NIU College of Law Dean Pernell Announces Commencement Speaker
April 01, 2003
DeKalb-Dean LeRoy Pernell, Northern Illinois University College of Law, has announced that federal judge Ruben Castillo will be the College's 2003 commencement speaker. The College of Law will hold its commencement in the newly-built NIU Convocation Center on Saturday, May 24, 2003, at 2:00 p.m.
Judge Castillo serves on the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. He was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 6, 1994. He is the first Latino judge in the Northern District of Illinois.
In 2000, Judge Castillo issued a landmark decision concerning racial profiling in Illinois: Martinez v. Village of Mount Prospect, 92 F.Supp.2d 780 (N.D. Ill. 2000). This upheld the settlement of claims of retaliation against Hispanic officers for opposing racial profiling.
Prior to sitting on the federal bench, Judge Castillo served on the Civil Justice Reform Advisory Committee for the Northern District of Illinois as well as on the Illinois Supreme Court Special Commission on the Administration of Justice; both of these appointments occurred simultaneously from 1991-1993. From 1990-1991, he was appointed as a special master in Burgo v. Suter by Judge James B. Zagel of the Northern District of Illinois.
Prior to his judicial service, Judge Castillo was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1979 and to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in the same year. He was admitted to practice before the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in 1984. From 1979 until 1984, he was an associate with Jenner and Block in Chicago; from l984-1988, he was an assistant U.S. attorney; from 1988-1991, he was Director and Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund in its Chicago office; and from 1991-1994 he was a partner in Kirkland & Ellis.
Judge Castillo received a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University in Chicago in 1976 and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1979.
Commenting on Judge Castillo's acceptance of his invitation to the commencement speaker, Dean Pernell said, "The College of Law is honored to have Judge Castillo speak to our graduating students at a time of great professional and personal happiness for them. Especially with the College of Law's commitment to diversity, Judge Castillo will be an excellent person to address the graduating class of 2003 one final time before they leave to become members of the legal community."
For more information, contact:
Melody Mitchell
Director, Alumni Events & Public Relations
815/753-9655l
L10CJS1@wpo.cso.niu.edu