Students in the Law School’s Employment Law Clinic helped secure a significant appellate victory this spring when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit revived a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by former Ameren Illinois employee Kimberly Ballard.
In a published opinion issued April 28, the Seventh Circuit vacated a federal district court ruling that had dismissed Ballard’s claims as untimely and remanded the case for further proceedings. The court held that while Ballard’s filing with the Illinois Department of Human Rights did not formally qualify as a federal “charge” under existing precedent, the district court should consider whether equitable tolling applies because of potentially misleading communications from the agency.
The appeal was handled by three students under the supervision of Clinical Professor of Law Randall D. Schmidt, faculty director of the clinic. The student team consisted of Milo Last-Yuen, ’26, Anna Pohl, ’26, and Alexandra Schwartz, ’27.
“We worked on this case through the entire appeal process,” said Last-Yuen. “This included speaking with our client, conducting legal research, and drafting and editing briefs. I was also particularly honored to be able to present the oral argument myself in front of the court.”
Ballard alleged that after suffering a wrist injury at a work conference and undergoing multiple surgeries, she faced discrimination and retaliation from her employer, including denied accommodations, negative...
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