Saper Immersion Program 2025 Recap | Day 2

In its 12th year, the Saper Law Immersion Program offers high school and college students the opportunity to explore legal career paths in one exciting week. The program is organized by Saper Law Offices, LLC.

Day 2 of the Saper Law Immersion Program began at the United States Federal Court House, where students observed civil and criminal cases before the Honorable Sharon J. Coleman. They were also introduced to Justin Wiersema (Pretrial Services Officer), Sarah Kieckhafer (Supervisory US Probation Officer), and Shawn McCarthy (Assistant US Attorney), who explained the various roles of attorneys and non-attorneys in prosecuting federal criminal court cases. The Honorable Albert Barry III then spoke about his journey to the bench and gave advice to the students about how to prepare for a career in law.

Students enjoyed lunch on the Chicago Riverwalk, followed by a visit to The Law Office of Erin M. Wilson LLC, a family law firm. Here, they learned about divorce proceedings, guardian ad litem work, prenups/postnups, and legal terminology like “dissipation of assets.”

The day concluded with a presentation by entertainment lawyer Jeff Friedman, who shared war stories from his work as production counsel for reality TV shows. The students especially enjoyed watching a clip of Jeff discussing a reality show contract on “The Biggest Loser.”