Kevin M. Zielinski

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT KEVIN M. ZIELINSKI

I\'m an Illinois-licensed attorney, legal researcher, and educator committed to strengthening government accountability, transparency, and the rule of law.As Associate Counsel for Legal Reform and Oversight at the Institute for Reforming Government (IRG), I analyze Wisconsin appellate and Supreme Court decisions, author judicial primers and policy briefs. My research informs public debate and legislative understanding on issues of judicial restraint, agency deference, and constitutional limits on government power. I co-authored the IRG Court Watch Report:\"Wisconsin Supreme Court Term in Review,\" and IRG\'s \"Wisconsin Administrative Reform Toolbox,\" a practical handbook designed to help other states replicate Wisconsin\'s reform framework.I also serve as a Clinical Associate Professor at Southern Illinois University\'s College of Business & Analytics, where I teach Finance 270: a course that surveys contracts, torts, property, and regulatory law for future business leaders. With nine years of experience in education, I\'m driven by the belief that law is not abstraction — it\'s a living framework that shapes ethical business practice, public accountability, and civic freedom. Beginning in the 20••••27 school year, I\'m expanding my teaching portfolio to include upper-level business law courses, giving students deeper exposure to commercial transactions, employment law, and regulatory compliance.Before law school, I earned a B.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. That scientific foundation gives me a distinctive edge in areas like regulatory compliance, intellectual property, bioethics, and medical malpractice — where legal and scientific reasoning intersect.I believe good governance begins with clear laws, disciplined institutions, and citizens who understand both their rights and responsibilities under them.