Meet Jun Qiu, Class of 2018

Jun Qiu

It’s hard to say where you’re most likely to meet Jun Qiu at Chicago-Kent. She has been quick to take advantage of every opportunity that matches her many skills and interests. In her time here, she’s helped create two new student organizations, served as a research assistant in the Law Lab and for Illinois Tech’s Institute of Design, and is now assisting law students as a TA for our Legal Writing Program.

She was recently recognized as one of National Jurist’s 20 “Law Students of the Year” for her contributions to her law school and community in the past year. Last year she attended the ABA TechShow 2017 for the first time and joined Twitter to expand her legal tech network. This week she’ll be speaking at the #LegalTech & Innovation Talks meetup hosted at Skadden during the ABA Techshow 2018.

At Chicago-Kent

Jun Qiu was already working as a CPA when she decided to pursue law school because she wants “to change the world, to promote justice and fairness.” Chicago-Kent drew her interest for its location and  legal writing program.

Jun started out her time at Chicago-Kent strong with the 1L Your Way Business Organizations course and has continued to look for special opportunities, including a variety of externships and student positions:

    • Externship at Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
    • Externship with Justice Robert E. Gordon at Illinois Appellate Court
    • The Law Lab Research Assistant
    • The Institute of Design Research Assistant

When asked what surprised her about Chicago-Kent, she said she appreciates how “supportive and inclusive” the community is and her opportunities to be creative.

A few glimpses of the innovative courses and projects Jun has participated in at Chicago-Kent, from her own twitter account:

Student Leadership

Jun Qiu with the Dean, 2016
Photo with Dean Krent at the Student Org Fair in 2016

From founding new student organizations to hosting events, Jun always been quick to take on leadership to enhance her own skills, to help others learn and network, and to inspire others to keep connecting, too:

    • 1L Representative for Corporate Law Society
    • APALSA president 2016-2017, hosted International Law Panel
    • Founding President of the Tax Law Society in 2016-2017
    • President of Law Firm Management Society 2017-2018 (now Legal Tech Society)
    • Founding President of the China Law Society in 2017-2018
    • ABA Representative for SBA 2017-2018
    • member of Chicago-Kent Alumni-Student Board since 2016

Dean Krent with the panelists and APALSA president
Jun Qiu, 2016-2017 President of the Chicago-Kent Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
Professor Harold Koh and Jun Qiu, Chicago-Kent Honors Scholar

Chicago & Beyond

As a law student, Jun has consistently sought out ways to get involved in the legal community beyond Chicago-Kent, from the ABA TechShow  and Chicago Legal Innovation & Technology Meetup to the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and the Chinese American Bar Association, where she regularly attends local events and builds friendships.

National Connections

This year she’s traveled to New Orleans and Washington, DC, building on connections she’s formed in her time as a law student:

In addition to joining local and national events, she’s shared her perspectives through writing and presenting via the WBAI’s newsletter, ABA for Law Students, and the Chicago Bar Association future summit:

Taking Breaks

HoJun Qiu doing Yogaw does Jun manage to balance so many activities? It helps that she has a very short commute living nearby in the West Loop: “I am only one block away from law school that I can see the school building from my windows! Very convenient!!” She also says she finds it helpful to make time to meditate when she needs to relax.

She has a lot of other talents beyond her accounting and legal skills, from dancing to cooking, which she enjoys on breaks and between projects when she finds the time! (Or incorporates into her student org activities, if possible).

Author: Emily Barney

Technology Training & Marketing Librarian

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