On October 1, the Illinois State University 1857 Society inducted Professor Tom McClure into its ranks. This honor is extended to individuals who donate at least $50,000 to the ISU Foundation. McClure donated a large gift to create a foundation fund to support the legal studies program’s expungement clinic.
The expungement clinic, formed as a joint venture with Prairie State Legal Services (PSLS) last fall, provides hands-on legal experience to legal studies students, who assist low-income individuals seeking to expunge and seal old criminal records. In May 2021, McClure gave $100,000 to create the Thomas E. McClure Pro Bono Fund. The endowed fund will provide ongoing support for the clinic and other pro bono activities associated with the legal studies program.
The Illinois State University Expungement Clinic began operating during the 2020-2021 academic year. Students prepared case charts, requests for relief, notices, and orders for expungement and record sealing cases. McClure revised and reviewed the documents before submitting them to PSLS. Students completed documents for 30 cases.
“Being a legal professional is also service to your community, and doing pro bono work is an important part of service,” McClure said of his motivation to establish the clinic. “The expungement clinic provides experiential learning while helping students appreciate the importance of serving others who are unable to afford legal services.”
