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Department of Politics and Government

Professor Thomas McClure

Professor/Director of Legal Studies
Politics and Government
Office
Schroeder Hall - SCH 403E
Office Phone
(309) 438-8797office
phone
Email
temcclu@ilstu.eduemail
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Research

Biography

Thomas McClure had a successful 28-year career as a practicing attorney before he became a full-time educator. He is a member of the Illinois Bar and five federal bars including the bar of U.S. Supreme Court.

Current Courses

328.001Constitutional Law: Supreme Court Decisions In The 21st Century

428.001Constitutional Law: Supreme Court Decisions In The 21st Century.

287.001Independent Study

398.001Professional Practice: Paralegal Internship

398.001Professional Practice: Paralegal Internship

327.001Constitutional Law: Equality And Free Expression

427.001Constitutional Law: Equality And Free Expression

299.001Independent Honor Study

287.001Independent Study

398.001Professional Practice: Paralegal Internship

Teaching Interests & Areas

Litigation
Constitutional Law
Torts
Paralegal Studies

Research Interests & Areas

Effectiveness of court-sponsored reforms
Judicial Impartiality
Litigation

MS Political Science

Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

JD

DePaul University College of Law
Chicago, IL

BS Political Science

Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Professionalism Spotlight

Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism
2023

2022 Lincoln Award of Excellence

McLean County Bar Association
2022

2021 Lifesaver Award

Prairie State Legal Services
2021

RISE to the COVID Challenge Recognition

Illinois State University Office of the Provost
2021

"AV" Attorney Rating (5.0 out of 5.0)

Martindale Hubbell
2018

Excellence in Teaching Award

Pi Sigma Alpha
2018

Illinois State University Impact Award

University College
2017

Illinois State University Impact Award

University College
2016

Dedication to Mentoring

Illinois State University Red Tassel Chapter of Mortar Board
2015

Hibbert R. Roberts Excellence in Teaching Award

Department of Politics and Government
2014

Book Review

McClure, T. Understanding Victims of Interpersonal Violence, A Guide for Investigators and Prosecutors (Book Review). Partner Abuse. Partner Abuse 12.1 (2021): 109-111.

Book, Chapter

McClure, T. Do Contributions to Judicial Campaigns Create the Appearance of Corruption?. Corruption, Accountability and Discretion. Emerald Publishing (2017)

McClure, T., “Developments in Search and Seizure Cases in the Post-September 11 Era” appearing in Lind, N. & Rankin, E. (eds.) Privacy in the Digital Age: 21st Century Challenges to the Fourth Amendment (ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA. 2015).

McClure, T., “The Roberts Court and the First Amendment: The First Six Terms,” appearing in Lind, N. & Rankin, E. (eds.) FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA, VOL. 2 (ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA. 2012)

Instructor's Manual

McClure, T., & Eimermann, T. Instructor's Manual and Test Bank to Accompany Fundamentals of Criminal Law and Procedure for Paralegals (3d ed.). Aspen Publishing (2023)
Thomas E. McClure & Thomas E. Eimermann, Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank to Accompany Fundamentals of Criminal Law and Procedure for Paralegals (2020).
McClure, T., & Eimermann, T. Instructor's Manual and Test Bank to Accompany Fundamentals of Criminal Practice Law and Procedure. Wolters Kluwer (2011): 240.

Journal Article

William McClure and Thomas E. McClure, Rebalancing Bracker Forty Years Later, 9 Am. Indian L.J. 333 (2021).
McClure, T., & Watson, J. An Empirical Look at Programs Applying for ABA Approval: Does Program Director Longevity Matter?. The Legal Educator (2020)
Thomas E. McClure, Do Campaign Contributions Create Public Perceptions of Judicial Bias? , 102 JUDICATURE 28 (2018).

McClure, Thomas. 2016."Do Judicial Elections Impact the Perception of Impartiality? A Comparison of Bar Poll Ratings of Elected and Appointed Illinois Downstate and Collar County Trial Judges." Justice System Journal 37(2): 157-168.

McClure, Thomas E. (2013). A Comparison of Domestic Violence Recidivism Rates of Defendant-Initiated Diversion and Court-Mandated Treatment. Partner Abuse, 4, 444—462.

Textbook, New

Thomas E. McClure & Thomas E. Eimermann, Fundamentals of Criminal Practice: Law and Procedure, Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, New York (2012).

Textbook, Revised

McClure, T., & Eimermann, T. Fundamentals of Law and Procedure for Paralegals, 3rd Edition. Aspen Publishing (2023): 534.
Thomas E. McClure & Thomas E. Eimermann, Fundamentals of Criminal Law and Procedure for Paralegals (2d ed. 2020).

Presentations

ISU Expungement Clinic. February Meeting. Mercy Circle. (2023)
Law School Debt. Pi Sigma Alpha meeting. Pi Sigma Alpha. (2023)
Supreme Court Issues: Abortion and Affirmative Action. Supreme Court Issues. Department of Politics & Government. (2023)
The Supreme Court and Affirmative Action. Pre-Law Club April 5 Meeting. Pre-Law Club. (2023)
ABA: You Asked, We Answer. AAfPE Regional Conference. American Association for Paralegal Education. (2022)
ISU Expungement Clinic. November Meeting. Normal First Methodist Church Sunrise Circle. (2022)
Legal Studies Expungement Clinic. Civic Engagement Course Redesign Workshop. Center for Civic Engagement. (2022)
ABA 2021 Outreach Session. June 2021 Outreach Session. American Bar Association. (2021)
Approval Academy. 2021 ABA Approval Academy. American Bar Association. (2021)
Internships and Resumes. Pre-Law Forum. ISU Pre-Law Club. (2021)

Grants & Contracts

Do Campaign Contributions Taint the Bar’s Perception of Judicial Impartiality?. College of Arts and Sciences. Illinois State University. (2014)
A Comparison of Two Types of Court-Connected Domestic Violence Treatment: Diversion versus Mandated Treatment. College of Arts and Sciences. Illinois State University. (2010)