The University of Illinois College of Law’s Jurist in Residence program was established to deepen the College’s connections to the bench, inspire students to pursue judicial clerkships, and provide them with the opportunity to learn from leading legal minds. Although Jurist in Residence programs are not uncommon at law schools around the country, ours is one of the only law schools in Illinois to formalize the initiative.
Executive Assistant Dean for Career Planning and Professional Development Greg Miarecki, who was instrumental in the creation and launch of the program, said “Our state and federal judges are on the cutting edge of legal issues and developments. Through the Jurist in Residence program and other College of Law initiatives, we are excited to partner with them to prepare the next generation of leading legal minds.”
While in residence at the College of Law, judges teach a seminar-style short course and participate in student-focused events. Previous jurists have taken part in a Fireside Chat, been part of panel discussions, and spent time meeting and learning from faculty members.
Judges, in particular, demonstrate to students what their future lives in the law can look like, what public service at
a very high, impactful level can look like. Helping students
to envision what the path forward for them might be and
to think about that particular type of public service was important for us.
Jamelle Sharpe
Dean of the College of LawPast Jurists in Residence
Judge Candace Jackson-Awikumi, 2026
Appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in July 2021, Jackson-Awikumi is the first former public defender to sit on that court. She began her legal career as a law clerk and then practiced law privately before spending a decade as an attorney with the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Illinois. During her time as a federal public defender, she taught at national seminars and Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. She also served as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Israel and Namibia, a Princeton-in-Asia fellow in Thailand, and an American Inns of Court Temple Bar Scholar in England.
Judge Thomas Kirsch, 2025
Judge Kirsch is a Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Prior to his judicial appointment in 2020, he served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana since 2017. He worked in private practice from 2008 to 2017, litigating commercial and criminal matters in trial and appellate courts. Previously, Judge Kirsch served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Indiana, focusing on white collar investigations and prosecutions, including the prosecution of numerous elected and appointed public officials. In 2006 and 2007, Judge Kirsch served as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General at the United States Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy in Washington, D.C. He is a former law clerk to the Honorable John D. Tinder in the Southern District of Indiana. Judge Kirsch is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Jurist in Residence on Illinois LawCast
Judge Candace Jackson-Awikumi was a gracious guest on Illinois LawCast, sharing details about her life and work as well as her time at the College of Law as Jurist in Residence. Check out her full interview to learn more.