John Banzhaf, a nationally proclaimed law professor who is best known for his class action lawsuits against McDonald’s, will give three separate lectures to the NIU community today and Friday.

Banzhaf, who teaches at George Washington University, has been invited as part of NIU’s first annual Marla Dickerson Public Interest Lecture Series, which honors the former law student who died in 1994.

“This is one of those rare opportunities that students and faculty do not want to miss,” said Melody Mitchell, assistant director of alumni events and public relations for the College of Law.

The events begin at 4 p.m. today with Banzhaf’s lecture: “How Professor John Banzhaf Became the World’s Most Vilified Public Interest Lawyer.” The lecture will be in the Francis X Riley Courtroom in Swen Parson Hall and is sponsored by the College of Law.

The series continues at 8 p.m. with Banzhaf’s presentation: “How and Why the ‘Sir Edmund Hillary of Publicity Mongering’ Works With the Media, Triggers TV Shows, and Now Appears in ‘Super Size Me.’” The event, which is sponsored by the communication department, will take place in the Holmes Student Center’s Heritage Room.

Banzhaf’s visit ends Friday with his presentation: “A Law Student Successfully Attacks Weighted Voting, Exposes the Electoral College, and Shows How You Too Can Bridge C.P. Snow’s the ‘Two Cultures’ Gap.” The lecture will be held at 10 a.m. in DuSable Hall, Room 412 and is sponsored by the department of mathematical sciences.

“Because of his diverse background, he is able to reach students in various disciplines,” Mitchell said. “He tackles issues that in some way or another has an impact on everyone’s lives and encourages others to follow in his footsteps.”

Banzhaf, a nationally known practitioner of public interest law, was featured in the film “Super Size Me” and is recognized for using legal action to help fight obesity in America. With the help of his students, he initiated a high-profile lawsuit against McDonald’s.

“I agree with his message,” said first-year law student Jemelle Cunningham. “Big corporations need to be held responsible for their actions.”

Banzhaf has also been called the “Ralph Nader” of the tobacco industry for his anti-smoking efforts. Through his legal actions, he helped remove cigarette commercials from radio stations and helped ban smoking on airplanes and in many public places.

“It’s like any other celebrity,” said first-year law student Juanita Herring. “He can help push awareness.”