The Criminal Law Society ("CLS") helps students gain exposure to the field of criminal law and increase awareness of the legal and practical aspects of the criminal justice system. The organization is intended to promote interest in criminal prosecution, defense, and academic study and to serve as an extra-curricular counterpart to Marquette Law School's criminal law program.
CLS hosts various social and academic events throughout the year. We kick off the year with a fall mixer at a local bar, where new students meet the CLS executive board, its members, and other friends of CLS. Our society has also hosted a Speakers from Practice panel where students hear judges, private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, and assistant district attorneys share insights on criminal law practice. CLS encourages its members to attend other criminal law related events hosted by the Law School. For example, CLS members have attended past Barrock Lectures, including Professor Nancy King's lecture on recidivism and punishment in the 21st century. An On the Issues event with Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn was similarly well-attended by CLS members.
In addition to these events, CLS invites students to attend lunch-hour meetings where they learn about various aspects of Marquette's criminal law program--such as course offerings and internships--from upper-level students enrolled in the program. Finally, CLS's dues-paying members receive a t-shirt to help them show their affiliation with Marquette Law School and its Criminal Law Society.