It seems fair to say that a lot of us are still a bit in shock over the events of this past week – the rapid spread of the virus, the shutdown of in-person classes and activities, and the move to remote law school.  This is a lot to handle, and it happened so quickly.  We are all very different in our responses to things, but we hope you will let yourselves acknowledge that this is a tough thing, not your run-of-the-mill occurrence.  Though we aim to be resilient and to take things in stride, that isn’t always so easy, and it is good to note what you are feeling – whether that is sad, disappointed, pissed off, nervous, confused, stymied, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, some combination of these, or something else entirely.

We understand that some of our current students will be going home for some length of time, maybe through the end of the academic year.  We understand why students might need to do this, and we know that this will be difficult for them – some of those leaving campus in uncertainty will not be able to return.  We also know that those who remain in Chicago are hurting over having to say goodbye to close friends and colleagues, abruptly, and well before they expected to have to do so.  Please remember that the MSL program is not ending, and the academic year is not over!  (At least not until mid-May.)  We all remain a part of the MSL program and of the Northwestern Law community, no matter where we are geographically.  If we commit to staying engaged and connected during this time, our community can be a source of strength to all of us.

If you are feeling unstable because of this situation, and need extra support, please know that all members of the MSL staff are available to provide whatever help is needed; you should feel free to get in touch with any of us.  And also, please note, our concern extends beyond this shock period – some may have a delayed reaction, or may notice that the lack of structure to days causes issues, or that reduced contact with human beings (or prolonged exposure to Zoom) causes feelings of isolation.  Please stay as vigilant about protecting your mental health as you should be about safeguarding your physical health.  Have a look at this handout from CAPS, which contains information and coping suggestions related to COVID-19.  Current students who need additional support can call the mental health professionals at CAPS, any time of the day or night.

As you might imagine, the MSL team is busy at work trying to figure out how to keep hope alive, provide programming continuity, and increase our support.  Here is information about some upcoming events:

• We had already announced a community MSL Networking Night in conjunction with the online format students, a casual meet-and-greet over Zoom that will provide the opportunity for students to chat and network with colleagues; this event will still be held as scheduled.
• We are rescheduling Industry Associates Night as on online program to be held on April 17, from 7:00-9:00.
• We are working on a contingency plan for the MSL Symposium to be held on May 8.  We plan to hold a Symposium either online or on-campus, depending on the situation at the time.

All of us at the law school are concerned about maintaining community even though we are not all in the building together.  To this end, we are setting up small advisory groups for current students – “Re-Groups” – with each group led by an MSL staff member.  The goal is to provide a forum for continued involvement, an outlet for discussion, and a way for all of us to keep tabs on each other – think of this as a substitute for the informal contact we usually have with each other around school.  Participation is voluntary, of course, but we encourage students to give this a try.  MSL staff are also setting up expanded open office hours.

Of course, we will be in touch regularly as things unfold, and we expect to have more information to share in the days ahead.

We understand that this situation has required a huge and sudden adjustment on all of your parts and we know this new normal will take some time getting used to.  But we must all recognize that the University and Law School administration are doing everything possible to keep our community safe.  We support their efforts and will do all we can to cooperate and make the best of this.  Please stay safe and follow CDC guidelines for protecting yourself and slowing spread of the virus.

We already miss seeing our students about the building!

Wishing you all the best,

Leslie & the MSL Team