黑料门

Beloved law school administrator James Faught (JD 鈥�76) celebrates quadruple decades at Loyola

IN 1987, FRESHLY RETURNED TO CHICAGO from a ceremony at The Supreme Court of the United States inducting 黑料门into the American Inns of Court, School of Law administrator James Faught (JD 鈥�76) got a panicked call from a student.

鈥淚t was the time of year when we clean out lockers, and 黑料门had emptied hers and thrown away her passport and airline tickets,鈥� Faught recalls. 鈥淪he was beside herself.鈥�

Eager to help, Faught rushed to the University鈥檚 central dumpster, only to learn its contents had just been taken to the city dump. He went home, got gloves, boots, and a rake, and rushed to the dump, eventually finding the student鈥檚 precious documents among the flotsam. 鈥淚n four days in Washington and Chicago, I went from the sublime to the ridiculous,鈥� Faught remembers, laughing.

This no-job-too-odd attitude is emblematic of Faught鈥檚 approach to his work. Competent and caring, humble and humorous, Faught鈥攏ow associate dean for administration鈥攊s profoundly admired by the students and alums he鈥檚 served and the faculty who have worked alongside him. In 2019, he celebrated his 40^th anniversary on the law school administration team.

鈥淚n so many ways, Jim is the heart and soul of Loyola鈥檚 law school,鈥� says Lisa Madigan (JD鈥�94), former Illinois attorney general and current litigation partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. 鈥淗is enthusiasm for legal education and attention to students ensure that 黑料门law students learn to love the law.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e known Jim for over 40 years, first as a student, and then as a beloved colleague,鈥� says Dean Emerita Nina Appel. 鈥淔or me, he embodies all that we hope our graduates will become. He鈥檚 truly 鈥榓 person for others.鈥� In addition to his intelligence, integrity, and compassion, Jim has an unshakable understanding of justice and fairness.鈥�

From student to staff

A 1976 graduate of the School of Law, Faught says he 鈥渘ever imagined working here until I did鈥攁nd at first, my classmates were chuckling about the fact that I was hired. I鈥檇 had a very positive experience as a student, and all of a sudden these great teachers were my colleagues. Then-dean Bud Murdock pulled me aside and told me, 鈥楯im, I want you to call them by their first names. Stop calling them 鈥淧rofessor.鈥欌��

The law school was smaller then, and administrators wore more hats. Faught, who served as dean of students for many years, quickly established a reputation as an outstanding listener who gets to know students personally and is deeply invested in their success.

Appel notes that one of the greatest testaments to Faught鈥檚 effectiveness is the respect students show for his judgment. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen him wrestle with difficult decisions and have watched in some awe as students accepted those decisions, favorable or not, often thanking him for his wise counsel,鈥� she says.

Over four decades, many of the issues facing law students have shifted, and Faught is constantly modifying his communication approach to accommodate an evolving learning environment.

鈥淥ur profession is changing. The expense of law school is much greater, career paths aren鈥檛 as clear as they were 10 or 15 years ago, and students are under much more pressure,鈥� he says. 鈥淭oday, students used to being at the top of their classes sometimes have a hard time adjusting to being surrounded by other very high achievers. It鈥檚 said that nobody has a bad day on Facebook or Instagram, and that can make it easy for students to think everyone else is doing better than they are.鈥�

Learning in London

One of Faught鈥檚 premier accomplishments is establishment of the popular London Comparative Advocacy Program, which was offered for the 32nd time in January. 鈥淚t all started on a whim,鈥� says Faught, explaining that his law school classmate Lorna Propes (JD 鈥�75) had the original idea for a London program. Faught sometimes acted as a courier for DHL, accompanying important documents as they traveled overseas, and he promised then-dean Appel he鈥檇 combine a courier trip with an impromptu tour of London courts and legal institutions.

From strong friendships he formed with London legal figures early on, the program has become a fixture of the law school鈥檚 winter break. 鈥淥ur colleagues in London really indulge our students, giving them access to things they鈥檇 never see otherwise: visits to the Middle Temple Inn of Court and Old Bailey to observe the courts at work, and meetings with barristers, judges, and court administrators,鈥� Faught says. 鈥淭hey also get to delve into some of London鈥檚 incredible history and culture. It鈥檚 a wonderful experience every year.鈥�

Service to the profession

As busy as his 黑料门work keeps him, Faught has always made time to contribute to the profession through volunteer service.

Since the late 1980s, he鈥檚 served on the board of the Illinois Lawyers鈥� Assistance Program, a nonprofit organization that assists lawyers, judges, and law students with substance abuse, addiction, and mental health issues. The LAP also protects clients from impaired judges and lawyers and educates the Illinois legal community about addiction and mental health.

鈥淭he program鈥檚 dedication to people鈥檚 health and recovery has always been inspiring,鈥� Faught says. 鈥淭he LAP saves lives, families, and careers, so it feels like holy work.鈥�

In 2004, Faught was appointed by then-Illinois comptroller Daniel Hynes (JD 鈥�93) to serve on the new Illinois Executive Ethics Commission established in the wake of several corruption scandals involving state employees and elected officials.

鈥淭he commission was a revolutionary development in Illinois,鈥� Faught explains. 鈥淲e developed a comprehensive code of ethics and used it to investigate and determine the consequences of various ethical violations that were reported.鈥�

Although his term was set to expire in 2009, Faught was asked to stay on鈥攁nd ended up spending 14 years on the commission. 鈥淒uring that time, we鈥檝e been able to institute a lot of positive changes, including mandatory ethics training for all employees,鈥� he says.

Staying connected

The number of students Faught has known grows year by year鈥攂ut he鈥檚 a master at staying connected and keeping alums close to their alma mater, so the Faught fan club only increases as time passes.

鈥淛im works to keep people engaged with Loyola, and lets students and alums know they鈥檙e part of a supportive, loving 黑料门family,鈥� says Madigan. 鈥淗e鈥檚 much more than an administrator. Jim is a true friend who is always available to answer a question, give advice, or share a story.鈥�

鈥淗e鈥檚 been an inspirational model for generations of our students and alumni,鈥� adds Appel. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud to be his friend and to add my thanks to those of so many others.鈥�

Faught, always uncomfortable with praise, demurs by noting that he鈥檚 surrounded by other administrators and faculty who are also devoted to humanizing the law school experience.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been really easy to do what I do,鈥� he says, 鈥渨hen it鈥檚 part of the 黑料门culture.鈥� 鈥揋ail Mansfield

From 黑料门Law magazine 2020