| Day | Time | Class | Room | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8-9:30, 10:45-11am | Cedar 86 | ||
| Tuesday | ||||
| Wednesday | 8-9:30, 10:45-11am | Cedar 86 | ||
| Thursday | 8-10:30 a.m. | Virtual | ||
| Friday | ||||
| Prefix | No. | Sec. | Title | Time | Days | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRJ | 230 | Court Procedures and Evidence | Internet | |||
| PRLGL | 118 | both | Law Office Management | Internet | ||
| PRLGL | 114 | Family Law | 9:30-10:45am | M/W | Cedar 101 | |
| PRLGL | 115 | Wills, Trusts and Estates | 11am-12:15pm | M/W | Cedar 101 | |
| PRLGL | 112 | Legal Research | 12:45-2pm | M/W | Cedar 101/60 | |
I earned my Associates of Applied Science from Illinois Central College in Law Enforcement in December 1985, my Bachelor of Science from Bradley University in the Administration of Criminal Justice in May 1987, my Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School in June 1990 and a Master of Online Teaching Certificate from the University of Illinois in May, 2003.
In the fall of 1996 I joined the full-time faculty at Illinois Central College and in that capacity I have since taught every law course the college offers as well as several Business, Criminal Justice and Physical Education courses.
I am a lawyer, licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1990 and subsequently in all levels of Federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. I am an active member of the Peoria County and Illinois State Bar Associations. I am called upon to consult on various legal issues, often at the request of students, faculty and staff as well as community members. In those situations I assess the legal issues and assist the individual with referrals to a local lawyer competent in that area of the law.
I became involved in Alternative Dispute Resolution in 1995 after obtaining training as an Arbitrator and Mediator in what was then an emerging field. I have served in those capacities since that time, including as a mediator for EEOC cases during the Clinton administration and early Bush administration. In addition, the combination of my education and professional experience has caused me to called as a Fact-Finder to investigate the facts and apply the law for parties involved in various types of civil and criminal cases.
In 1997 the City of Peoria began the first of several administrative hearing processes in which I was appointed to preside as Hearing Officer. In 2008 I was appointed to serve in the same capacity in Pekin and East Peoria. With the initial encouragement and continued support of college adminstration to fill this public service role and the opportunity and confidence of the city councils that have appointed me, I am able to provide a valuable service to these communities a few hours per week and stay connected to many of the areas and issues for which I am assinged to teach.
My teaching experience in a college setting to date has included the following subjects: Administrative Law, Administration of Justice, Business Law I and II; Business Organization and Practice, Civil Litigation; Court Procedures and Evidence, Criminal Law; Criminal Law and Procedure, Family Law; Insurance; Introduction to Criminal Justice; Introduction to Paralegal; Medical Terminology for Paralegals, Law Office Management, Legal Environment of Business; Legal Research I and II; Legal Research on the Internet, Legal Writing, Paralegal Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Wills, Trusts & Estates.
I have coached basketball at various levels and did so here at the college for a period of time. As a result I have on occassion taught the following college level Physical Education when needed: Basketball; Advanced Basketball, Physical Conditioning; Advanced Physical Conditioning; Weighlifting and Advanced Weightlifting.
I currently teach or have taught several of these courses via the Internet, including Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminal Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Introduction to Paralegal, Business Organization and Practice, Medical Terminology for Paralegals, Law Office Management, Legal Environment of Business, Legal Writing and Paralegal Ethics and Professional Responsibility.
In addition I have been a facilitator, instructor and lecturer at continuing legal education courses for lawyers and paralegals on a regular basis and I have presented faculty development courses for college and university faculty through the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Online Network.
My law courses focus on career specfic expectations. I expose students to those expectations through review of current cases and events and project based learning experiences when possible. Since I teach in career areas centered on service and an oath to uphold the law, I challenge my students to come to class with focus, commitment and effort that exemplifies those elements.
I give my best effort towards planning and executing course delivery in manner that best prepares and assists my students to meet the expectations of their intended careers. I make no excuses for expecting a lot of my students. Experience and the successful careers of seveal hundred of my former students indicate it is well worth our collective efforts.
I have had the opportunity to draft materials for use of Illinois Office of Administrative Courts for use in training the State of Illinois' Judiciary. Those materials were later the basis for two articles I co-authored. Driving Under the Influence in Illinois was published in the Spring 1991 Loyola University Law Journal. A second article, Motions In Limine: Use and Consequences was published in the Winter 1993 edition of The John Marshall Law Review.
I have prepared and presented materials at various Continuing Legal Education courses for lawyers and paralegals.
Honors/Awards to note: Most Inspirational Teacher Award from Western Illinois University, 1999; Peoria County Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year 2000; Forty Leaders Under Forty, 2001; Illinois Central College Gallion Award Nominee, multiple years, Illinois Central College Faculty Who Make a Difference, multiple years.