The Criminal Law Society at the University of Illinois College of Law (“CLS”) is dedicated to facilitating informative, engaging, and accessible discussions covering the breadth of issues associated with criminal law. CLS achieves its mission by hosting a series of speakers, panel discussions, and networking events. CLS also encourages active community involvement to confront, better understand, and help alleviate some of the contributing factors that push certain individuals into the criminal justice system. These events and activities enable students to engage with prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, policy makers, members of community organizations, and individuals who have been personally affected by contemporary criminal law policy.

Members of the Criminal Law Society come from diverse backgrounds and have political ideologies that vary extensively; however, CLS members coalesce around a shared interest in criminal law and a commitment to increasing awareness of contemporary criminal law issues at the University of Illinois College of Law.