Saper Law Immersion Program 2026 Recap

Now in its 13th year, the Saper Law Immersion Program offers high school and college students an inside look at the legal profession through a week of interactive programming and hands-on experiences. Hosted by Saper Law Offices, LLC, the program exposes students to different areas of law, law firms, and legal professionals while giving them the chance to participate in activities that reflect the day-to-day work of attorneys.

Day 1

Day 1 kicked off at Saper Law Offices, LLC, where students met one another, got acquainted with the Saper Law team, and received an overview of the action-packed week ahead.

Our first stop was Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, where students enjoyed lunch and toured the firm’s offices. Managing Partner Robert Gerber shared his perspective on practicing at a large law firm with more than 120 attorneys and discussed his own path in the legal profession. He also introduced students to the firm’s work in corporate law, tax, privacy, technology, and intellectual property, highlighting the many different career paths available within a large firm.

Afterwards, students participated in a negotiation workshop led by Daliah Saper. Following an introduction to various negotiation styles, strategies, and tactics, students put their skills to the test in a complex negotiation exercise centered on a trademark licensing agreement. The interactive exercise gave students an opportunity to step into the role of attorneys and experience the challenges of negotiating a real-world legal agreement.

To wrap up the day, students visited Chuhak & Tecson, where Estate Planning Attorney Lindsey Paige Markus spoke with the students about the fundamentals of estate planning, including trusts, wills, and strategies for avoiding probate. Markus also discussed her book, A Gift for the Future: Conversations about Estate Planning.

Day 2

Day 2 of the Saper Law Immersion Program began with lawyer Amanda Suchecki who is SVP, Americas Regional Counsel, and Global Head of Employment & Litigation at Heidrick & Struggles, which is a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions. Suchecki spoke about being an in-house counsel and leading the global employment and litigation strategy for the company.

Next, immigration attorney Christina Coleman provided an overview of immigration law and gave each student their own pocket constitution! She provides immigration strategies for a wide range of corporate clients in a variety of industries, including U.S. companies seeking to hire foreign workers and multinational companies transferring foreign employees and executives to the U.S.

Then, attorney Bailey Street and legal assistant Julia Lukacs from The Law Office of Erin M. Wilson shared their experiences working at a family law firm and discussed the day-to-day realities of practicing in the field.

To wrap up the day, students headed to Lawyers for the Creative Arts, where they heard from Executive Director Jan Feldman. Jan and Daliah facilitated an interactive discussion focusing on legal issues relevant to creatives like licensing, right of publicity, and social media law. Students also learned about copyright terminology including “public domain” and “fair use.”

Day 3

Day 3 of Saper Immersion began at the Richard J. Daley center where students were able to watch Daliah appear before Honorable Judge James E. Hanlon Jr. for a case management Hearing. Shortly after this, students watched direct and cross-examinations of witness testimony in a jury trial!

Next, students met with Colin J. Luce, the Evictions Unit Superintendent of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Superintendent Luce explained the Sheriff’s role in carrying out court orders and enforcing judgments, including overseeing evictions after a court has ordered a tenant to vacate a property.

Next Howard Jeruchimowitz, a commercial litigator at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, who discussed the anatomy of a lawsuit and the litigation process. He also shared his experience representing a range of clients, including owners, developers, landlords, and tenants, in real estate, construction, and financial services disputes.

The day concluded with a tour of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law led by Northwestern Law’s Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Citlally Delgado. Students then participated in an interactive lecture on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), led by Saper Law Offices’ paralegal Maya Behl, where they learned about the exam and worked through practice problems.

Day 4

Day 4 began in federal court, where students met with United States District Judges LaShonda A. Hunt and Thomas M. Durkin. Judge Hunt shared her path to the federal bench and discussed the differences between overseeing criminal and civil cases. Judge Durkin spoke about the process of becoming a federal judge, the variety of cases he encounters, and the importance of remaining impartial.

After a quick pizza lunch at Gino’s East courtesy of Nora Devine, principal attorney of The Devine Law Group, students returned to Saper Law Offices to hear from Jay Schleppenbach, partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP. Schleppenbach explained various types of crime and provided examples of some of his most memorable cases.

Finally, Lindsey Seeskin from Seeskin Law spoke to students about her experience as a Personal Injury attorney.

Day 5

Day 5, the final day of Saper Immersion, began with lawyer turned chocolate entrepreneur, Valerie Beck, founder of Chocolate Uplift who demonstrated the utility of a law degree outside of the legal profession.

After trying an assortment of exotic chocolates, the group learned how to manage stress with Beth M. Boghossian, founder of BMB Law Group.

Next the students went to City Hall to hear from Christina T. Lynch, Director of Legal and Ethics, and Fritz Kegi, Cook County Assesor, at the Cook County Assessor’s office. Students learned about how public legal sector work differs from that of private firms.

Saper Immersion 2026 concluded with a personal statement workshop, where students worked on their college application essays and shared their drafts with peers and Daliah for feedback.