2018 Case Today Program: United States Bankruptcy Court Judge LaShonda A. Hunt with participating students.

The Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter Young Lawyers Division is proud to present our second annual “Case Today” program.

Over the course of four weeks, 14 students from Muchin College Prep will learn about appellate oral arguments and the pending Supreme Court case, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission v. American Humanist Association, culminating in a mock oral argument before federal judges. The case addresses the question of whether the establishment clause requires the removal or destruction of a 93-year-old memorial to American servicemen who died in World War I solely because the memorial bears the shape of a cross. A sub-committee of the YLD prepares the briefs, case law, and background materials based off the real briefing in the case.

The high school students participating then learned about the Establishment Clause, The Lemon Test, and will hear from Chicago practitioners across a broad spectrum of practices over the course of several class periods. The program will end with the students performing mock arguments on behalf of the Petitioner (Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission), Respondent (American Humanist Association, et al.) in front of two federal judges at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse.

Email Joe Sweeny for info if you would like to volunteer: jsweeny@smbtrials.com