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Laurene M. Heybach, Arts ’74,
Law ’78
After earning a bachelor
of arts degree in philosophy at Marquette, Laurene Heybach returned
to earn her law degree. “When I came to Marquette in 1969,
I found tremendous teachers here: James Robb, Athan Theoharris,
Father Paul Prucha and Denis Savage,” says Laurene. “I
also found a community of conscience — driven, in part,
by the Jesuit ethos — that challenged racism, economic
inequality and other social injustices. These forces inspired
me and changed my life.”
Laurene has practiced civil
rights and poverty law for almost 28 years and is currently
director of the Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the
Homeless. “In
the past year, I have been increasingly drawn into human rights
law and advocacy,” she says.“Together with international
advocates and grass roots organizations, I participated in a
hearing on the right to housing in the Inter-American Commission
on Human Rights. I hope to be part of the developing momentum
to implement economic human rights in America.”
Laurene’s
advocacy for the rights of homeless children and families and
her work to secure greater housing rights for low income persons
has been highlighted in the Chicago media including the Chicago
Daily Law Bulletin, the Chicago Tribune, the Sun-Times and the
Daily Southtown. She has been especially active in securing the
educational rights of homeless children, and in shaping both
local and national law and policy.
Recipient of the Sandra Neese Lifetime Achievement Award for her work on the legal rights of homeless children, Laurene has also received the first Thomas S. Morsch Public Service Award from the Chicago Bar Foundation for the excellence of her legal work and expanding legal services to the poor. In addition, she co-authored the American Bar Association handbook “Educating Children without Housing.”
“What I like
best about what I do is the chance to work with so many extraordinary
people,” says Laurene. “Low-income parents who struggle
day by day but have a generosity of spirit few can match; and
caring people who are deeply committed to making social justice
a reality and who sacrifice to do so.
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