Specialty programs at The John Marshall Law School have once again been rated among the nation’s best. preLaw magazine rated John Marshall as one of the top law schools in the country for human rights law.
John Marshall was the only law school in the Midwest to receive an A- rating, which propels it to a top law school for human rights law in the nation, continuing its tradition of giving back to the community and providing opportunities for the underrepresented. The grade was based on the breadth of the law school’s curricular offerings.
“This is a great honor for us. We are so incredibly passionate about our human rights work and are humbled by this award,” said Sarah Dávila-Ruhaak, Director of the International Human Rights Clinic.
John Marshall’s International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) promotes human rights domestically and internationally by providing direct legal representation and advocacy.
In January 2016, the IHRC launched its Human Rights for Syrians Initiative, which seeks to narrow the gap of access to justice by providing direct legal services and a robust referral service system to Syrian refugees and asylum seekers. Intakes are conducted and services are provided to Syrians all over the United States and around the world.
The IHRC also submits amicus curiae briefs in cases where individuals or communities are prevented from accessing a fair legal system and obtaining necessary legal protections. Through this work, the IHRC seeks to empower individuals so they are able to overcome obstacles preventing them from obtaining justice. With this work, it promotes the development of protections needed to respond to grave violations of human rights.
This past June, John Marshall’s IHRC was awarded the Gertz Award from the Illinois State Bar Association’s Human Rights Section Council. The award recognizes and honors often-unsung heroes of the legal community who have shown a continued commitment to preserve and advance human rights.
This the third John Marshall program to be recognized by preLaw magazine in 2017. The publication also gave top grades to John Marshall’s Intellectual Property Law program, International Law program and Alternative Dispute Resolution program.
