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STUDENT PROFILE
Michelle E. Duff: 2005-2006 President, Black Law Students Association, DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, IL [By Judith Earley] Third-year law student Michelle Duff got involved with the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at DePaul University College of Law and ended up serving as the organization’s president. “I got involved with this organization by signing up for their mentoring program my first year of law school and then by attending their events throughout the year,” said Duff.
“Essentially in my role as president, I was
phenomenal for those who are interested in
The most enjoyable aspect of law for Duff is
responsible for managing an executive board
serving those who are disenfranchised.”
dissecting legal theories and discovering their real-world effect on society and individuals.
of eight law students in order to provide quality academic and social support to black law
Duff’s interest in the law was sparked while
Duff said that the legal theories that most
students so that we could in turn support the
on an eighth-grade field trip to City Hall. “I
interest her are legal realism and critical race
larger needs of the black community,” said
shadowed the City’s Attorney, David Dillner,”
theory and her favorite courses are Poverty
Duff.
said Duff. “While shadowing Attorney Dillner,
Law, Health Law, and Critical Race Theory.
I saw the positive impact that the law can As President of the Black Law Students
have on people’s lives and their community.
She also interned on Capitol Hill with the
Association, Duff was responsible for
This was especially important to me because
House Democratic Caucus. “I learned of [the
articulating the professional needs of law
the neighborhood in which I grew up in was
Capitol Hill internship] by flying out to D.C.
students to the university and organizing
extremely socially and economically deprived.
and essentially going door-to-door, dropping
DePaul’s black law students’ unique legal
As a result of this experience, as I matriculated
off resumes at congressional offices, and
skills to support the needs of the black
through high school and college, I began to
speaking with acquaintances on the Hill about
community. “For example, the 2005-2006
take law-related courses.”
summer employment,” said Duff.
“My interest in law was solidified after taking
“After graduation, I would like to eventually
executive board was one of the first student organizations to speak out about the slow relief effort in the wake of Hurricane Katrina by writing op-eds to local newspapers. In addition, we raised money for a displaced family that has been relocated to Chicago,” said Duff. Additionally, the BLSA organized academicsupport workshops and manages a mentoring program, which pairs up level students with incoming students. Under Duff’s leadership, the association held many community service events, including co-sponsoring an expungement training seminar with Carbini Green Legal Aid. “The benefits of getting involved with the BLSA are numerous,” said Duff. “The organization provides social, academic, and financial support to their members. Also, BLSA’s ability to pool the talent and skills of law students to impact their community for the better is
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eight pre-law courses with a Professor Stan Howard at DePaul University, who to this day still serves as my mentor. Throughout these courses, Dr. Howard showed me how the law can ennoble or denigrate one’s experience. After taking these courses with him, not only was my interest in becoming a lawyer crystallized, but I decided I didn’t want to only be a lawyer, but I desired to be social engineer,” said Duff. Duff met her greatest influence in law school thus far while she clerked at a civil rights law firm—Standish E. Willis, a civil rights attorney and activist. This was a position she found through a DePaul alum. “His steadfast commitment to assisting disenfranchised people is remarkable. During the time that I clerked for him, he made many personal sacrifices that to me were remarkable,” said Duff.
return to Capitol Hill; but I am keeping my options open. I am considering fellowships with Equal Justice Society, ACLU, and other policy/ law related opportunities, in addition to judicial clerkships,” said Duff. Although she has one more year to go, Duff said that her fondest law school memory was when the DePaul’s BLSA chapter partnered with other Chicago-area BLSAs to form the CCBLSA (Chicago Council of Black Law Students Associations). “We held our first CCBLSA gala, which attracted over 400 people, over 20 Chicago area law firms, and Jesse Jackson, Jr., as our keynote speaker,” said Duff. “This event honored African American lawyers who were pioneers in the profession and paved the way for so many black law students to follow. In addition to drawing such a large number of law students and
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STUDENT PROFILE
professionals, we also raised a significant amount of money that will be used for scholarships in the near future.� And when she does graduate, Duff said that she is definitely interested in working in the field of legislative affairs/policy advocacy.
ON THE NET DePaul University College of Law www.law.depaul.edu House Democratic Caucus www.dems.gov Black Law Students Association www.law.depaul.edu/students/organizations_ journals/student_orgs/lawblsa/default.asp
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