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Randy Schmidt

Clinical Faculty

Full Time Teaching Faculty

Randall D. Schmidt

Clinical Professor of Law

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 and Gilbert. At that firm, he practiced in the area of commercial litigation.  

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.

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

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 in 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

Illinois Department of Human Rights and The Center for Conflict Resolution
Instructor in training program for mediators handling employment discrimination cases, fall 1994

Harvard University Law School
Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop Teaching Fellow, fall 1991 and winter 1993

Aaron, Schimberg, Hess, Rusnak, Deutsch & Gilbert Chicago, IL 
Associate, 1979-1981

Books (Author)

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

Journal Articles

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

Various presentations on the Illinois Human Rights Act, the 2008 “Right-to-Sue” amendment, and other proposed and enacted legislation

The Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys, May 2011

Memberships and Professional Affiliations

  • Illinois State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section Council (2007-present)
  • Clinical Legal Education Association (1994-present) 
    Board of Directors (2004-2006)
  • Chicago Council of Lawyers (1979-present)
    Board of Directors (1989-1993 and 1994-1998)
  • American Bar Association
    Member, Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
    Member, Section of Labor and Employment Law
    Member of numerous ABA Site Evaluation Teams
  • Association of American Law Schools, Section on Clinical Legal Education
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • National Employment Lawyers Association
  • 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)

Selected Cases

  • 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.)
  • Congregation Kol Ami, v. Chicago Commission on Human Relations, 271 Ill. App. 3d 1065, 649 N.E.2d 470 (1st Dist. 1995)
  • Foley v. Humana Health Plan, Inc., (Case No. 94 C 4974, N.D. Ill.)
  • Bennett v. Jett, 966 F.2d 207 (7th Cir. 1992); 827 F.2d 63 (7th Cir. 1987)
  • Herring v. Chicago Housing Authority, (No. 90 C 3797, N.D. Ill.)

Recent Legislative Advocacy

  • Illinois P.A. 95- 0243, eff. 1-1-2008