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Randall Schmidt

Clinical Faculty

Full Time Teaching Faculty

Randall D. Schmidt

Clinical Professor of Law

Biography

Randall Schmidt received his BA in 1976 from the University of Illinois and his JD from the Law School in 1979. Following law school, Mr. Schmidt practiced law with the Chicago law firm of Aaron, Schimberg, Hess, Rusnak, Deutsch & Gilbert. At that firm, he practiced in the area of commercial litigation.  

Professor Schmidt joined the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic in January 1981 and specializes in employment discrimination cases. His primary focus is on litigating discrimination cases in federal court and before administrative agencies. He is also interested in using legislative advocacy as a method for reforming and improving the rules, procedures, and remedies that apply to employment discrimination cases in Illinois.

Professor Schmidt is a member of the bars of the US Supreme Court, the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Trial Bar for the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the Supreme Court of Illinois.

Education and Experience

Education

The University of Chicago Law School

JD, 1979

  • Participant and student officer in the Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic

University of Illinois Champaign

BA (Political Science with Honors), 1976

Experience

The University of Chicago Law School

Clinical Professor of Law, 1991-present
Director of the Employment Discrimination Project, 1988-present
Faculty Director of Clinical Programs, 2007-2011
Senior Clinical Lecturer in Law, 1988-1991
Clinical Fellow and Staff Attorney, 1981-1988

Harvard University Law School

Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop Teaching Fellow, fall 1991 and winter 1993

Aaron, Schimberg, Hess, Rusnak, Deutsch & Gilbert

Associate, Chicago, IL, 1979-1981

Publications

Books (Author)

  • Statute and Rule Supplement to Lucas and Schmidt's Admiralty Cases and Materials (6 ed.) (Foundation Press, 2012) (with Jo D. Lucas).cu
  • Schmidt's Cases and Materials on Admiralty: Case, Statute, and Rule Supplement (2021 ed.) (Foundation Press, 2021).
  • Cases and Materials: Admiralty (6th ed.) (Foundation Press, 2012) (with Jo D. Lucas).cu

Journal Articles

  • "Constitutional Right of Action for Small Firm Employees," 31 Illinois State Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Newsletter __ (1993). cu
  • "The New Illinois Right-to-Sue Law for Employment Discrimination," 96 Illinois Bar Journal 30 (2008) (with Stephen E. Balogh & Lindsey Marcus). cu

Presentations
  • “Recent Amendments to the Illinois Human Rights Act,” for the Chicago Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association, February 22, 2019
  • “Recent Developments in Title VII Law,” for the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, January 19, 2017
  • “Practice before the Illinois Human Rights Commission,” for the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, January 2014
  • “Recent Legislative and Regulatory Developments,” for the Chicago Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association, June 4, 2011
  • “New Trends in Employment Law,” for the Chicago Bar Association, May 17, 2011
  • “Ethical Issues in FELA Cases,” for the Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys, May 2010
  • Various presentations on the Illinois Human Rights Act, the 2008 “Right-to-Sue” amendment, and other proposed and enacted legislation

Additional Activities

Memberships and Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association: Member, Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar; Member, Section of Labor and Employment Law
  • Association of American Law Schools, Section on Clinical Legal Education
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Chicago Council of Lawyers: Member (1979-present); Board of Directors (1989-1993 and 1994-1998)
  • Clinical Legal Education Association: Member (1994-present); Board of Directors (2004-2006)
  • Labor and Employment Law Section Council, Illinois State Bar Association: Vice-Chair (2021-present); Secretary (2020-2021) Member (2007-2017, 2018-present)
  • National Employment Lawyers Association
  • Public Interest Law Initiative: Board Member (1994-2000); Member of the Education Committee (1994-2000); Chair, Education Committee (1996-1998)
  • Bar admissions, United States Supreme Court (1985), United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1980), United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1979), Trial Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1983), United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois (1996), and Supreme Court of Illinois (1979)

Awards and Honors

  • “Excellence in Public Interest Service,” from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, May 2015
  • “Arthur Kinoy People’s Law Award,” from the National Lawyers Guild of Chicago, for his work on behalf of Chicago’s public school teachers, students, parents, and other school employees, November 2013

Selected Cases

  • Stepp v. Covance, 931 F.3d 632 (7th Cir. 2019)
  • Porter v. Pipefitters Association Local Union 597, No. 12-cv-9844, 2018 WL 3574757 (N.D. Ill. July 25, 2018) (order granting in part and denying in part defendant’s motion for summary judgment); 208 F.Supp.3d 894 (N.D. Ill. 2016) (order granting class certification)
  • Chicago Teachers Union v. Board of Education of the City of Chicago, Nos. 12-cv-10311 and 15-cv-8149, 2021 WL 1020991 (N.D. Ill. March 17, 2021) (order denying cross-motions for summary judgment); 797 F.3d 426 (7th Cir. 2015) (opinion reversing the trial court’s denial of class certification)
  • Brand v. Comcast, No. 11-cv-8471, 302 F.R.D 201 (N.D. Ill. 2014) (order granting class certification)
  • Brown v. Yellow Transportation, Inc., No. 08 C 5908, (N.D. Ill.), 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 52345, May 11, 2011 (order granting class certification)
  • Smith v. Nike Retail, No. 03 C 9110. (N.D. Ill.), 234 F.R.D. 648 (N.D. Ill. 2006) (order granting class certification)
  • Cooper v. Salazar, 196 F.3d 809 (7thCir. 1999), 34 F. Supp. 2d 693 (N.D. Ill. 1999)
  • Evans v. Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, (No. 94-1545, C.D. Ill.)
  • LeGrand v. Village of McCook, No. 96-cv-5951, 1998 WL 182462 (N.D. Ill., April 15, 1998) (order granting in part and denying in part the cross motions for summary judgment)
  • Congregation Kol Ami, v. Chicago Commission on Human Relations, 271 Ill. App. 3d 1065, 649 N.E.2d 470 (1st Dist. 1995)
  • On-line Financial Services v. Department of Human Rights, 592 N.E.2d 509, 228 Ill. App. 3d 99 (1st Dist. 1992)
  • Gaddy v. Abex Corp., 884 F.2d 312 (7th Cir. 1989)
  • Bennett v. Jett, 966 F.2d 207 (7th Cir. 1992); 827 F.2d 63 (7th Cir. 1987)

Recent Legislative Advocacy

  • Illinois P.A. 100-1066, 95-0243, eff. 8-24-18 (SB 20)
  • Illinois P.A. 95- 0243, eff. 1-1-2008