Laura Caldwell, Josie Gough, Katie Vannucci, and Brian R. McKillip are the 2022 School of Law awards recipients.
In a school known for turning out graduates who pay it forward, these individuals stand out as particularly strong symbols of service. Here are the recipients of the 2022 黑料门University Chicago School of Law alumni awards, which will be presented at the Reunion and Alumni Awards Dinner on Saturday, October 1.
Caldwell joined the School of Law faculty in 2001 and later founded the Life After Innocence program.
The Francis J. Rooney/St. Thomas More Award recognizes continuous, outstanding loyalty and dedicated service to the School of Law.
It can almost be said that Laura Caldwell lived several lives in her 52 years: author, lawyer, professor, and founding director of the School of Law鈥檚 Life After Innocence program. Caldwell passed away in 2020 following a yearslong battle with breast cancer.
鈥淟aura was able to make every idea she had for her life a reality, and she was successful and made an impact with all of them,鈥� says Christine Smith, Caldwell鈥檚 sister. 鈥淪he was very content with her life and very grateful.鈥�
鈥淎ll her life, she was just being herself, doing what she wanted to do.鈥�
After earning her law degree in 1992, Caldwell became a trial lawyer specializing in medical malpractice, insurance defense, and entertainment law. She joined the School of Law faculty in 2001. The following year, she published her first novel, Burning the Map, which became a New York Times bestseller. She went on to write 13 more novels, which were published in more than 20 countries and translated into more than a dozen languages.
Caldwell suspended her legal practice as she became busier with writing and teaching. That changed in 2005 when she learned about the criminal case of Jovan Mosley, a man who had been charged with murder and was sitting in a Cook County jail cell for more than five years awaiting trial. Caldwell joined her friend and criminal defense attorney Catharine O鈥橠aniel to defend him, and together, they helped Mosley walk free with a not-guilty verdict.
The experience became the basis of Caldwell鈥檚 first nonfiction book, Long Way Home: A Young Man Lost in the System and the Two Women Who Found Him. It highlighted the fact that, while many support services existed to help convicted offenders after their release, most states provided no such programs for the wrongly accused.
In 2009, Caldwell established the School of Law鈥檚 Life After Innocence program, a nonprofit initiative that helped exonerees to begin their lives again and reclaim their rights as citizens.
Perhaps her fellow attorney and bestselling author Scott Turow said it best to the Chicago Tribune for its obituary of Caldwell: 鈥淸Laura] was such a spirited fighter of the things that deserve to be fought.鈥� Take as evidence that, in 2017, she and attorney-author friend Leslie
Klinger compiled the anthology Anatomy of Innocence. Caldwell and Klinger matched prominent mystery and thriller writers, including Sara Paretsky and Lee Child, with recent exonerees to write their stories in compelling detail. Book sales served as a fundraiser for the Life After Innocence program.
鈥淟aura was . . . a gifted author, a dedicated teacher, an exceptional attorney, a devoted public servant, a loyal alum, a fierce advocate for justice, a beloved colleague, a warm friend, and a wonderful human being,鈥� said the School of Law鈥檚 then-dean Michael Kaufman at the time of Caldwell鈥檚 death. 鈥淪he was, and always will be, a vital part of the fabric of our 黑料门law school community.鈥�
When Smith reflects on her sister鈥檚 life, she emphasizes Caldwell鈥檚 authenticity.
鈥淚 think Laura would be wickedly excited about this award, and probably a little [disbelieving],鈥� says Smith. 鈥淎ll her life, she was just being herself, doing what she wanted to do. She would never expect to be honored for that.鈥�
In addition to teaching, Gough served as the law school鈥檚 first assistant dean for inclusion, diversity, and equity.
The Medal of Excellence honors a member of the School of Law community who exhibits the qualities of character, intellect, and social and professional responsibility that the School of Law fosters.
Josie Gough is a nominator, not a nominee.
That was Gough鈥檚 first thought when she learned she had been selected to receive the School of Law鈥檚 2022 Medal of Excellence.
鈥淚 had to read the email several times,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檝e nominated other faithful alumni, but never thought of myself as someone to be encouraged in this way.鈥�
Her word choice is deliberate. Gough sees the award less as a reflection of past contributions and more as a form of encouragement 鈥渢o still be of service and to do more,鈥� she says.
Indeed, though Gough retired from the School of Law in December 2021 after 10 years on the faculty, she will return in the fall to co-teach a course on diversity and inclusion that she helped launch last fall. She will also serve on the Dean鈥檚 Diversity Council.
鈥淚鈥檓 like that bad penny that keeps turning up,鈥� she jokes.
As the school鈥檚 first assistant dean for inclusion, diversity, and equity and also a Curt and Linda Rodin Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and Social Justice, Gough launched a number of initiatives designed to ensure that all law students feel they have a place and a voice at Loyola, including the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Awards and Fellowship Program; lunch-and-learn workshops; and first-generation programs.
She also helped to establish the Professional Identity Formation course, which has received national recognition for its approach to addressing systemic racism and inequities within the legal profession.
As for her notion that she鈥檚 not awardee material, innumerable people would disagree, to say nothing of the Women鈥檚 Bar Association of Illinois, the Chicago Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Foundation, and many other organizations that have recognized her with honors.
鈥淛osie has dedicated herself through countless hours, no matter the time of day, to support our students and alumni,鈥� writes Jeffrey Hammer (JD 鈥�06) in his nomination of Gough. 鈥淛osie鈥檚 touch and words of encouragement were just the thing that many of us needed to make it through times of monumental change and challenge.鈥�
鈥淥ur students know that we have chosen them, and they have chosen us鈥攁nd I think we鈥檙e very lucky when they do.鈥�
Even now, after returning to private practice in May, Gough continues to meet with students one-on-one, to write recommendations and help them make connections for job opportunities.
鈥淣ot a day goes by that I don鈥檛 get a call or text from a current student, former student, or prospective student,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat gives me joy.鈥�
That connectedness is at the heart of Gough鈥檚 excellence. When she joined the law school as its first director of experiential learning and professional development, her strong relationships in the legal community empowered her to enrich the school鈥檚 externships, adding new corporate opportunities and creating the D.C. Externship Program.
Gough says she was inspired by her own mentor from her time as a student: Norman Amaker, renowned civil rights attorney and 黑料门law professor from 1976 to 2000.
鈥淗e told me he would not let me fail, but he was really saying, 鈥榊ou have to make sure you don鈥檛 fail,鈥欌�� Gough says. 鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 talking about a class; he was talking about life. Anything that I鈥檝e done to support students is my effort to give back in the same way that he and others gave to me.鈥�
Countless people who call her professor, colleague, or mentor would say that 鈥淒ean Josie,鈥� as she is known, has given back in exponential measure. For students and recent alumni especially, she was a most essential part of their educational and professional success, and more important, of their personal journeys in the years they attended the School of Law.
鈥淚 try to build their confidence鈥攖o help them bet on themselves,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I see how successful and how values-driven our graduates are, I think I was able to do that to some extent. The proof is in the pudding.鈥�
Since 2009, Vannucci has volunteered as coach of the School of Law鈥檚 four-person team in the National Child Welfare and Adoption Law Moot Court Competition.
The St. Robert Bellarmine Award recognizes a graduate who earned a JD within the past 15 years for distinguished service to the community, to the legal profession, and to the School of Law.
When Katie Vannucci graduated summa cum laude from 黑料门University Maryland, it would have been an easy choice for the Connecticut native to stay in Baltimore for law school.
鈥淎ll my friends were there. Going to the University of Maryland鈥檚 law school would have been like a continuation of college,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut the Jesuit value of 鈥榤en and women for others鈥� spoke to me, and I wanted to be surrounded by students and professors who felt the same way.鈥�
鈥淢y parents and my Jesuit education taught me to make a difference鈥攖o do things the best that I can, and make the biggest impact I can.鈥�
Vannucci has gone on to prove her commitment to that value, not only in her work but also in her service. Most notably, since 2009, she has volunteered as coach of the School of Law鈥檚 four-person team in the National Child Welfare and Adoption Law Moot Court Competition. (The law school named her Coach of the Year in 2011.)
鈥淚 absolutely love getting to work with students in that capacity,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey come in very green, we spend a huge amount of time working together very intensely, and it鈥檚 all worth it when they get to the competition and I see how far they鈥檝e come.鈥�
Vannucci also is preparing to return to the School of Law for the second consecutive fall semester as an adjunct professor teaching immigration law, her area of practice. She has a long record of service to the profession, including being immediate past chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association Chicago Chapter and the 2020鈥�2021 co-chair of the Immigration Section of the Women鈥檚 Bar Association of Illinois.
She was exposed to immigration policy while completing a volunteer project on the U.S.-Mexico border as an undergraduate. Ultimately, immigration law appealed to her as an area in which she could both directly help people and families and also put her Spanish fluency to work.
鈥淚n school, I was exposed to a lot of other areas of the law that I also really loved, like family law and criminal law,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd I realized that immigration law was a perfect blend of all of those things.鈥�
Vannucci says being a lawyer 鈥渇or others鈥� continues to be her guiding principle. As a reminder, she keeps a photo of the Gaytans, a family she represented when she was a brand-new attorney. One day, she got an emergency phone call: U.S. immigration officers had arrested Mr. Gaytan and he was, at that moment, sitting on a plane waiting to be deported. She flew into action.
鈥淚 was able to get him pulled off the plane, was eventually able to secure his release, and later filed for not only his permanent residency, but also his wife鈥檚,鈥� she says. 鈥淔ast forward five years, and I was able to do both of their citizenship applications. It was so special.鈥�
Serving others is what matters to Vannucci. 鈥淢y parents and my Jesuit education taught me to make a difference鈥攖o do things the best that I can, and make the biggest impact I can,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e always strived to do.鈥�
McKillip says the road to becoming a compassionate jurist was not always smooth.
The Distinguished Jurist Award recognizes a graduate for outstanding service on the bench. Many of the School of Law鈥檚 graduates have contributed to the promotion of justice in our society by serving with distinction on federal and state courts. This award is presented every two years.
鈥淧ay attention to what people are saying. Treat them with respect. Never be mean or petty. It鈥檚 so important that people who end up in court have a meaningful opportunity to speak and that they are heard.鈥�
The Honorable Brian R. McKillip鈥檚 professional ethic is easy to articulate, but it was developing that ethic and living by it during his 20 years as an associate judge of Illinois鈥檚 18th Judicial Circuit Court that make him a worthy choice for Loyola鈥檚 2022 Distinguished Jurist Award.
McKillip, who was appointed to the bench in 1999 and retired in 2019, says the road to becoming a compassionate jurist was not always smooth. He recalls an incident during his first assignment to divorce court: A woman came in with a post-decree petition. Frustrated by McKillip鈥檚 granting her ex-husband鈥檚 request for continuance, she threw papers all over the desk and cursed at the judge.
McKillip barked a rebuke at her, and within moments, the situation blew up. After a physical struggle with the deputy, the woman 鈥渉ad some kind of health event and had to be taken out of the courthouse on a stretcher,鈥� he says.
At her next hearing, McKillip addressed the woman in a very different manner.
鈥淚 did my best to explain why I had to deny her request,鈥� he says. 鈥淎fterward, she thanked me, and I realized the situation got out of control the first time because of the way I treated her. This was proof tome of the difference it makes when you treat people with understanding, and talk to them, rather than at 迟丑别尘.鈥�
鈥淓ffective advocacy by lawyers in the courtroom makes the whole system work better for the litigants who are caught up in it.鈥�
Examples of McKillip鈥檚 efforts to improve the experience of individual sin the justice system are abundant. In 1995, he worked with a group of judges and lawyers, including John W. Darrah (BS 鈥�65, JD 鈥�69), to establish the DuPage County Bar Association鈥檚 (DCBA) Keith E. Roberts, Sr. Trial Advocacy Program. The program offers inexperienced lawyers the chance to break down every aspect of a trial, from voir dire to closing arguments, all under the tutelage of expert trial attorneys and judges.
鈥淓ffective advocacy by lawyers in the courtroom makes the whole system work better for the litigants who are caught up in it,鈥� says McKillip.
In 1996, while serving on the board of directors of the DCBA, McKillip worked with the Boy Scouts of America鈥檚 Three Fires Council to launch a Juvenile Diversion Program鈥攖hought to be the first in the Midwest at that time鈥攖hat offered youth offenders the chance to avoid the court system by successfully completing a special scouting program. For this effort, he received the Illinois State Bar Association鈥檚 Community Service Award in 1999.
McKillip also served as chair of multiple DCBA committees. In addition, he is president of the Illinois Judges Foundation and serves on the assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association.
McKillip is proud of his extensive volunteer work, which he sees as an obligation to the field.
鈥淚 think all lawyers and judges who recognize a continuing responsibility to the profession improve the overall quality of the justice system,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd I hope the award can highlight that for young lawyers, to build a perpetuating cycle of improvement.鈥� 鈥揕iz Miller (Summer 2022)
Learn how our alumni, faculty, and students drive social change and push for justice. Read the above features from 黑料门Law magazine.
