Professor Robert Lawless was awarded the 2026 Wayne R. LaFave Award for Scholarly Excellence for his book “Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy” (University of California Press, 2025), co-authored with Deborah Thorne and Pamela Foohey. This award was established in 2002 by Michael Moore, the Charles R. Walgreen, Jr. Chair, and Heidi Hurd, the Ross and Helen Workman Chair in Law. The award was established in honor of Professor Wayne LaFave, whose remarkable scholarly legacy in criminal law and procedure is best honored through the recognition of work that is of matching ambition and importance.

Professor Sarah Lawsky spoke on a panel about law school hiring during an AALS Candidates Workshop on August 6, 2026. Her talk was specifically about “Trends in Entry Level Hiring.” The workshop provided faculty candidates an opportunity to hear from a panel of law school professors and administrators with experience in faculty hiring, discuss interview questions, and solicit advice in small groups.

What does the future of nuclear safety look like, and what might still be done to reduce the risk of nuclear disaster, given the demise of NRC independence following the Supreme Court decision in Trump v. Slaughter? An op-ed from Professor Arden Rowell and co-author Jud Mathews published in The Regulatory Review attempts to answer these questions.

The Office of the Provost and Illinois International announced Colleen Murphy’s appointment as vice provost for global engagement earlier this month. In this role, effective as of August 16, 2026, she will serve as the university’s senior international officer, overseeing Illinois International and campuswide initiatives that promote global learning, discovery, and engagement.

An article co-authored by Professors Jennifer Robbennolt, Verity Winship, and alumna Jessica Bregant ’09, originally published in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, has been selected for the 2025 Best Scholarly Article Award by the AALS ADR Section. The Section annually selects an article that makes a significant contribution to the field of dispute resolution and reflects excellent scholarly analysis and writing. “Settlementality” provides an overview and analysis of how the general public views civil litigation and settlement.

Dave Merwin is in his seventh year as a court appointed attorney representing parents in neglect and abuse cases in Muskegon, Michigan.

Jim Kaucher ’83 was named the 2027 Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Defense in Tucson, Arizona. Jim is a partner in Gust Rosenfeld, PLC, which has offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Wickenburg, Arizona. Jim is the Chair of the firm’s Health Care Law group which, for the second year in a row, has been ranked as the #1 health care law firm in Arizona by Ranking Arizona. He is the managing partner of the firm’s Tucson office, and Vice Chairman of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Juan R. Thomas, of Counsel at Clifford Law Offices, has been recognized in Crain’s Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law 2026. A respected litigator and former founder of The Thomas Law Group, Juan has spent decades advocating for clients and advancing the legal profession. His successful defense of a Naperville, IL student in a widely watched school-ticketing case helped spur legislative reform in Illinois. This year Juan became President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents and President of the Illinois Bar Foundation. Juan is believed to be among the first lawyers to serve as President of two major legal organizations during the same bar year.

Robert McIntire ’72 has returned to the Danville firm of Acton & Snyder LLP as “Of Counsel.”

Alumnus Fred Bartlit died on August 6, 2026. He was a member of the College of Law’s JD Class of 1960, among the top students in his class, and editor of the law review. Bartlit came to Illinois after earning a bachelor’s in engineering from United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, and serving eight years in the U.S. Army, including service with the Army Rangers.