Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin is adding teaching to his resume.
As of the start of the second semester at Aurora University, Irvin is a new adjunct professor of the 300 level Criminal Evidence and Procedure course.
The course analyzes the concept of evidence and rules governing its admissibility and theoretical and pragmatic considerations of substantive and procedural laws affecting arrest, search and seizure.
A seasoned attorney and former prosecutor, Irvin is sharing his experiences in the field to teach the course and call in experts as guest lecturers for the students, many of whom plan to become attorneys.
“When I was in school, many of my professors would teach in a way that was way over our heads,” said Irvin in class recently. “That won’t happen here. I’m going to break it down for you in such a way that it is easy to understand and fun and prepares you for whatever plans you have in the criminal justice field.”
Irvin previously taught undergraduate courses at his alma mater, Robert Morris University, for eight years and at Northern Illinois University while in law school.
The first person in his family to go to college, Irvin obtained a bachelor’s degree from Robert Morris University and his law degree from Northern Illinois University School of Law.
He was an assistant state’s attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, a prosecutor for the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office and a community-based prosecutor for and founder of the Weed and Seed Program in Aurora.
He then opened his own private law practice in downtown Aurora. He is now an attorney at Castle Law in Oak Brook.
The course he is teaching at Aurora University runs each Monday night through the end of the semester.
slord@tribpub.com