Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series that aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.
Joshua Esses
ASSOCIATE IN THE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, GOVERNANCE, RESTRUCTURING, AND BANKRUPTCY GROUP AT PROSKAUER ROSE
QUICK FACTS ABOUT MR. ESSES
Law School: Harvard Law School
UIUC Undergraduate Major: Finance
Mr. Esses’ Three Words to Describe the Legal Profession:
Welcome to Law School Insider! In this multi-part blog series, you will hear directly from current law students about their favorite courses, law school myths, best pre-law tips, and more!
The summer is a great time to relax and engage in some entertainment. What better way to be entertained than with some law-related material! In this post, you will hear about all-time favorite legal-related books, movies, and TV shows from current law students – just in time for summer!
Must Read/Watch
“A Civil Action” by Jonathan Harr
-Sanjiv S. | University of Illinois College of Law
“Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration-and How to Achieve Real Reform“ by John Pfaff
-Haydn L. | University of Michigan Law School
“On Trial: Lessons from a Lifetime in the Courtoom” by Henry G. Miller, Esq.
-Joseph A. | University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
“I’m not a big reader anymore. A Few Good Menand My Cousin Vinnyare great films about the law.”
-Nick S. | University of Illinois College of Law
“Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers” by Deborah Tuerkheimer
-Tara S. | Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
“The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein
-Margaret B. | DePaul University College of Law
“For something timely, I recommend When Abortion Was A Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973 by Leslie J. Reagan (a UIUC professor).”
-Amanda W. | Duke University School of Law
“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption“ by Bryan Stevenson
-Matthew M. |UNLV William S. Boyd College of Law
“Becoming“ by Michelle Obama
-Ashley T. | George Washington University Law School
“Better Call Saul“ (Television series)
-Khalil R. | University of Chicago Law School
“I don’t tend to read many law-related books in my free time because I like having a clear separation between school and relaxation, but I am currently reading Martha Minow’s When Should Law Forgive? It’s an interesting take on what the focus of our legal system should be, and is easily accessible to folks who don’t yet have a background in law.”
-Ben T. | University of California, Berkley, School of Law
“Michelle Obama’s Becoming! She discusses interesting feelings about law school and the profession in general. If you’re on the fence about law school, I’d read it to get another perspective.”
-Skylar R. | Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
“Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street” by Sheelah Kolhatkar
-Sydney S. | Georgetown University Law Center
“The Rooster Bar“ by John Grisham
-Maciek C. | University of Wisconsin Law School
“Barbarian at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco” by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar
-Alberto V. | University of Chicago Law School
“Lady Justice: Women, The Law and the Battle to Save America” by Dahlia Lithwick
-Erica H. | George Washington University Law School
Looking for additional suggestions?
Thieves of Book Row, by Travis McDade
Torn from their Bindings, by Travis McDade
The Book Thief, all by Travis McDade
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
The Trial, by Franz Kafka
An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story that Helped Ignite a Movement, by Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey
Know My Name, by Chanel Miller
I’ll Be Gone In the Dark, by Michelle McNamara
Radium Girls, by Kate Moore
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot
The 2022 – 2023 academic year was busy and filled with many successes! To our UIUC pre-law students and alumni, congratulations on a successful academic year and application cycle! Our thanks to our UIUC pre-law student & alumni leaders, law expert volunteers, and all those who helped support our over 1500 prelaw Illini this academic year!
Read below for some highlights from this year!
Advising Appointments
PLAS held over 800 advising appointments (and counting) this year! Individual advising appointments are a great way to explore your individual goals and plans including determining if a legal education and career is the right choice for you! Advising sessions afford the opportunity to receive expert guidance on the pre-law undergraduate experience, ways to prepare for law school, internship & post-graduation opportunities, and the law admissions process. We welcome the opportunity to support you in a successful journey to law school. We loved meeting with all of you!
Workshops & Events
This academic year, PLAS hosted over 50 student workshops and events, including Pre-Law 101, Pre-Law for Parents, Drafting Your Application, Application Roadmap, Selecting a Law School, Strategies for Spring Application Success, and more! Workshops & events are a perfect way to gain invaluable expert insights and specialized topics in a very efficient way. For those contemplating applying during the 2023-2024 admission cycle – be sure to check the events calendar for the summer editions of Application Roadmap & Drafting Your Application! Note – PLAS programming is open to all UIUC current students and alumni!
New Programs
This year, PLAS created four new initiatives: the Pre-Law Advisory Council, APPtitude Certificate Program, and LSAT Jumpstart workshop series, and the I Am Ready: Law Admission Readiness Program co-hosted with the University of Illinois College of Law! Each of these initiatives expanding on existing PLAS resources and services, creating more unique support and opportunities for our UIUC pre-law students and alumni! Thanks to all who participated in the inaugural year for these programs!
Law School Fair & Law Dean Panel
This past Fall, admissions representatives from 85 law schools from across the country visited campus to engage with nearly 400 students in central Illinois. The 2023 Law School Fair was held in-person, on campus for the first time since 2019 and was hosted as part of the annual Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors (MAPLA) Caravan. We also featured a law school panel the night before at the Law Building!
This April, PLAS hosted 4 separate pop-ups to engage with students around campus. We met with students at Grainger Engineering, Gies Success Lab, Ikenberry, and at IUB to answer questions about the pre-law path and share information about our office resources! We look forward to seeing you around campus again next year!
Blog Posts
We uploaded over 40 articles to our blog this year that covered insights from attorneys, helpful tips & resources regarding the pre-law path, monthly events, and more! We will continue to create content for the blog this summer so be sure to stay tuned and check back for updates!
Legal Expert Volunteers
A huge thank you to the attorneys, law professors, and other law experts who volunteered their time to engage with students through programming and 1:1 meetings this year, including our featured panelists and the 10+ alumni featured on the Alumni Attorney Talks blog series!
Thank you to all our pre-law students, alumni, and law expert volunteers for making it a great year!
The end of the school year is finally here! As you wrap up your end-of-semester obligations and begin looking to the summer, be sure to check the blog regularly for updates and new information – including summer programs, updates, and tips!
We hope you have a successful end to the semester and a wonderful start to your summer! Be sure to stay in touch with any questions you may have!
May Highlight – Post-Graduate Opportunity with JusticeCorps
Illinois JusticeCorps is a program dedicated to making courthouses more accessible for self-represented litigants who can’t afford legal representation. As an Illinois JusticeCorps fellow you get hands-on experience working in a courthouse and providing important assistance to people who need it. It’s an incredible learning opportunity for those who want to experience law in a practical way. Illinois JusticeCorps is looking for full-time fellows across several courthouses in Illinois. To learn more and apply, click here.
Looking for a summer opportunity?JusticeCorps in Champaign is looking for summer volunteers. If you are interested in learning more, please email prelaw@illinois.edu.
May 1: Happy National Law Day! Click here to learn more!
May 1: Reminder! Second (perhaps first) seat deposits will be coming up in the next several weeks – be sure to check the dates now!
May 1: Register for Launchpad Scholars with Yale Law School! | Applications are open and due June 4th. For more information, click here.
May 1: Recognition, Insight, and Openness (RIO) series | 6 pm in the Architecture Building. For more information, click here.
May 2: AccessLex Webinar – The Road to Zero: A Strategic Approach to Student Loan Repayment | 11 am ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 2: On Tuesdays We Wear Pink: The Coping With Burnout Book | 7 pm on Zoom. For more information, click here.
May 3: Last Day of Instruction Spring 2023 — good luck with finals!
May 3: April LSAT scores released.
May 3:Virtual Tours with the University of Miami Law | 12:30 – 1:30 pm every Wednesday. For more information and to register, click here.
May 4: Reading Day
May 4: Where Can Research Take You Next? | 11:00 am – 11:30 pm ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 4: UK and Ireland Scholarship Information Session for Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, and Gates Writing Workshop | 2:00 pm in 514 IUB. For more information, click here.
May 4: De-Stress Fest | 12:00 – 9:00 pm in Main Library 106 and Orange Room. For more information, click here.
May 5: Fulbright Scholarship Research Grant Workshop | 3:30 pm ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 9: UK and Ireland Scholarship Information Session for Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, and Gates Writing Workshop | 2:00 pm ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 12: Semester End – Last Day of Finals! Congratulations on successful completion of the 2023-2024 Academic Year!
May 13: 2023 Commencement Ceremony! Congratulations to all of our 2023 graduates and best of luck with your future endeavors!
May 16: Admissions 101 with University of Miami School of Law | 7 pm ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 18 – 20:6th Annual Chicago Health, Medical, and Law Careers Citywide Student Conference | Free to attend. For more information and to register, click here.
May 24: AccessLex Webinar – Your Law School Investment | 11:00 am ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 24: Access Lex Webinar – Your Public Service Loan Forgiveness Action Plan | 11:00 am ONLINE. For more information, click here.
May 30: AccessLex Webinar – An Introduction to Personal Finance for First-Generation Students | 11:00 am ONLINE. For more information, click here.
Scholarship Deadlines
May 1: DEADLINE! Ashoori Law Good Deeds Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 1: DEADLINE! Earl Warren Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 1: DEADLINE! Byron Hanke Fellowship | For more information, click here.
May 1: DEADLINE! Rice, Murtha & Psora Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 1: DEADLINE! KF&B Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 1: DEADLINE! U.S. Graduate Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 18: DEADLINE! Alford & Clark Injury Attorneys Students in Need Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 26: DEADLINE! Make-the-World-Better Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 30: DEADLINE! Trey Porter Law Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 31: DEADLINE! Attorney Ken Nugent Legal Scholarship | For more information, click here.
May 31: DEADLINE! #TextFreeforTita Distracted Driving Scholarship | For more information, click here.
