MSU Law Kelley Institute of Ethics lecture features Illinois AG

Michigan State University College of Law's Frank J. Kelley Institute of Ethics & the Legal Profession kicks off the academic year with a revealing talk on the changes attorneys general face in the coming decades. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the chief legal officer of the nation's fifth most populous state, will present the 3rd Annual Kelley Institute Lecture on Tuesday, Sept. 13. One of only eight women attorneys general in the nation, Madigan is often recognized for her leadership and integrity. She has brought a high level of activism to the office, putting policy before politics and focusing her work as the state's top legal advocate on protecting the people and communities of Illinois. Under Madigan's leadership, the office's Consumer Protection Division has established a national reputation for aggressively safeguarding consumers from financial fraud and unsafe products. Madigan has dedicated the energy and resources of her office to protecting children and women from the dangers of sexual predators and has established herself as a leader in the public's fight for open and accessible government. She has been widely praised for implementing proactive law enforcement strategies to protect seniors in nursing homes and to combat the spread of methamphetamine throughout the state. Now in its third year, the Kelley Institute was established to promote ethical education in the law and to bring ethical issues and concerns to light. A cornerstone of the Institute is its dedication to bringing legal thought leaders to the MSU Law campus. Named for Frank J. Kelley, the longest-serving attorney general in U.S. history, the Institute builds upon the dedication, professionalism, and ethical code that marked Kelley's career, including his 37 years of service to the State of Michigan. The Institute's new co-directors, Professors Hannah Brenner and Renee Newman Knake, lead the Institute's focus on ethics and the legal profession through teaching, research, and outreach initiatives. Madigan's talk, "New Directions in Ethics: The Attorney General's Changing Role in the 21st Century," will be held at 10:30 a.m. at MSU Wharton Center's Pasant Theatre. Kelley also will give remarks at the event, which is free and open to the public. For additional information on the Kelley Institute and the upcoming lecture, visit www.law.msu.edu/kelleyethics. Published: Mon, Sep 12, 2011