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A distinguished series of speakers explored legal employment options outside traditional private law firms and focused on the opportunities and challenges that public work can offer Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at Northwestern Law's Eighth Annual Public Interest Law Week.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) spoke in the Nov. 2 panel (pictured above) "Serving the Public in Any Setting." Northwestern Law professor Robert W. Bennett moderated the panel, which also included Erica Pascal, vice president, Business Development, Hispanic Housing Development Corporation; Pat Ryan Jr., president and CEO, Ryan Enterprises Group; Larry Yellen, investigative reporter, Fox News.

Other speakers in the forum's seven panel discussions included keynote speaker U.S. Circuit Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner; Northwestern University School of Law professor Lawrence Marshall, nationally recognized leader in death penalty defense; and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, (Ninth Congressional District, Ill.).

"The Law School has long been a leader in clinical education, and Public Interest Law Week does a great job sharing the expertise of faculty and alumni involved in important public interest work and policy making," said David E. Van Zandt, dean and professor. "We are particularly proud of our students who are among this year's finalists for the prestigious Skadden Fellowship and the National Association of Public Interest Law (NAPIL) Fellowship."

The week ended with an auction to benefit student-funded public interest fellowships. Proceeds will fund Law School students working in public interest agencies during the summer.

Public Interest Law Week was planned and coordinated by the Public Interest Law Group at the Law School. Amanda Fuchs (a-fuchs@northwestern.edu) serves as president, and Stephanie Weiner (s-weiner@northwestern.edu) and Doug Shaftel ("MAIL%20TO:%20d-shaftel@northwestern.edu">d-shaftel@northwestern.edu) are the co-chairs of the planning committee. For more information, call Cindy Wilson at 312-503-8438.

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