Faculty News 28 - College of Law

Wilson selected as Fulbright Fellow

Robin Fretwell Wilson has been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for the academic year 2024-2025. She will spend the year in Lisbon, Portugal at the NOVA School of Law. The Fulbright Program is appropriated by the U.S. Congress annually with goal of developing international understanding and establishing open communication and long-term cooperative relationships. As a Fulbright participant, Professor Wilson will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with international partners and engage with diverse communities.

Keenan shares tips for AI search prompts with the ABA Journal

Generative artificial intelligence is a new tool that can offer robust results, but users must master the art of crafting effective search prompts to yield relevant responses. The ABA Journal spoke with legal experts, including Professor Patrick Keenan, and found that clear objectives, specificity, and context are crucial in forming prompts that guide AI to provide focused and pertinent information, such as legal standards and jurisdictional considerations. Prompt chaining and continuous refinement enhance AI’s output, allowing lawyers to extract useful insights, but selecting the appropriate AI tool aligned with the task’s requirements is equally important.

Read the full article online.

The Guardian quotes McDade on “Hotel California” lyric sheet case

You can check out, but never leave the Hotel California, or so the song’s lyrics state; when the original lyrics sheet, penned by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, was taken from the artists, it was not checked out and now it is the center of a legal battle. Almost 50 years after the song’s release, the trial’s focus revolves around the disputed ownership of over 80 pages of draft lyrics from the Eagles’ blockbuster 1976 album, with Henley expected to testify, offering insights into the band’s creative process and the song’s profound impact on rock music history. Professor Travis McDade, the country’s foremost expert on crimes against rare books, maps, documents, and other printed cultural heritage resources, shared his insight with The Guardian in their article about the case.

Lawless quoted by ABC on financial penalties imposed upon former President Trump

Judge Arthur Engoron dealt a significant legal and financial blow to former President Donald Trump’s business empire, including a staggering $355 million fine and temporary removal of Trump and his sons from business leadership roles. Professor Robert Lawless, speaking to ABC News, explained what may happen to Trump and his businesses if his appeal fails to limit the fines imposed by Engoron, including limited access to capital, increased oversight, and the possibility of forced asset sales. Trump’s ongoing legal battles, including the recent civil suit payout to E. Jean Carroll, could exacerbate his financial difficulties, with bankruptcy offering little respite due to the non-dischargeable nature of legal fines.

Read the full article on the ABC News website.

Illinois Senators name N. Sharpe to screening committee

Professor Nicola Sharpe is one of five individuals selected to be part of a screening committee whose task is to review and vet District Court candidates and advise regarding the candidates’ qualifications and fitness for the position. The committee was selected by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth to fill vacancy in the Federal District Court Judge in the Central District of Illinois. “Our constitutional responsibility to advise and consent is one of the most important duties we have in the Senate. As we make recommendations for lifetime judicial appointments, we will benefit from the guidance and insights of our distinguished screening committee,” the Senators said in a press release. The committee also features University of Illinois College of Law alumni Hon. Glenn Collier (ret.) and Donald Jackson.

Read the full press release online.

Wilson testifies before Utah and Wisconsin legislative bodies

Robin Wilson recently testified at two statehouses. On Friday, February 2, she testified before the Utah House Judiciary Committee on Utah House Bill 396, protecting religious freedom. On February 14, she testified in front of the Wisconsin legislature in support of a medical teaching law. These appearances are part of her extensive work on behalf of state law reform efforts; Professor Wilson is the architect or advisor on more than three dozen laws across the United States.

Amar and Mazzone publish new article on ballot counting lawsuit in Mississippi

A recent lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee and other plaintiffs challenges Mississippi’s practice of counting mail-in ballots received within five business days after “Election Day.” This practice, similar to elections in other states, could face major disruption if the lawsuit succeeds, affecting the upcoming congressional and presidential elections. Writing at Justia Verdict, Professors Vikram Amar and Jason Mazzone argue the lawsuit’s chances of success seem low, as it hinges on a weak theory of illegality, and the distinction between voting and counting ballots after Election Day presents complexities that undermine the plaintiffs’ claims.

Read the full article online.

Utah Senate honors Wilson

Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson was honored on the floor of the Utah Senate for the assistance she has provided lawmakers over nearly a decade, including her work as a special consultant over the past year. On February 12, the Senate presented Wilson with a citation expressing gratitude for her work and members of the body shared kind words about her. Before the convened body, Senate President J. Stuart Adams said Wilson is one of the “smartest attorneys on family law I’ve ever met.”

Watch the Utah Senate honoring Professor Wilson on Media Space.

LeRoy publishes new article and presents findings on NIL

Professor Michael LeRoy’s latest research “Are Collectives Joint Employers of College Athletes? An Empirical Analysis of NIL Deals and School Policies,” will be published in a leading sports journal, Marquette Sports Law Review. His study is based on a dataset of NIL deals from an anonymized power five xonference athletic program; it shows that in 2022-23, 91% of NIL money went to football and men’s basketball players and deal signing dates were in compressed periods that are like contract signings for NFL and NBA players. He concludes that these two sports should be treated differently from other men’s and women’s sports by courts, the NLRB, and Congress, as evidence suggests NIL collectives are joint employers with the school for these sports. LeRoy was also able to present this research recently to the Chicago Bar Association Sports Law Committee.

Column in New York Times extensively cites amicus brief from Amar

Writing in the New York Times, columnist Jamelle Bouie writes that former President Donald Trump’s actions make him an insurrectionist by any reasonable definition and that the Supreme Court should uphold Colorado’s decision to bar him from the ballot. To support his case, he cites extensively from an amicus brief submitted the Supreme Court by Professor Vikram Amar. Writing along with his brother, Akhil Reed Amar, professor at Yale Law School, the brief suggests that Trump’s actions are similar to John B. Floyd, secretary of the war during the succession crisis of 1860, who directed arms to southern states to be on hand “when treason wanted them.” The Amars conclude that “Certain inactions loom specially large when a current officer, with special obligations to affirmatively thwart other insurrectionists … instead sits on his hands, smiling, as chaos erupts around him. This is precisely the case of Donald Trump.”