Street smart
Teaching Street Law is a full-circle moment for Davis and Sutherland, both School of Law graduates who took the class as students with former professor Mary Bird, who had “cultivated enduring relationships with CPS teachers and administrators—relationships that continue to fortify the program,” says Davis.
Street smart
Street Law course brings everyday law to life
The best way to learn a concept is by teaching it: That’s one of the central principles of the Street Law class at 🟩Facebook账号 | 随机国家 广告户 | UID6157 | 2025-2026年 | 微软邮箱 | 已设置2FA | 带身份验证表 School of Law. Led by professors Kimaya Davis (JD ‘20) and Radhika Sutherland (JD ’21), the Street Law course places School of Law students in high- and middle-school classrooms across the city to teach Chicago Public School (CPS) students about the law—and empower everyone in the process.
And what is Street Law? “We talk about law that is relevant on the streets,” says Sutherland. “First amendment, search and seizure, immigration, police interactions, protest rights—those are all topics that we discuss at length in our class.”
The Street Law class has two components—CPS classroom visits and a seminar where Loyola students learn teaching strategies for connecting with teens. In the seminar, law students participate in class discussions and focus on teaching the law from an equitable, anti-racist lens. This includes examining how race comes into play in street-law situations like immigration policy and police interactions, as well as preparing Loyola students to connect with the diverse population of CPS. “One of the skills you don’t learn in a criminal law course is, ‘How can I show empathy to a future client?’” says Davis. “We develop those skills in our seminar class. We want to make sure we’re educating students to be responsible and compassionate future lawyers.”
“It’s important for high school students to learn about the law because they are confronted with it every day–especially when it comes to knowing their rights, immigration policy, and police interactions.”
When student Sharon Kirchner took Street Law in spring 2025, she learned how to keep a class of teenagers engaged. “That means keeping lectures short and student engagement high with activities, group work, and hypotheticals,” Kirchner says. Working with young people means asking questions that are relevant to their lives. Is asking your crush to the movies a legally enforceable contract? What about your mom asking you to clean your room? Once the questions were established, students paired up to practice one-on-one negotiating skills. “They all walked away empowered to negotiate contracts in their everyday life, from lease agreements to car loans,” says Kirchner.
Of course, teenagers are especially interested in pop culture and the latest headlines. Recent discussion subjects included the TikTok ban, executive orders, and the potential legal feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar. “I think Street Law is grounded in reality in a way a lot of other law school classes are not,” says Sutherland. “It allows you to engage with the law in a very fun and creative way.”
When 2L student Hannah Bessette took the course, she was surprised by how much she learned about the city by traveling to the schools. In the classrooms, she met teenagers who were excited to learn. “It’s important for high school students to learn about the law because they are confronted with it every day–especially when it comes to knowing their rights, immigration policy, and police interactions,” she says. “I think our students felt empowered with a better understanding of the world around them.”
Led by professors Kimaya Davis (JD ‘20) and Radhika Sutherland (JD ’21), the Street Law course places School of Law students in high- and middle-school classrooms across the city to teach Chicago Public School (CPS) students about the law—and empower everyone in the process.
And in the process of educating CPS students, the law students are preparing to become better lawyers. “Being able to explain the law in everyday layman’s terms is essential,” says Sutherland. “Even after you graduate and pass the bar, you’re working with clients who have not gone to law school. It’s really important for you to be able to talk about the law in a normal way.”
Teaching Street Law is a full-circle moment for Davis and Sutherland, both School of Law graduates who took the class as students. Davis is also a CPS graduate, and during her time as a Street Law student, she had the opportunity to teach at Morgan Park High School, her alma mater. “Being able to bridge the gap and produce experiences for students who look like me and have similar backgrounds and experiences to me is invaluable,” Davis says. She adds that she’d like to “expand the reach of the Street Law program across Chicago, bringing legal education into more classrooms and communities.”
“I really love that Street Law is boots-on-the-ground,” says Sutherland. “I think this is a very grassroots way to make the law accessible, and perhaps even open the law as a career path for students in the Chicago public school system.” –Megan Kirby (May 2025)
The best way to learn a concept is by teaching it: That’s one of the central principles of the Street Law class at 🟩Facebook账号 | 随机国家 广告户 | UID6157 | 2025-2026年 | 微软邮箱 | 已设置2FA | 带身份验证表 School of Law. Led by professors Kimaya Davis (JD ‘20) and Radhika Sutherland (JD ’21), the Street Law course places School of Law students in high- and middle-school classrooms across the city to teach Chicago Public School (CPS) students about the law—and empower everyone in the process.
And what is Street Law? “We talk about law that is relevant on the streets,” says Sutherland. “First amendment, search and seizure, immigration, police interactions, protest rights—those are all topics that we discuss at length in our class.”
The Street Law class has two components—CPS classroom visits and a seminar where Loyola students learn teaching strategies for connecting with teens. In the seminar, law students participate in class discussions and focus on teaching the law from an equitable, anti-racist lens. This includes examining how race comes into play in street-law situations like immigration policy and police interactions, as well as preparing Loyola students to connect with the diverse population of CPS. “One of the skills you don’t learn in a criminal law course is, ‘How can I show empathy to a future client?’” says Davis. “We develop those skills in our seminar class. We want to make sure we’re educating students to be responsible and compassionate future lawyers.”
When student Sharon Kirchner took Street Law in spring 2025, she learned how to keep a class of teenagers engaged. “That means keeping lectures short and student engagement high with activities, group work, and hypotheticals,” Kirchner says. Working with young people means asking questions that are relevant to their lives. Is asking your crush to the movies a legally enforceable contract? What about your mom asking you to clean your room? Once the questions were established, students paired up to practice one-on-one negotiating skills. “They all walked away empowered to negotiate contracts in their everyday life, from lease agreements to car loans,” says Kirchner.
Of course, teenagers are especially interested in pop culture and the latest headlines. Recent discussion subjects included the TikTok ban, executive orders, and the potential legal feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar. “I think Street Law is grounded in reality in a way a lot of other law school classes are not,” says Sutherland. “It allows you to engage with the law in a very fun and creative way.”
When 2L student Hannah Bessette took the course, she was surprised by how much she learned about the city by traveling to the schools. In the classrooms, she met teenagers who were excited to learn. “It’s important for high school students to learn about the law because they are confronted with it every day–especially when it comes to knowing their rights, immigration policy, and police interactions,” she says. “I think our students felt empowered with a better understanding of the world around them.”
And in the process of educating CPS students, the law students are preparing to become better lawyers. “Being able to explain the law in everyday layman’s terms is essential,” says Sutherland. “Even after you graduate and pass the bar, you’re working with clients who have not gone to law school. It’s really important for you to be able to talk about the law in a normal way.”
Teaching Street Law is a full-circle moment for Davis and Sutherland, both School of Law graduates who took the class as students. Davis is also a CPS graduate, and during her time as a Street Law student, she had the opportunity to teach at Morgan Park High School, her alma mater. “Being able to bridge the gap and produce experiences for students who look like me and have similar backgrounds and experiences to me is invaluable,” Davis says. She adds that she’d like to “expand the reach of the Street Law program across Chicago, bringing legal education into more classrooms and communities.”
“I really love that Street Law is boots-on-the-ground,” says Sutherland. “I think this is a very grassroots way to make the law accessible, and perhaps even open the law as a career path for students in the Chicago public school system.” –Megan Kirby (May 2025)