JD Concentration in Criminal Law & Procedure Prepares Students for Careers in Criminal Justice

The new JD Concentration in Criminal Law & Procedure at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC Law) is designed to enhance those JD Candidates who are pursuing a career in criminal justice, specifically as criminal defense attorneys or prosecutors.

Led by Professor Hugh Mundy, students pursuing the concentration will study the doctrines of criminal law and hone their skills related to practice before Illinois and federal courts. The concentration was developed to prepare students for a myriad of careers in the criminal justice field, including as defense attorneys, prosecutors and policy makers. After taking core classes in adjudication, criminal investigations and trial advocacy, students pursuing the concentration develop further expertise by taking elective courses involving litigation technology, expert witnesses and jury selection or, in specialized areas ranging from white-collar crime to sex crimes.

Faculty Director Professor Hugh Mundy has extensive experience in the field, including previously supervising the Criminal Justice Clinic at the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, where he was also an assistant professor. Before entering academia, Mundy was an assistant federal public defender for eight years working first in the Middle District of Tennessee and then in the Southern District of New York. His work included representing clients charged with a range of offenses, including narcotics, firearms, immigration, federal benefits and internet-based crimes. He also argued multiple appellate cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

“This concentration offers students pursuing careers as prosecutors or defense attorneys with a unique opportunity to acquire knowledge and cultivate skills related to criminal litigation,” Mundy said. “As a former public defender, I’m incredibly excited to work with the next generation of trial lawyers.”

The JD Concentration in Criminal Law & Procedure is one of seven concentrations offered at UIC Law. Other concentrations offered are Critical Race & Gender Studies; Health Equity, Law & Policy; Intellectual Property Law; International Human Rights Law; Sustainability; and Trial Advocacy & Dispute Resolution. Concentrations offer JD candidates the opportunity to develop further competitive distinction before they graduate. All concentrations are designed to serve the degree candidate as a guide for selecting electives in specific areas of study and to develop the courtroom-ready skills that employers seek in career applicants.

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