Law 792:  Representative Government in the State of Illinois

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN ILLINOIS is the study of Illinois Government, and particularly, the crises Illinois faces. Representative Government is taught by the Honorable John E. Bradley, an actual former Representative and decision maker, the former Assistant Majority Leader and Chairperson of the powerful Revenue & Finance Committee. As the Chair of Illinois’ version of Ways & Means for over a decade, Professor Bradley had a front row seat at some of the most tedious and precarious constitutional crises in modern American democracy. Whether it be the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich, the appointment of a successor to the elected but deceased Comptroller Judy Barr Topinka, or the ongoing battles of Illinois budget making, you are invited to study and discuss these crises with the people who actually navigated the State of Illinois through them.

In addition to Professor Bradley, previous classes have met with Presiding Officers of the Illinois General Assembly, Chiefs of Staff of the Illinois Governor and various agencies, Directors of State Agencies, Parliamentarians and Legal Counsel to the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate, and numerous Senators and Representatives.  Political practitioners and representatives of state associations, such as the Illinois State Bar Association, and Fortune 500 companies round out a vibrant and robust assemblage of guest speakers throughout the semester.

Classes have studied the impeachment of former Governor Blagojevich from the actual legislative attorneys who prosecuted him.  Others have discussed the reform of the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules with the decision makers who helped accomplish it.  And students always enjoy Professor Bradley’s ability to explain the law on multiple levels, including the fascinating back stories often involved in its development.  Moreover, the class encourages an environment of discussion, giving students candid and insightful information.

Each year students are invited to attend an optional field trip where they have been able to meet with the Attorney General’s office, Illinois Supreme Court personnel, the Legislative Reference Bureau (the body that actually drafts the bills for the General Assembly), and members of the General Assembly, to name a few.

Representative Government in Illinois offers an experience in learning Illinois constitutional and statutory law like no other.  If you are interested in Illinois government, or in simply practicing law in Illinois, don’t miss the chance to learn Illinois law and the history behind it from the people that make it--Representative Government in Illinois. 

Sequence and Prerequisites: None

Evaluation: A final project