This event, conducted on Zoom, will feature a discussion between Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran and Deans Robert Brinkmann and Cassandra Hill on various topics, such as the current state of democracy, states’ rights, ethical leadership in uncertain times, economic development, issues facing the state and taxpayers and a preview of the upcoming legislative session. A moderated question-and-answer session will follow.

A graduate of NIU’s College of Law, Curran started his career in public service in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in the late 1990s. He served 19 years as an Assistant State’s Attorney, initially as a prosecutor and eventually rising through the ranks to be chief of the Special Litigation Division, which encompassed the Labor & Employment, Torts & Civil Rights, and Municipal Litigation Units in the Civil Actions Bureau.

 He has represented the 41st District in Illinois since 2017 and was unanimously elected by his peers to be the Illinois Senate Minority Leader in 2023. While in the General Assembly, Curran fought for a better quality of life for Illinois residents and business owners. He advocated for tighter clean air regulations in the wake of the public health crisis in Willowbrook. He was an advocate for tighter ethics reforms for state officials, serving as the Minority Spokesperson for the Senate Ethics Committee.