the student lounge.

Wednesday, February 14th

Class Representative Election

The Hispanic Association and Decalogue Society will sell flowers for Valentine's Day.

Friday, February 16th

The Latter-Day Saint Student Association meets at 10:15 a.m. in room 428.

The annual Barrister's Ball will be held on February 24th from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on the 99th floor of the Sears Tower. Tickets are $35.00 each and can be purchased from Miss Criss in room 212. You will not want to miss this great evening of music, food and dancing plus one of the best views that Chicago has to offer.

February 12

Lambda Program - Freedom to Marry, Room 1200, 11:00 a.m.

Faculty Assembly, Room 409, 12:00 p.m.

February 14

SBA Elections, Lobby, 8:30 a.m.

Career Services - Diversity Week Lunch Program, Room 1200A, 12:30 p.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting, Room 1102, 4:00 p.m.

Center for International Business and Trade Law, Room 1203, 5:15 p.m.

February 15

Career Services - Diversity Week Lunch Program, Room 1200A, 12:45 p.m.

Friends of Battered Women Meeting, Room 1203, 6:00 p.m.

February 16

Career Services - Diversity Week Lunch Program, Room 1200A, 12:45 p.m.

February 17

Mediation Training, Room 1200, 9:00 a.m.

February 20

Career Services - Careers in Intellectual Property Law, Room 1200, 12:45 p.m.

February 21

Career Services - Mission Possible: Strategies for Thriving in the Face of Debt, Room 1200, 12:45 p.m.

February 22

Open House, 3 East, 6:00 p.m.

February 23

45th Annual Conference on Developments in Intellectual Property Law, Room 1200, 9:00 a.m.