Randall D. Schmidt, clinical professor of law and faculty director of the Law School’s Employment Law Clinic (ELC), has been named by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL) as a recipient of one of the Court’s 2026 Awards for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service. Schmidt is receiving the award for his and the ELC’s work in providing representation to a pro se plaintiff in settlement proceedings in Johnson v. Habitat Company, 1:25-cv-2433. Hannah Kessel, ’27, and Gabriel Morales, ’27, worked on this case with Schmidt last summer

The ELC has been participating in the NDIL’s Settlement Assistance Program for several years. During this time, Schmidt and his students have met with and assisted almost 40 pro se litigants. Schmidt and his students have been very successful in resolving most of these cases.

This is the third time that Schmidt and his students have been recognized for the excellence of their work in the Settlement Assistance Program. 

The award will be presented on May 1 at 1:00 p.m. in the James Benton Parsons Memorial Courtroom in the Dirksen Courthouse.