Brandon Clark, President
Brandon Clark was elected president of
the Environmental Law Society in spring 2012 for a term to run
though spring 2013. As ELS president he has set challenging new
goals for increased recruitment, expanded community involvement and
additional member development opportunities. In addition to acting
as ELS president, Brandon was selected to lead a January 2013 service
immersion trip to Washington, D.C. that is co-sponsored by the
college of law, the pro bono and community service initiative and
university ministry. He was also elected to be the student
representative on the College of Law Faculty and Curriculum Board for
the 2012-13 academic year. Brandon was awarded the Dean's
Certificate of Service in recognition of his volunteer activities
during his 1L year, and he was awarded the Dean's Merit Scholarship
for his academic accomplishments.
Following his 1L year, Brandon was chosen as the Georges Fellow at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he authored a paper on Great Lakes' fisheries regulation. During that same time, he assisted Professor Michael S. Jacobs with antitrust research for an upcoming publication. He also participated in a DePaul College of Law study abroad program in Prague and Vienna.
Prior to his matricultion at DePaul, Brandon was a practicing mechanical engineer in the Nuclear Plant Analysis Department of Sargent & Lundy, LLC in Chicago. In this capacity, he assisted numerous Pressurized-Water Reactor clients — domestic and foreign — with resolution of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Generic Safety Issue 191, which involved analysis of post-accident cooling of the reactor core. He also provided onsite support during a Boiling-Water Reactor outage for a domestic client and participated in numerous internal improvement projects. He remains a licensed professional engineer in both Illinois and Wisconsin.
Brandon studied mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2001 through 2005. During this time he was the team leader of the College of Engineering's Formula SAE team and an intern with Toyota Motor Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Wittmann, Arizona. He grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, but now, having lived in the Windy City since 2006, considers himself a Chicagoan through-and-through. His hobbies include early mornings at Rinn Library, concerts at the Empty Bottle and long walks with his dog Dodger.
Following his 1L year, Brandon was chosen as the Georges Fellow at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he authored a paper on Great Lakes' fisheries regulation. During that same time, he assisted Professor Michael S. Jacobs with antitrust research for an upcoming publication. He also participated in a DePaul College of Law study abroad program in Prague and Vienna.
Prior to his matricultion at DePaul, Brandon was a practicing mechanical engineer in the Nuclear Plant Analysis Department of Sargent & Lundy, LLC in Chicago. In this capacity, he assisted numerous Pressurized-Water Reactor clients — domestic and foreign — with resolution of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Generic Safety Issue 191, which involved analysis of post-accident cooling of the reactor core. He also provided onsite support during a Boiling-Water Reactor outage for a domestic client and participated in numerous internal improvement projects. He remains a licensed professional engineer in both Illinois and Wisconsin.
Brandon studied mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2001 through 2005. During this time he was the team leader of the College of Engineering's Formula SAE team and an intern with Toyota Motor Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Wittmann, Arizona. He grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, but now, having lived in the Windy City since 2006, considers himself a Chicagoan through-and-through. His hobbies include early mornings at Rinn Library, concerts at the Empty Bottle and long walks with his dog Dodger.
Stephanie Mulcahy, Vice-President
Stephanie joined the Environmental Law
Society (ELS) as a 1L and was elected Treasurer her first year.
During this time, she planned “The History of Animal Law” as
ELS’s spring event as well as handled funds for various ELS events
on campus. As a 2L, Stephanie was elected Vice-President and was
reappointed for this upcoming school year. Last year she participated
in a beach clean-up at Montrose Beach with the ELS board and helped
plan numerous ELS panels and events at DePaul.
As a 1L, Stephanie received a Dean’s Merit Scholarship for her academic achievement and the Dean’s Certificate of Service Award for her volunteer work in the community. She volunteered at the Domestic Violence Courthouse, the Anti-Cruelty Society in the Dog Adoption Room, DePaul’s “Just Us Girls Conference,” the Juvenile Detention Center, and Pritzer Elementary School. Stephanie was also the Treasurer of DePaul’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Over her first summer, Stephanie received the Child and Family Law Center Public Service Scholarship to work at the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian in Domestic Relations.
Stephanie joined the staff of DePaul’s Law Review at the beginning of her 2L year. She wrote her law review article on the Endangered Species Act and how it fails to protect the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. Stephanie also received a CALI award in her Environmental Law class. As a 2L, Stephanie was the Vice-President of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund and a member of the Family Law Advisory Board. In the Spring of her 2L year, she worked as a legal extern at the EPA Region 5 office where she gained experience in environmental legal research and Great Lakes policy legislation. In the Spring, Stephanie also worked part-time as a law clerk at a family law firm. Stephanie also participates in the Student Bar Association’s mentor program.
Stephanie is now on the editorial board of the DePaul Law Review as the Symposium Editor. She hopes to host this year’s spring Symposium on an environmental law topic. She is also the President of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and a member of the Family Law Advisory Board. Over her summer, Stephanie continues to work full time at a family law firm.
Prior to law school, Stephanie graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago with a major in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. She worked in banking for three years before applying to law school. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her border collie and volunteering at the animal shelter.
As a 1L, Stephanie received a Dean’s Merit Scholarship for her academic achievement and the Dean’s Certificate of Service Award for her volunteer work in the community. She volunteered at the Domestic Violence Courthouse, the Anti-Cruelty Society in the Dog Adoption Room, DePaul’s “Just Us Girls Conference,” the Juvenile Detention Center, and Pritzer Elementary School. Stephanie was also the Treasurer of DePaul’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Over her first summer, Stephanie received the Child and Family Law Center Public Service Scholarship to work at the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian in Domestic Relations.
Stephanie joined the staff of DePaul’s Law Review at the beginning of her 2L year. She wrote her law review article on the Endangered Species Act and how it fails to protect the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. Stephanie also received a CALI award in her Environmental Law class. As a 2L, Stephanie was the Vice-President of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund and a member of the Family Law Advisory Board. In the Spring of her 2L year, she worked as a legal extern at the EPA Region 5 office where she gained experience in environmental legal research and Great Lakes policy legislation. In the Spring, Stephanie also worked part-time as a law clerk at a family law firm. Stephanie also participates in the Student Bar Association’s mentor program.
Stephanie is now on the editorial board of the DePaul Law Review as the Symposium Editor. She hopes to host this year’s spring Symposium on an environmental law topic. She is also the President of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and a member of the Family Law Advisory Board. Over her summer, Stephanie continues to work full time at a family law firm.
Prior to law school, Stephanie graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago with a major in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. She worked in banking for three years before applying to law school. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her border collie and volunteering at the animal shelter.
Melissa Reeks, Treasurer
Melissa
Reeks joined ELS her 1L year. Because she enjoyed the variety of
topics covered at each meeting, as well as the volunteering
opportunities, Melissa decided to run for a board position. She was
then elected Treasurer for her 2L year, where her responsibilities
include keeping track of the funds given to ELS by SBA. Melissa
entered DePaul Law knowing that she wanted to focus on environmental
law. She then joined and participated in ELS and the Student Animal
Legal Defense Fund (SALDF). Melissa was elected to be the Student Bar
Association liaison for SALDF, where she attended SBA meetings
throughout the year. During her 1L year, Melissa volunteered with
Tree House Humane Society.
Over
the summer, Melissa interned at Openlands, a regional conservation
organization. Melissa worked on a variety of issues, including local
food. She helped write supply and demand sections for a local food
assessment in McHenry County, as well as participated in ordinance
review for a local food assessment in Lake County. Throughout her
summer at Openlands, Melissa also researched a variety of topics,
including a proposed silica sand mining site next to Starved Rock
State Park and the impacts of the northern A3S2 route alternative of
the Illiana Corridor.
Melissa
attended undergrad at the University of Illinois, majoring in
Political Science and minoring in History. She was selected to be in
the Environmental Fellows Program, where she conducted an independent
study on Porcupine Caribou. Melissa was the fundraising coordinator
for the Political Science Club and Camp Kesem, as well as the
Treasurer and Grant Coordinator for Camp Kesem. Camp Kesem is a
student organization that puts on a free weeklong summer camp for
children whose parents have or have had cancer. As
Treasurer/Fundraising Coordinator, Melissa was responsible for
keeping track of the funds, as well as planning events such as 5K’s.
In her free time, Melissa likes to spend her time outdoors, including
fishing with her fiancé or exploring the city.
Sam Gieryn, Secretary
Sam Gieryn became involved with the ELS
as a bright-eyed 1L to combine his environmental and public interest
ideals. He was then elected to the ELS Board as Secretary in 2011
and was recently reappointed for a final term ending in May 2013. As
the Secretary, Sam is responsible for most record-keeping and
note-taking responsibilities. Beyond those duties, Sam actively
participated in volunteer beach and park clean-ups, as well as,
helped organize multiple ELS sponsored panels and presentations.
Throughout law school Sam worked and volunteered at various public interest positions. During his 1L summer, he received a DePaul Public Interest Law Association summer stipend to work at the Boulder County Parks and Open Spaces Department in Boulder, Colorado as a Conservation Easement Intern. During his 2L year, Sam volunteered at local non-profits to gain experience with Environmental Justice issues before landing a Spring semester externship at the U.S. EPA Region V Office of Regional Counsel in Chicago. He also worked in DePaul’s Criminal Appeals Clinic where he wrote and filed an appellate brief on behalf of an incarcerated client.
At the EPA, Sam gained valuable experience in most major environmental statutes. He was tasked with drafting research memos, letters and orders for staff attorneys. At the end of his externship, the Agency asked Sam to stay on and participate in their Summer Extern Program. He received a Cudahy Fellowship from DePaul’s Center for Public Interest to complete the work.
Sam is also the Editor-in-Chief of DePaul’s Journal for Social Justice. This scholarly publication prides itself on raising awareness of social justice issues and being a platform for progressive ideas involving law and policy.
A native Hoosier, Sam graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a minor in French. Before attending law school, he accepted an AmeriCorps Position with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. There, he responded to local disasters (mainly house fires) to provide short-term resource assistance. In the warmer months, Sam can be found hiking around the Midwest with his fiancĂ© and two dogs. In the colder months, Sam can be found yelling at the TV during Indiana University basketball games.
Throughout law school Sam worked and volunteered at various public interest positions. During his 1L summer, he received a DePaul Public Interest Law Association summer stipend to work at the Boulder County Parks and Open Spaces Department in Boulder, Colorado as a Conservation Easement Intern. During his 2L year, Sam volunteered at local non-profits to gain experience with Environmental Justice issues before landing a Spring semester externship at the U.S. EPA Region V Office of Regional Counsel in Chicago. He also worked in DePaul’s Criminal Appeals Clinic where he wrote and filed an appellate brief on behalf of an incarcerated client.
At the EPA, Sam gained valuable experience in most major environmental statutes. He was tasked with drafting research memos, letters and orders for staff attorneys. At the end of his externship, the Agency asked Sam to stay on and participate in their Summer Extern Program. He received a Cudahy Fellowship from DePaul’s Center for Public Interest to complete the work.
Sam is also the Editor-in-Chief of DePaul’s Journal for Social Justice. This scholarly publication prides itself on raising awareness of social justice issues and being a platform for progressive ideas involving law and policy.
A native Hoosier, Sam graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a minor in French. Before attending law school, he accepted an AmeriCorps Position with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. There, he responded to local disasters (mainly house fires) to provide short-term resource assistance. In the warmer months, Sam can be found hiking around the Midwest with his fiancĂ© and two dogs. In the colder months, Sam can be found yelling at the TV during Indiana University basketball games.
