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Beatty Law and Technology Lecture

Beatty Jurist-in-Residence

The William L. Beatty Jurist In Residence allows students to supplement their traditional curriculum with the perspective and experience of the judiciary.

Each year, a distinguished jurist is invited to spend two to three days at the School of Law speaking in a variety of classes related to his/her area of responsibility and meeting with students, faculty, and staff in both formal and informal settings.

The Jurist In Residence is made possible through a cy pres award granted to the Southern Illinois University School of Law in 2004 by U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Illinois, David R. Herndon (Class of 1977) in memory of his mentor, William L. Beatty.

William H Beatty

William L. Beatty (1925-2001) was born in Mendota, Illinois. Beatty served in the United States Army from 1943-1946 and graduated from law school in 1950. As an attorney, he had a distinguished career in private practice from 1950 to 1968 when he was elected to the bench of the Third Circuit Court, Madison County, Illinois. He held that position until 1979 when he was nominated by United States President Jimmy Carter to the United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois. He assumed senior status in 1993, a position he held until his death at the age of 76.

2022 Beatty Jurist in Residence

Honorable Staci Yandle

United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois

April 4-6, 2022 • 5 p.m. Lecture, April 6 • 4:30 p.m. reception in the formal lounge prior to Lecture

judge yandle Judge Yandle was appointed United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois August 22, 2014. She earned her B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1983 and her Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1987. Judge Yandle was in private practice from 1987 until 2007 and was a solo practitioner in O'fallon, Illinois from 2007 until commissioned as a United States District Judge.

In addition to her practice of law, she served on the Illinois Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights from 1992 to 1996, and by appointment on the Illinois Gaming Board, from 1999 to 2001. Judge Yandle has also served on the board of governors of the American Association for Justice and the St. Clair County Bar Association. She is a former president of the Metro East Bar Association.

Joining Jurist in Residence Judge Yandle will be co-Lecturer Judge Beatty.

Beatty The Honorable Mark A. Beatty is a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Illinois. Judge Beatty was appointed to the bench on January 2, 2019. Judge Beatty’s Chambers and Courtroom are located in the
Melvin Price Federal Building and Courthouse in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Judge Beatty began his legal career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Madison County, Illinois. Judge Beatty then served as a judicial law clerk to United States District Judge G. Patrick Murphy. Following his clerkship with Judge Murphy, Judge Beatty entered private practice where he practiced civil litigation. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Beatty was a member of both the Illinois and Missouri bars and regularly practiced in both states, and in the federal district courts for the Southern District of Illinois and Eastern District of Missouri. Judge Beatty is also the grandson to the late Honorable William L. Beatty.