portrait

Monica A. Fennell

Part-time Assistant Professor in the Honor Scholar Program

monicafennell@depauw.edu

Statement on Scholarly and/or Artistic Work

  • As pro bono counsel at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Heath, Monica leads the pro bono program across the firm's Midwest offices. This includes identifying and developing opportunities for the program, establishing an integrated pro bono system across the firm, and ensuring that all Faegre Drinker pro bono legal services are consistent with the firm's values and commitment to improving the communities it serves. In 2022 Monica taught law as a Fulbright Scholar at Maldives National University.
  • Before becoming pro bono counsel, Monica served as the executive director of the Indiana Pro Bono Commission and was a Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States. Monica began her legal career as a litigator in big cities and a small town.
  • Monica earned her B.A., cum laude, from Williams College and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She also has a professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies as a Rotary Peace Fellow at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.

Educational Background

  • J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
  • B.A. in French and English, Williams College

Teaching Interests

Access to Justice and Poverty Law, Community Mediation, Constitutional Law, Legal Ethics

Research, Scholarly, Creative Work

  • "Women of 'Sense and Steel,'" Indiana State Bar Association magazine Res Gestae 2024
  • "It's as beautiful as you think," ABA Center for Pro Bono blog 2022
  • "Using Peace and Conflict Analysis to Spur Innovation in Access to Justice in the U.S." in Problems, Threats and Challenges for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Adam Marszalek Publishing House, Torun, Poland 2021
  • "ABA Free Legal Answers—helping to stem the tide of civil cases," ABA Judicial Division Record 2021
  • "Lighting One Candle Provides Light for a Long Time: Pro Bono for Holocaust Survivors,"
  • American Bar Association Center for Pro Bono blog 2020
  • "Celebrating pro bono in a pandemic," ABA Judicial Division Record 2020
  • "Virtual Clinics for Online Pro Bono Help: Hurdling Barriers to Pro Bono," Dialogue, ABA 2016
  • "Beyond the City Square: Fishing in Wider Pools Without Soundings,"
  • 39 Fordham Urban Law Journal City Square 11 2012
  • "Using State Legal Needs Studies to Increase Access to Justice for Low-Income Families,"
  • 48 Family Court Review 619 2010
  • "Emergent Identity: A Comparative Analysis of the New Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Supreme Court of the United States,"
  • 22 Temple International and Comparative Law Journal 279 2008
  • "Hunger and Homelessness: Why the Homeless Need Food Stamp Advocacy and How to Pay for It," 21 Fordham Urban Law Journal 127 1993
  • "Missing the Mark in Maryland: How Poor Drafting and Implementation Vitiated a Model State Gun Control Law," 13 Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy 37 1992

Awards and Honors

  • Fulbright Scholar, Maldives National University 2022
  • Shepard Award for excellence in pro bono, Indiana Pro Bono Commission 2015
  • Rotary Peace Fellow, Chulalongkorn University 2012
  • Distinguished Barrister Award for Leadership in Law 2011
  • Justice Thomas Clark Award for excellence as Supreme Court Fellow 2008
  • U.S. Supreme Court Fellow, 2007-2008

Service and Leadership

  • Social Promise board member
  • Prindle Institute for Ethics, ethics bowl judge
  • Indiana Bar Foundation, We the People judge
  • ABA Commission on Women in the Profession editorial board member
  • ABA Judicial Division, Lawyers Conference executive committee member
  • Association of Pro Bono Counsel member

Speaking Engagements and Presentations

  • "Women of 'Sense and Steel,'" Indiana State Bar Association magazine Res Gestae 2024
  • "It's as beautiful as you think," ABA Center for Pro Bono blog 2022
  • "Using Peace and Conflict Analysis to Spur Innovation in Access to Justice in the U.S." in Problems, Threats and Challenges for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Adam Marszalek Publishing House, Torun, Poland 2021
  • "ABA Free Legal Answers—helping to stem the tide of civil cases," ABA Judicial Division Record 2021
  • "Lighting One Candle Provides Light for a Long Time: Pro Bono for Holocaust Survivors,"
  • American Bar Association Center for Pro Bono blog 2020
  • "Celebrating pro bono in a pandemic," ABA Judicial Division Record 2020
  • "Virtual Clinics for Online Pro Bono Help: Hurdling Barriers to Pro Bono," Dialogue, ABA 2016
  • "Beyond the City Square: Fishing in Wider Pools Without Soundings,"
  • 39 Fordham Urban Law Journal City Square 11 2012
  • "Using State Legal Needs Studies to Increase Access to Justice for Low-Income Families,"
  • 48 Family Court Review 619 2010
  • "Emergent Identity: A Comparative Analysis of the New Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Supreme Court of the United States,"
  • 22 Temple International and Comparative Law Journal 279 2008
  • "Hunger and Homelessness: Why the Homeless Need Food Stamp Advocacy and How to Pay for It," 21 Fordham Urban Law Journal 127 1993
  • "Missing the Mark in Maryland: How Poor Drafting and Implementation Vitiated a Model State Gun Control Law," 13 Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy 37 1992

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