Mitchell on Law Fall 2009

Think Global(even if you)PracticeLocal

Five questions for David Sparby ’80 pg 7 Mitchell in Focus pg 16Hanging Out a Shingle pg 18

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Making the law work for international clients… around the world and right down the block.

Mitchell on Law

Mediation: Win/Win or Lose/Lose?Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009Noon–1:30 pmKelley BoardroomPresenter: Professor Roger Haydock

Does a Criminal Defendant Have a Right to Waive a Jury Trial? Perspectives from a prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyerThursday, Nov. 19, 20097:30–9 amKelley BoardroomModerator: Professor Ted Sampsell-JonesPresenters: William Orth ‘80, attorney; Pat Diamond, chief Hennepin County deputy attorney

Food, Molecules, and Law: An Overview of National Trends in Legal Issues Affecting FoodThursday, Dec. 10, 20097:30–9 amKelley BoardroomPresenter: Professor Donna Byrne

Challenges in the Practice of Family LawFriday, Jan. 22, 2010Noon–1:30 pmPresenter: Leigh Frost ‘00

Ethical Tips and Traps for Transactional LawyersFriday, Feb. 19, 20107:30–9 amPresenter: Professor Gregory Duhl

See the entire schedule and learn more at wmitchell.edu/lectures

Mitchell’s CLEs are free to

recent graduates (2008, 2009), $10 for all other alumni,

and available via webcast for $20.

William Mitchell CLEsConvenient.

Interesting.

Relevant.

Audit Mitchell Classes For Free!Explore a new practice area, gain new skills, or indulge your curiosity with almost 90 different courses to choose from. During the 2009–2010 academic year, Mitchell alumni can audit classes on a space-available basis at no charge. One CLE credit is available for every hour spent in the classroom.

Watch our alumni newsletter in the coming months for information on how to register to audit a class next spring. Information will also be posted on wmitchell.edu/alumni.

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Mitchell on Law

Volume 27, No. 2Published by the Office of Institutional Advancement William Mitchell College of Law875 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105-3076651-290-6370 fax: [email protected]/alumni

President and DeanEric S. Janus

Chair, Board of TrusteesMary Cullen Yeager ‘89

Board of Trustees

Kathleen Flynn Peterson ‘81, vice chair; Judge Elizabeth H. Martin

‘80, secretary; James C. Melville ‘90, treasurer; Louis L. Ainsworth

‘77; Lynn M. Anderson ‘80; Lawrence T. Bell ‘79; Stephen R.

Bergerson ‘74; Stephen B. Bonner ‘72; Patricia Ann Burke ‘78;

Mary C. Cade ‘77; Jeffrey P. Cairns ‘81; Richard R. Crowl ‘76;

John H. Hooley ‘80; Stephen R. Lewis Jr.; David M. Lilly Jr.; Martin

R. Lueck ‘84; Mark A. Metz ’97; Joseph S. Micallef ‘62; Ruth A.

Mickelsen ‘81; Daniel P. O’Keefe ‘78; Ben I. Omorogbe ‘95; Peter

M. Reyes Jr. ‘97; Lenor A. Scheffler ‘88; William R. Sieben ‘77;

Marschall I. Smith; Gregory J. Stenmoe ‘81; Thomas W. Tinkham;

Eric C. Tostrud ‘90; William A. Van Brunt; Judge Wilhelmina M.

Wright; Donald F. Zibell ‘62

Alumni Association PresidentMark A. Metz ‘97

Alumni Association Board of Directors

Jocelyn L. Knoll ‘92, vice president; Thomas C. Baxter ‘94;

Jennifer F. Beck-Brown ‘03; Peter Berge ’83; Timothy E. Bianchi

‘95; Mark V. Chapin ‘82; John M. Degnan ‘76; Jill Esch ’03; Judge

Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks ‘85; Mark A. Hallberg ‘79; Michelle A.

Hatcher ‘98; Lee A. Hutton III ‘02; Imani S. Jaafar-Mohammad ‘04;

Nicole James-Gilchrist ’03; Kathy S. Kimmel ‘96; Barbara J. Klas

‘91; William M. Orth ‘80; Judge George T. Stephenson ‘85; Robert

G. Suk ‘70; Sylvia I. Zinn ‘84

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Fall 2009 Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Think Global (even if you) Practice LocalBy Kevin FeatherlyA look at how William Mitchell alumni—and the law school—are facing the increasingly interconnected global legal community

Hanging Out a ShingleBy Sara AaseThinking of opening your own firm? Before you hang out a shingle, check out the lessons learned by these William Mitchell alumni

5 Things AboutDavid Sparby ’80By Meleah MaynardDavid Sparby ’80, vice president and CFO, Northern States Power

Departments875 SUMMIT: News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

Off the Beaten Track: Danielle Satterfield-Williams ’97 advocates on behalf of clients every day, but she works in a classroom rather than a courtroom

Mitchell in FOCUS: Meet the students who participated in Mitchell in London 2009

Scholarship and Gratitude: Jim Frey ’93 and Joe Moravchik 2L have a lot in common: They’re both committed to giving back to society

Class Notes

To the Point—Message from Dean Janus

Executive EditorSteve Linders

EditorChris MikkoCustom Publishing ServicesThe Coghlan Group

WritingSara AaseKevin FeatherlyLisa HardenMeleah MaynardCynthia Miller

Art DirectionPamela Belding

Graphic Designand IllustrationPamela BeldingMelinda Bianchet

PhotographersRaoul BenavidesTim RummelhoffChris SattlbergerSarah WhitingSteve Woit

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Mitchell on Law2 Mitchell on LawRead more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

Meet Mitchell’s Fall 2009 entering classMitchell’s latest class of students is impressive. As usual, they come from a myriad of personal and professional backgrounds. One has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and conducts cancer research. Another escaped civil war in Liberia. And another is a German-speaking member of the U.S. Olympic Curling team. Here are the statistics:

Enrolled: 302

Part time: 34%

LSAT 25th–75th percentile: 154–159*

LSAT median: 156*

GPA 25th–75th percentile: 3.22–3.67*

GPA median: 3.49*

Age range: 20–56

Median age: 24

Of color: 11%

Women: 50%

States represented: 23

Foreign countries represented: 16

Students holding graduate degrees: 27

Undergraduate institutions represented: 132*Denotes full-time students

New Mitchell students include:• a member of the U.S. Rowing Club National Championship Team

• a yoga enthusiast

• a trilingual student (Portuguese, Spanish, and English)

• a Home Depot employee

• a student who financed his education picking strawberries

• a former field organizer for President Obama’s campaign

• a former patent examiner at the USPTO

• a former reporter on the “cops” beat

• an English as a second language teacher who is fluent in Urdu and Hindi

• an advanced software engineer at 3M

• a co-author of a Latin textbook

• a single father of a 15-year-old son

Professors Michael Steenson and Peter Knapp were members of the Minnesota District Judges Association Civil Jury Instruction Guides Committee, which was recognized by the Minnesota District Judges Association for its work on the 2009 Minnesota Civil Jury Instruction Handbook, Vol. 4B. The handbook, a companion to the Civil Jury Instruction Guide, Vols. 4 and 4A, collects and annotates instructions from cases that went to trial and serves as a template for lawyers and judges faced with similar cases. Knapp and Steenson were among the first three non-judicial personnel to receive the award. Steenson has worked on the guides since 1983, and Knapp joined him on the fourth and fifth editions.

Professors Knapp and Steenson recognized for work on Minnesota Civil Jury Instruction Handbook

Winona LaDuke to speak Nov. 11 on sustainabilityActivist and author Winona LaDuke will give a free Public Square lecture on “Beyond Conquest: Indigenous Thinking On Sustainability” from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the William Mitchell Auditorium. LaDuke, founding director for White Earth Land Recovery Project and program director of the Honor the Earth Fund, works nationally to advocate, raise public support, and create funding for frontline native environmental groups. Register at wmitchell.edu.

Fall 2009 3

This hockey player, former flight attendant, and current William Mitchell student has achieved some lofty goalsI seriously considered William Mitchell after meeting Dan Thompson [dean of students] and Kendra Dane [assistant dean and director of admissions] by accident. I was in line at the Wendy’s on University Avenue in St. Paul in February 2007. Dean Thompson noticed my Cloquet hockey sweatshirt and asked if I played. I said I was a senior on the University of St. Benedict’s Women’s Hockey team. He told me that William Mitchell had a hockey team—and to call him if I was interested in becoming a lawyer. I was.

When I was younger, I never wanted to be an attorney because my dad was one. But when I started thinking about my career goals, I realized it had always been in the back of my mind.

I thought about becoming a pilot until my sophomore year of college. I’ve always loved flying.

Before law school, I worked as a flight attendant for Compass Airlines during their initial year of operation.

My favorite travel destination on the job was Missoula, Montana loved the view outside my hotel window.

Most airlines don’t have hockey teams.

My mom didn’t want me to play hockey because her brother got his teeth knocked out. I begged and begged and started playing—late—in eighth grade. I played through high school, college, and am now on William Mitchell’s Fighting Eelpouts recreational team.

There’s a different culture here than at other schools. I like that I can learn from other people’s experiences.

My favorite first-year class was Property with Professor Marcia Gelpe. She challenged us to learn, and we always knew what she expected.

Last summer, I worked in the legal department for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. My WRAP professor suggested I apply because of my airline experience.

I am treasurer of Mitchell’s Native American Law Student Association. My heritage includes the Fond du Lac, Bad River, and Grand Portage tribes.

Meet Stephanie

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Mitchell on Law4 Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni


William Mitchell faculty authored articles in more than 80 publications last school year and have a dozen more coming out this fall, including:

Professor Mark Edwards: “Nationalization, De-Nationalization, Re-Nationalization: Some Historical and Comparative Perspective,” Pace Law Review

Professor Greg Duhl: “Conscious Ambiguity: Slaying Cerberus in the Interpretation of Contractual Inconsistencies,” University of Pittsburgh Law Review, Vol. 71

Professor Jay Erstling: “Patent Law and Policy in Korea—The ‘Other’ Asian Power,” San Diego International Law Journal

Emerita Professor Marcia Gelpe: “The Reasons that the Absence of a Basic Right to Environmental Quality Does Not Harm the Development of Environmental Law,” Kiryat Ha’Mishpat (Journal of Kiryat Ono College of Law, Israel)

Professor Mehmet Konar-Steenberg: “One Nation or One Market? Liberals, Conservatives, and the Misunderstandings of H.P. Hood & Sons v. DuMond,” University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, Vol. 10

Professor Afsheen John Radsan: “Due Process and Targeted Killing of Terrorists,” Cardozo Law Review

Vice Dean Nancy Ver Steegh: “Annual Survey of Periodical Literature,” Family Law Quarterly, Vol. 42

On the press: Faculty have full slate of upcoming publications

Students with Mitchell’s Intellectual Property Clinic are working with the Alliance for Early Childhood Professionals to secure permission to translate copyrighted children’s books into the Dakota and Ojibwe languages. The program is part of an effort to use the translated children’s books in schools throughout the state to teach Indian children to speak their native languages. “There are only nine fluent Dakota speakers left in Minnesota,” says Margaret Boyer, founder and executive director of the alliance. “Language holds the culture,

and if a language dies, so does some of the culture’s uniqueness. We are very grateful for the work of the Mitchell students.” Last year, Steve Foley ’09 and Professor Jay Erstling helped Boyer secure permission to translate Dandelion, Noisy Nora, Oonga Boonga, and The Carrot Seed into Dakota and Ojibwe. This year, third year students Kodi Jean Church and Bob Larson are working with Erstling on the project. Learn more about the project by visiting wmitchell.edu.

Center for Elder Justice & Policy strengthens law protecting Minnesota’s vulnerable adults William Mitchell’s Center for Elder Justice & Policy

played a major role last session in strengthening the

law protecting Minnesota’s vulnerable adults from

maltreatment and financial exploitation. Adjunct

Professor Iris Freeman was legislative coordinator;

Rep. Debra Hilstrom 3L sponsored the House

bill; Kevin Hansen ’08, ElderCare Rights Alliance,

continued work he started as a Mitchell student;

and John Simshauser ’09 and Ashley Helgason

3L participated through Mitchell’s Elder Justice and

Policy Keystone course.

Using Oonga Boonga and Noisy Nora, IP students help preserve Native languages

Fall 2009 5

Legal scholars discuss the future of National Security LawThe National Security Forum at William Mitchell recently held a retreat for many leading legal scholars who study terrorism, international crime, and national security. The group included professors from Washington University in St. Louis, Vermont Law School, and S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. Attendees heard from District of Minnesota Chief Judge Michael J. Davis, FBI Agent Tim Gossfeld, and Los Angeles Times national security correspondent Greg Miller. They discussed emerging legal issues and pedagogy for national security.

>> Keep up with the National Security Forum at: wmitchell.edu/national-security-forum

Professor Winer returns a Fulbright Scholar William Mitchell Professor Anthony Winer is back from a year of teaching as a Fulbright Scholar at the Academy of Public Administration in Baku, Azerbaijan. He taught graduate and undergraduate courses on U.S. Federal Constitutional Law, U.S. Federal Administrative Law, Public International Law, and European Union Law.

>> Read more about his work at wmitchell.edu

Hooley and Micallef join board of trusteesJohn H. Hooley ’80, formerly the executive vice president of Supervalu

and president and CEO of Cub Foods, and Joseph S. Micallef ’62,

president and CEO of Great Northern Iron Ore Properties, have joined

William Mitchell’s board of trustees. They join a distinguished group of

31 alumni and friends who are leaders in business, law, education, and

the community. The board is chaired by Mary Cullen Yeager ‘89, partner

at Faegre & Benson.

John H. Hooley ‘80

Joseph S. Micallef ‘62

The Macy’s approach to legal research

Legal Research Tips from the Mitchell Reference Librarians

In the 1920s, Macy’s popularized the slogan “It’s smart to be thrifty.” Given the economic times, that’s not a bad concept today. While Westlaw and LexisNexis have revolutionized legal research, they are expensive. Free Internet legal resources can be very useful. (“Free” is the operative word here!) When you visit Mitchell’s website, select “Warren E. Burger Library” to access the library’s home page. On the right you’ll find “Quick Links.” Scroll down to “Free Internet Research Sources,” where you will

find links to statutes, cases, administrative regulations and hundreds of other legal materials. Tip: Start searching in the free sources. After you have located a pertinent statute or case, use that cite as a search term in Westlaw or LexisNexis to retrieve annotations, commentary, and links to other sources. For more information, contact the circulation desk at [email protected] or the reference department at [email protected].

Mitchell on Law6 Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus

Students launch pro se clinicWilliam Mitchell is piloting a new pro se advice and brief services clinic this fall and winter. It’s hosted in the Kelley Boardroom, sponsored by the Minnesota Justice Foundation, and supported by the Warren E. Burger Law Library. The clinic is open on Saturday afternoons from 2 to 4 pm, and is staffed by law students and Mitchell graduates who volunteer their time. The clinic is initially providing advice and brief service in three areas: uncontested dissolutions, child support modification, and criminal expungement. Clients with other legal questions or issues are provided with fact sheets and/or referred to other organizations that can assist them.

>> Check out the Pro Se Clinic at: wmitchell.edu/pro_se

ÒHennepin County told me that

approximately 70 percent of the filings in

the district's family court are from pro se litigants ... [so] the majority of people in

family court do not have lawyers.Ó

—Jim HilbertExecutive Director of William Mitchell's Center for Negotiation and Justice

Pro Se Legal Clinic

Warren E. Burger Law Library

Saturdays | 2–4 pm

Through Nov. 21, 2009

Staffed by volunteer law students who:

• conduct intake assessments

• help find and fill out legal forms

• brief on-site volunteer attorneys about cases

• assign each person to a volunteer attorney for a 30-minute advice session

7Fall 2009

5Five Things About... David Sparby ’80, vice president and CFO of Northern States Power (NSP), on William Mitchell then and now, how his mom inspired him to study law, his love of running, and more

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David Sparby has enjoyed a career that’s been nothing short of stellar. Prior to his current position, he served as vice president of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Xcel Energy, NSP’s parent company. He began his tenure with NSP in 1982 as a staff attorney and has served in many other capacities, including director of Gas Supply, managing director of Corporate Rates, and vice president of Regulatory Affairs. He has also been part of the Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group, in which he and other state citizens are charged with developing state-level energy policy recommendations. We asked him to take a break to answer a few questions.

1 Your son, Peter, is currently attending William Mitchell. How has his experience compared to yours?Well, both of us had Professor [Douglas] Heidenreich ’61 and from talking with Peter, it sounds like the school still has an emphasis on the practice of law like it did while I was there. What’s different is that he goes to school during the day, and I went at night. So that’s a big change. Of course, research has changed a lot, too. I don’t think students today can imagine the time it took to research cases 30 years ago without Westlaw or LexisNexis.

2 When you were a kid, what did you want to do when you grew up?I did want to be a lawyer. I think it was because my mother thought I’d be good at it and wanted me to do it. Like most parents, she probably had a lot of insight into her kid and knew I loved having goals and objectives to accomplish. She thought the profession would be a good fit with my personality. She was right.

3 What is your idea of a perfect weekend?If I can spend some time with my family, maybe run for fitness, and then catch up on my work for a while, I feel like I’ve touched on everything that’s important. I’ve been running since college, and I usually run four days a week, maybe seven to 10 miles at a time. It gives me time to think about everything.

4 What are the names of one or two of your favorite books, and why are they your favorites?I don’t know if I could pick a favorite, but I do like books that address issues such as transportation or competitiveness. Right now, I’m reading Two Billion Cars: Driving Toward Sustainability [by Daniel Sperling and Deborah Gordon]. The authors talk about the challenges we’ve experienced and how those will only get bigger unless we address our transportation issues. Another book I like is called Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America [by Thomas Friedman], which offers a lot in terms of direction for people in business.

5 If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go, and why?I would go to the north shore of Lake Superior. I’m from Duluth and I think the forest, lake, and shoreline are inspiring and rejuvenating.

—Meleah Maynard

Mitchell on Law8

>> See Mary Beth Tinker’s lecture at wmitchell.edu/tinker


William Mitchell joins the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy ProjectMitchell is the first law school in Minnesota to participate in

the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. Named

after late U.S. Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall

and William Brennan, the project sends law school students

into high schools to teach courses about the Constitution.

Eleven law schools across the country participate in the

program, including Rutgers University Law School, the

University of Oregon Law School, and the University of

Pennsylvania Law School.

Beginning spring semester, eight William Mitchell

students will teach 12th grade government classes at

Central Senior High School, Como Park Senior High

School, and Avalon School in St. Paul. The Mitchell

students also will take an advanced Constitutional

Law seminar on relevant constitutional law cases and

instructional strategies for high school students with

Professor Mary Pat Byrn, Marshall-Brennan Project

director.

Central figure in historic students’ rights case visits Mary Beth Tinker, whose fight for students’ First Amendment rights 40 years ago made Constitutional law history, spoke at William Mitchell Sept. 10. As a 13 year old she violated school policy by wearing a black armband in protest of the Vietnam War. Believing her constitutional rights were violated, she took her case to the U.S. Supreme Court and won. “Students do not leave their rights by the schoolhouse gate,” she said.

Photo by Raoul Benavides

“A 2006 survey showed that 52% of Americans

can name at least two characters on

The Simpsons, but only 28% could name

more than one of the five fundamental freedoms granted

to them by the First Amendment.”

Professor Mary Pat Byrn

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Fall 2009 9

Building on the rich tradition of Indian law studies established at William Mitchell by the late professor Bernie Becker more than 30 years ago, this fall the college welcomes two new full-time Indian law professors: Sarah Deer and Colette Routel. Deer and Routel bring practical and teaching experience in Indian law, and their scholarship covers the spectrum of Indian law studies. Deer, a visiting professor at Mitchell last year, will teach Tribal Law. She is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and one of only a handful of law professors in the country who are Native American. Deer focuses her work on violent crime on Indian reservations. She has a J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law, has been a lecturer in law at the UCLA School of Law, and co-authored two textbooks on Indian law. Deer has also served

as a victim advocacy legal specialist with the Tribal Law and Policy Institute and testified before a U.S. House subcommittee on Amnesty International’s “Maze of Injustice” report. Routel is an expert in federal Indian law and natural resources law. She is currently of counsel with Jacobson, Buffalo, Magnuson, Anderson & Hogan, one of the region’s premier Indian law practices. She practiced as an associate

at Faegre & Benson for five years and was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan Law School and Wayne State University Law School. She has testified before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources regarding the impacts of Carcieri v. Salazar, a controversial 2009 U.S. Supreme Court case ruling that tribes not federally recognized before 1934 (when the Indian Organization Act was passed) are not

entitled to federal protection of land.

Welcome Indian Law Professors Sarah Deer and Colette Routel

INDIAN LAW

Are you a Native American graduate of William Mitchell? Does your practice include federal Indian law or tribal law? Can you help us identify Native American alumni? If so, please email Professor Deer ([email protected]) or Professor Routel ([email protected]).

>>

Professor Sarah Deer Professor Colette Routel

“Mitchell has long understood the importance of teaching Indian law.

It is exciting to have Professors Deer and Routel join our faculty and build on the tradition that

Bernie Becker began.” –Eric S. Janus

10 Mitchell on Law

Off the Beaten Path

Contracts, moot court, and the legal system... just another day in the life of Danielle Satterfield-Williams ’97

Danielle Satterfield-Williams has never used her William Mitchell degree to practice law, but she is using it to make a powerful impact on numerous lives. She’s a literacy teacher at Robert A. Van Wyck Middle School 217 in Briarwood, N.Y., a neighborhood smack in the heart of Queens. It’s a demanding job. She teaches junior high-level special education, and many of her students have learning and physical disabilities. “I didn’t anticipate the challenges that I would face in dealing with some of the special needs that my students have,” says Satterfield-Williams, who has a master’s in education from

Queens College. “But it’s made me a better person and a better teacher. Teaching also made me rely on some of the analytical skills I learned at William Mitchell.” She also brings other aspects of her legal education to the classroom. Each of her students and their guardians sign and notarize a contract that details what’s required of them. She also stages regular Moot courts that focus on student disciplinary actions for cutting class, classroom disruptions, or being disrespectful to a teacher. And once a year she takes students to visit the Queens Supreme Court, where her mother is

a judge in the Civil Division. “We sit in the courtroom and watch cases,” she says. “It’s a powerful experience. Many of these kids only know about criminal court, so this allows them to see another aspect of the legal system. I also build lessons out of each trip.” Satterfield-Williams tries to provide organization for students who often lack it in other areas of their lives. “The more structure there is in the classroom, the less chance that students can misbehave,” she says. “The structure helps them stay focused.


Fall 2009 11

“I’ve developed a classroom management system that works,” she adds. “My students typically move up one and a half grade levels as a result of it.”

Making a DifferenceSatterfield-Williams never planned to go into teaching. After graduating from Mitchell, she moved to Virginia and worked for the Virginia Department of Health and then as an adjunct political science professor at Virginia State University, a stint that sparked her interest in education. When she moved back to Queens, she got involved in the NYC Teaching Fellows program, which trains adults to work as educators in area schools. It turned out to be the right move. “I didn’t think I’d love this career as much as I do,” she says. “It’s a tremendous feeling to connect with my students, to provide them with the skills they need to succeed in the classroom and in life. I’m making a difference in my students’ lives, and that fulfills me as a person.”

—Chris Mikko

I didn’t anticipate the challenges that I would face

in dealing with some of the special needs that my

students have, but it’s made me a better person and a

better teacher.

Teaching also made me rely on some of the analytical skills I learned at

William Mitchell.

A group of Satterfield-Williams’ students on the ferry to Ellis Island.

I didn’t think I’d love this career as much as I do. I’m making a difference in my students’ lives, and that fulfills

me as a person.

Satterfield-Williams with her son, A.J. , and her husband, Allen David Williams, Sr.

Mitchell on LawRead the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni12

Think Global(even if you)

Practice Local

Fall 2009 13

International Law

Tempers nearly flared in Jim Hilbert’s new International Negotiation and Dispute Resolution class last July. Hilbert, a resident adjunct and director of the Center for Negotiation and Justice, was leading students through lessons in which 12 William Mitchell students squared off against a dozen students visiting from Turkey in a series of negotiation and role-playing scenarios on international business transactions, foreign policy negotiations, and international legal dispute resolutions. The students put the skills they learned in class to good use. They gave, took, bluffed, and expressed faux anger. Their speech was measured and their body language well thought-out—at first. As the exercises progressed, cultural differences began to emerge. Students began to focus on language barriers, differing goals, and different styles, rather than the task at hand. The Mitchell students took a laid back approach while the Turkish students drove a harder bargain. Amicable negotiating gave way to haggling. Eyes rolled, heads shook, and strategies changed. Then, just when it looked like the different approaches would kill any deal, there was a breakthrough: The students realized that it was the negotiation itself that mattered, not their opponents’ style. Deals were struck, backs were slapped, and friendships emerged. The lesson Hilbert wanted his students to learn is that the interrelationship between culture and law is real, and it influences the way lawyers practice. It’s a lesson better learned in law school than in the real world, which is why Mitchell is working to ensure that all students have an awareness of the international implications of their work, whether that work takes place half way around the world or in one of Minnesota’s increasingly diverse cities. In 2006, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman famously declared that “the world is flat.” Friedman’s point was that technological progress,

coupled with lowered trade and political barriers, make it increasingly easy and necessary to do business with people and companies from around the globe. For Jay Erstling, a Mitchell professor and of counsel patent attorney with Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, it means that practitioners can no longer be content having a solid understanding of Minnesota and federal law. “The world has gotten too interconnected,” he says. “The nature of the law practice is changing, whether you work for a large corporate firm or if you go and work in a small firm in outstate Minnesota. And it’s changing in all areas of the law.” According to Erstling, attorneys seeking patent protection for their inventor clients used to have an

easier job researching whether a patent application was novel enough to qualify for protected-patent status. For example, there were about 160,000 overseas patent applications filed in the United States last year compared to 600 in 1978. “In the past,

international patent protection meant Europe, Japan, and maybe Canada,” he says. “In making international patenting decisions today, you have to consider countries such as China, India, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa—all of the emerging world. That’s because the business world and the worlds of technology and invention have broadened so enormously.” Patent attorneys also must practice in two directions, Erstling says. “Just as U.S. businesses are filing for patent protection all over the world, businesses in other countries are increasingly filing for patent protection in the United States.” In 2008, the number of U.S. applicants seeking patents in the United States and the number of non-U.S. applicants seeking U.S. patent protection was almost dead even. A former director of the Patent Cooperation Treaty and a senior official at the World Intellectual Property Organization, Erstling knows how important a global perspective is in today’s legal world.

A look at how William Mitchell alumni—and the law school—are facing the increasingly interconnected global legal community

By Kevin Featherly

“In making international patenting decisions today, you have to

consider countries such as China, India, Brazil, Mexico, and South

Africa—all of the emerging world.”

continued on next page

Mitchell on Law14 Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Joan Lucas ‘83 practices law a few blocks from the William Mitchell campus, and she knows the value of a global perspective. Lucas is the founding partner of Lucas Family Law. The majority of her clients live in the St. Paul area, but they come from all over the world. Lucas has tapped into the growing client base that is the state’s

immigrant population. According to U. S. Census Bureau statistics, Minnesota’s foreign-born population rose from just over 110,000 in 1990 to nearly 250,000 in 2000. It’s continued to grow in the years since. In 2006 (the last year for which official statistics are available), the Minnesota Department of Administration noted that 6.3 percent of Minnesota’s population was foreign-born. Lucas says one key to her success is to be as non-judgmental as possible. “To some extent, many immigrants are in a process of acculturating,” she says. “But they’re having to put their own belief systems someplace in that spectrum, too.” Case in point: She recalls a divorcing Somali couple who resisted the help of a court-appointed mediator because they wanted to uphold Islamic law. The couple insisted that members of their religious community mediate their divorce. “It seemed awfully open-ended to us,” Lucas says. “We had to say, ‘Who would you pick up a phone and call? Who would be your contact point and who would be the deciders?’ It was ultimately determined that the contact person would be the head imam at the wife’s mosque. It worked. Sometimes you have to let a client lead you through the case.”

Aaron Hall ’07, is founder of the Minneapolis-based Twin Cities Law Firm. He has successfully built a practice by working with people from all over the world. One-fourth of his clients are foreign-born. Most are seeking business and tax advice, which he provides. Many are also working through immigration issues, which he does not handle without assistance.

Reconciling the legal and cultural challenges to help a person establish a new business is difficult enough without having to work directly on immigration issues, says Hall, who once helped a woman from Southeast Asia start an online business with blessings from both the Secretary of State’s office and her community elders. Since opening his shop in 2007, Hall has already helped people from every continent open businesses in Minnesota.

Elizabeth Walker Anderson ’04 is system director of cross-cultural services for HealthEast, a nonprofit that runs hospitals and clinics in and around St. Paul. The Mitchell graduate has two major areas of responsibility: enhancing organizational diversity and addressing culturally responsive care. She also has to make sure the

company’s care programs meet the needs of the people of various cultures and creeds who are a growing segment of HealthEast’s patient base. It’s good for business. It’s the right thing to do. And it’s federally mandated by Title XI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the federal Joint Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations. “We are trying to embed

culturally responsive care into the way our caregivers do business,” she says. Much of Walker Anderson’s work is focused on ensuring that HealthEast is properly embedding culturally responsive care into the way the company does business. Staff training, which she oversees, is

essential to meeting the many regulations that govern how care is delivered. Recent trainings have taught employees to work with interpreters and to identify and address the nuances of cross-cultural care. Walker Anderson credits Mitchell with preparing her for success. “I needed to have more of an understanding of the legal imperatives as to why we need to provide really high-quality patient care to diverse populations,” she says. “Mitchell prepared me well.” Kevin Featherly is a Bloomington, Minn.-based freelance writer.

continued from page 13

“To some extent, many immigrants are in a process of

acculturating, but they’re having to put their own belief systems

someplace in that spectrum too.”

Think Global

Fall 2009

One World

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How is William Mitchell working to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate this new world? We asked Nancy Ver Steegh, professor and vice dean for academic programs, to talk about some of the ways in which the college is meeting the challenge.

Q: First, can you describe the areas that William Mitchell is focusing on most when addressing the idea of a global society?

A: There are two components. All of our graduates need to have an awareness of the international implications of their work because there aren’t a lot of areas of practice that don’t require some need for knowledge of treaties, statutes, or relationships outside the United States. They also need an understanding of comparative law, so they know how other countries’ legal systems work and don’t assume things are the same as they are in the United States.

Q: Why has the college decided to make global education a priority?

A: We have a strong history with respect to global involvement, with graduates working all over the world, and with faculty involved in developing legal systems in other countries. What we’re engaged in now is an effort to be more intentional about something we have always done.

A big part of that process has involved the college’s Global Impact Task Force. The task force was a committee of faculty, along with a few students, who met throughout the last school year to look at how we approach international and comparative education. The goal was to come up with ways we could gather all of it under one umbrella, rather than have a lot of great things going on that weren’t formally connected.

Q: How have the task force’s conclusions changed the way that William Mitchell approaches global education?

A: The report outlined five competencies we would like graduates to demonstrate—ranging from having an understanding of the interrelationship between culture and law to understanding how international law affects the development of domestic law, and vice versa. One of the recommendations was that all J.D.

students complete an international and comparative requirement before graduation. One of the thoughts was that every course could include some international and comparative content. We will also be organizing an office specifically for international programs so there is an actual, physical location students can go to for information on what we have to offer, including which faculty have international experience.

Q: How will the report affect the college’s study-abroad programs?

A: We are already a member of CILE (Consortium for Innovative Legal Education), which provides study-abroad programs. We administer the group’s London program, which provides experiential education rather than lecture courses. It’s very popular, but since it isn’t possible for all students to study abroad, we also have implemented a stay-at-home study-abroad program. Every year, Turkish students come to Mitchell to study during the summer. This year, we co-enrolled Mitchell students in a course with them so they could work together on an international negotiation problem. We are also discussing ways to enhance our relationship with BPP Law School in London. BPP hosted our summer program this year.

—Meleah Maynard

William Mitchell Vice Dean Nancy Ver Steegh on how the college is working to help students navigate the ever-flattening and interconnected global marketplace

Mitchell on Law16

MITCHELL IN FOCUS (london)

Courtney Sebo posted updates about her experience on wmitchell.edu, and says she loved the corporate governance courses.

Justin Boelter enjoyed the opportunity to talk candidly to experts such as New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tim Weiner, who recently wrote the book Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA.

Sasha Zekoff saw Wicked and Mama Mia during her time in London.

Dan Ryan visited Bruges in Belgium, has a bottle of Belgian beer in his backpack, and travelled to Germany, the Czech Republic, France, and the Netherlands after the summer program finished.

Nathan O’Tool couldn’t pass up the opportunity to study counterterrorism with Professor Afsheen John Radsan.

Madeline Bowie came to London with her two children. In between her studies she took them to the London Zoo, Legoland, and many of London’s beautiful Royal Parks.

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Starting in June 2010, Mitchell in London will be open to alumni participants. Visit wmitchell.edu/London for details about how you can study in London this summer.


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Fall 2009

Annie Davidson, who is considering a career in inter-national law, loved her time in London, but didn’t realize the British have so many coins.

Anders Erickson liked the inexpensive travel and free museums.

Professor John Sonsteng organized Mitchell in London and is already in planning for next year.

Lauren Sparks rented a car and drove to Chatsworth House—the stately home used in the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice.

Elaine Santucci studies at New England School of Law but joined the Mitchell program because she felt the guest speakers would be engaging and the courses excellent.

Professor Thuy-Nga T. Vo led discussions in which students, academics, and practitioners explored issues that corporate and shareholder clients face in today’s global economy.

Louis Ainsworth ’77, senior vice president and general counsel of Pentair and a William Mitchell board member, joined fellow board member Lynn Anderson ’80 in teaching Comparative Corporate Governance with Professor Thuy Vo.

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Last June 40 Mitchell students participated in the Mitchell in London

program. Classes were held two blocks from the Thames River at BPP Law School.

The students studied counterterrorism with Professor Afsheen John Radsan and

corporate abuse of power with Professor Thuy-Nga T. Vo.

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Photo by Chris Sattlberger (London) and special thanks to Paul Gascoyne of BPP

Mitchell on Law

Thinking of opening your own firm?

Before you hang out a shingle, check out the lessons learned by these William Mitchell alumni

William Mitchell recently held a four-part series of programs on what it takes for lawyers to successfully open and operate their own practice. It was a popular event among alumni. “Whether it’s the economy or people wanting more autonomy, lawyers are starting to explore the solo option again,” says Bridgid Dowdal, assistant dean for career and professional development, whose office, along with Eileen Roberts, the Austin J. Baillon and Caroline M. Baillon Professor of Real Estate Law, sponsored the series. What does it take to navigate the risks and rewards and successfully hang out your own shingle? This article offers advice and anecdotes from Mitchell alums who have rolled up their sleeves, taken the plunge, and succeeded.

Making the mental leapThe biggest hurdle lawyers face when starting their own business is the psychological one, according to our experts. They advise anyone thinking about opening a solo shop to ask one question: Why am I doing this?

When Ryan Pacyga ’02 asked himself that question, he realized that starting his own firm would allow him to focus on his true passion: criminal law. “In law school I wanted to be a trial lawyer, and I thought the way to do that was to take a job in civil litigation,” says Pacyga, who operates Minneapolis-based Pacyga & Associates. “But the majority of civil litigation happens in your office, not in court. I found I had a real talent for dealing with people and that I was good on my feet. I wanted to play to those strengths.” For Sharon Van Dyck ’87, starting her own practice let her focus on more complex litigation, choose other attorneys to partner with, and control her own schedule. She opened the Van Dyck Law Firm in St. Louis Park, Minn., in 2007 after working for 20 years as a personal injury lawyer for Minneapolis-based Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben. “I was at an age where you either go and try it, or you shut up,” she says. “It took me a long time to gather the courage, but I knew I wanted a boutique practice.” Craig Empey ’05 started his own practice two years out of school doing estate planning, trusts, tax, and real estate law. The initial decision was anxiety-provoking, but

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By Sara Aase


Fall 2009 19

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once he decided to go solo, he found he could sleep again. “Making that leap of faith is the hard part,” he says. “Then, first and foremost, you’re running a business—that’s the part that surprises most attorneys.”

Finding clientsPatrick Cotter ’02, owner of Cotter Law Office in Mendota Heights, Minn., started his criminal defense practice in 2005. He tried all forms of marketing, from print ads to TV, website, and direct mail, but there was no silver bullet. “The one that generates the most business is relationship building,” he says. Building a reputation and generating word-of-mouth buzz pays off, according to Pacyga. “If you can build a business to the point where most of your referrals are coming from other lawyers, you won’t have to spend much on advertising,” he says. “Covet relationships with other lawyers, and your marketing budget will be buying a beer rather than ads in the Yellow Pages.” In addition to relationship building, Pacyga reaches out to potential clients in another way. He is a regular on the 93X morning radio show, where he answers listener questions about criminal defense issues. “It’s taken my business to another level,” he says. Our experts say the best way to build referrals is to specialize in one or two areas. If you take on any project that comes in the door, you risk spreading yourself too thin, Cotter says. “During my first couple of months I was trying to do whatever I could to bring in money. I did some minor business transactions that are the polar opposite of what I do now, and they took me way too much time,” he says, noting that he billed one client for less than 10 percent of the time he actually spent getting up to speed on the case. “It’s not efficient or in the best interest of the client in the long run,” he says. Early on in his practice, Pacyga consulted with a career coach, who advised him to drop all of his civil clients and focus exclusively on criminal law. Since he took the advice, his stress level has declined as his productivity and profitability have increased. Jeremy Greenhouse ‘03, is a partner at Greenhouse & Gram, a Minneapolis civil and environmental law firm he co-founded in 2006. To gain experience and make connections, he took on work from other lawyers on a

“Covet relationships with other lawyers, and your

marketing budget will be buying a beer rather than ads in the Yellow Pages.”

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Hanging out a shingle

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contract basis until he could build a client base on his own. “Big corporate clients tend to need lawyers for environmental law cases,” he says. “We worked as contractors until we could get out on our own.”

Financing the company“If you can, try to have cash in reserve that will last at least six months,” Cotter says. And watch out for year two, Van Dyck says. She saved enough money to cover her projected expenses for her first full year. “If you leave your job with work, and if you don’t bring in new work for the first few months, you’ll hit a payment gap between the old work and the new,” she says. Finding consistent, reliable income helps. Cotter did full-time work as a defense attorney in Dakota County for three years to pay his mortgage. “It didn’t pay for my business, but it did help me get started,” he says. Empey leveraged his background as a financial advisor and tax planner, and still runs a wealth management business in addition to his law firm. “You’ll have initial expenditures to get going, so you need sufficient savings or a means to start producing income right away. I had some tax prep clients to take with me, and those ancillary services gave me money right out of

the gate.” Louis Romain ’04 is maintaining his night job as a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis for benefits and consistent income as he builds Romain Law Office, a St. Paul-based personal injury, criminal, and family law practice. “Without that job,

I don’t know how I would have started,” he says. “I’ve never had to take out a business loan.” You may also need to get creative. “I do a lot of contracting with plaintiff lawyers as a dispositive motion expert,” Van Dyck says. “If they’re working on a contingency fee, they can’t pay by the hour, so I’ll split that fee with them, do a flat fee payable at a designated time,

or lower my billable hour rate with a bump if we win.”

Managing your companySolo lawyers should have their own office, and it pays to stay within your

means. Romain initially maintained an “office presence,” an arrangement where for about $150 per month he got a bricks-and-mortar address and access to a building’s

conference room and offices. “Think shoestring budget,” Romain says. “You don’t need to spend $2,000 a month on an office right away.” Office sharing, which groups attorneys together with a common receptionist, is another cost saver. “Office

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Outstate opportunitiesCan you go solo outside Minneapolis-St. Paul?

Hanging out your shingle in a smaller community has many perks—a short commute, better work-life balance, and the chance to be a big fish in a small pond. For Sara W. Runchey ’96, small-town life is the way to go. “As a young attorney, I’m involved in six different nonprofit boards and other committees, and have been a

Humphrey fellow,” says Runchey, an attorney with Runchey, Louwagie, & Wellman, a family practice law firm in Marshall, Minn. “It’s been an opportunity to establish a presence at a level that would be difficult for a young attorney to achieve in the Twin Cities.” The trick, says Runchey, who took over the firm when her father, Robert, retired in 1982, is to look for growing areas such as Marshall, and to establish ties with the local community and other law firms. “You should have

a specialty that’s in demand there, or be able to handle a lot of different areas,” she says. Runchey adds that it’s critical to attract young talent. Her firm has set up a faster partnership track—three to five years—to make it attractive. “Local law firms are all friendly, and we call and ask each other questions all the time, but you’ll probably still want people around you in the next office over,” she says. “It’s difficult for solo practitioners if they don’t have that.”

—S.A.

“You don’t need to spend $2,000 a month on an

office right away.”

with other lawyers,” Pacyga says. “You can run down the hall if you have a question, it increases your odds of referral, you share resources, and you don’t feel alone.” Going solo doesn’t mean you should do everything yourself. “Some people are never going to be good at being organized,” Pacyga says. “If that’s the case, you need to hire a paralegal or assistant who’s good at that. If you hate bookkeeping, hire an office manager or part-time accountant. Don’t waste your time doing the things you don’t like to do or can’t do well.” Van Dyck paid for a two-day training session on a case management system. “It was worth every penny, because technology makes it possible for me to compete,” she says, noting that she initially balked at the thought of spending two days in training. “You always think you can’t afford the time, but you can’t afford not to spend that time.”

Three months into running his new practice, Cotter hired a software consultant for his accounting program. “She came in and helped me set up a

physical filing system to maintain proper documentation,” he says. “If I could do things over, I’d set it up beforehand, not three months in.”

Taking your practice to the next level“The William Mitchell network and the Minnesota State Bar Association’s solo practice group are invaluable,” Van Dyck says. “I must have called other solos about everything—from where to get malpractice insurance to how to set up my bank and trust accounts.” Treat your colleagues as respected mentors, competitors, and friends, and chances are they’ll return the favor—especially if you have a passion for the kind of work you do. “If people can see you’re in something for the money or are going through the motions, they aren’t as likely to spend their precious time with you,” Pacyga says.

Balance matters“I just came back from a week of mountain biking in Colorado,” Cotter says. “I was sure it was a terrible

idea before I left, but actually it was the best darn thing I could have done. I’m more refreshed and productive.” Work-life balance is a struggle but also a perk of the solo practice, attorneys say, giving them the flexibility to maintain their own hours and spend more time with their families. And even though all of them say they work harder, the work feels more rewarding, personally and professionally. Would they ever quit? “Every now and then I still have those moments,” Empey says. “But to wish away any slow or stressful times is also to wish away my autonomy and independence. If I think of it that way, then everything seems OK.”

Sara Aase is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer.

Fall 2009 21

Help at handThe college’s Office of Career and Professional Development provides a wide range of free services for alumni, including:• One-on-one career counseling• Career/skills assessments• Mock job interviews and other interview-related preparation• Resume reviews, and more

“We provide programming and services that will appeal to both recent graduates and people who’ve been out in the workforce for awhile,” says Karen Vander Sanden, manager of the Career and Professional Development office. “They typically have different needs, and we try to address them. One point to note is that there’s no time limit on these services—alumni tend to be surprised when they learn that they can come back and meet with us for their entire career.” For more information, call the Office of Career and Professional Development at 651-290-7526. The office is open weekdays during regular business hours, but early-morning or early-evening appointments are available.

Want to connect with other Mitchell alumni who are thinking about going solo? Join Mitchell’s Solo and Small Group Practice subgroup on LinkedIn. Visit wmitchell.edu/linkedin for more information.

Mitchell on Law22

As a survivor of a car accident at age 17 that left him wheelchair bound, Jim Frey appreciates the power of receiving the right motivation and backing at a critical moment in his life. Years later, his personal experiences led him and his wife to establish the James and Mary Frey Scholarship Endowment for William Mitchell students with physical disabilities. “I didn’t have a lot of angst and anguish after my accident—there was too much support around me for that, and I had the drive—but I was wondering, ‘Now what?’” says Frey. “The lawyer who represented me after the accident happened to be William H. DeParcq, the distinguished William Mitchell alum. It made quite an impression on me to see this gentleman in a wheelchair, who came highly recommended, practicing the law—I could see there were many possibilities before me in terms of acquiring a marketable set of skills and gaining meaningful employment.” While Frey didn’t make an immediate decision to head for law school, he did

notice how much he liked studying political science, government, and legislative and legal issues. He went on to a 12-year corporate career at Control Data and Honeywell, and also married and had children before he decided to enroll at William Mitchell. He found the faculty and staff helpful and supportive, and the facilities were light years beyond what DeParcq had to cope with in terms of accessibility. While there were no great physical impediments to his education, Frey was aware of how demanding the costs of law school were, and continue to be. “Most students at Mitchell and other law schools require loans and financial packages—it’s difficult to juggle all that, put it together, and still have adequate time to study,” he says. “Everyone understands the idea of need-based scholarships, but I was unaware of scholarships geared to people with physical disabilities. I liked the idea of giving people with limited, chronic mobility problems incentive to attend law school, particularly since that population group

tends to have higher unemployment rates and more difficulty saving money. A law degree creates many kinds of employment opportunities and choices.” Frey credits a discussion with former Dean Harry Haynsworth early in his tenure with encouraging him to think about establishing a scholarship. He and his wife, Mary, began discussing where there might be an unmet need and what their scholarship might look like. The resulting endowment is the first at William Mitchell dedicated to students who have suffered a debilitating injury. The Freys look forward to seeing what recipients do with their lives and careers, with the expanded freedom of choice a law degree brings. Frey encourages those who would like to give back to the college to think about the long-term legacy of establishing a scholarship. “William Mitchell opened doors for me that otherwise would not have been open,” he says. “The education created more possibilities for me, as I know it will for others.”

Photos by Raoul Benavides

The True Mobility of a William Mitchell Scholarship

Jim Frey ’93 received motivation and backing at a critical point in his life; now he’s found a way to return the favor


Gratitude

Joe Moravchik, a second-year William Mitchell student, spent 10 years with the Racine, Wis., police department as a patrol officer, evidence technician, major crimes investigator, sergeant, and acting shift commander. He received numerous awards and commendations for his outstanding police work. “I became a police officer to safeguard those who have a difficult time protecting themselves,” says Moravchik, who taught high school social studies for six years, before joining the police force. He has also coached high school and college basketball. In 2002, Moravchik injured his spine in an on-duty accident when a truck slammed into his squad car. He remained on the police force despite severe back pain because of his devotion to his career and allegiance to the people he served. But in 2005, he retired and underwent reconstructive spine surgery. With great determination, he continues to make remarkable improvement.“I never asked, Why me?” recalls the husband and father of two daughters, ages 5 and 7. “Even though my career ended, my life had not. Despite a difficult injury, I had much to live for. I always thought about what I could do next. After you get knocked down, you have to get up and look for a new direction, a new challenge, and figure out what you need to do to get to the next goal.” Moravchik set his sights on law school. “Police work and the law profession have the similar elements of representing, serving, and, ultimately, helping people,” he says. “There are many out

there who need a legal voice to guide and protect them.” With his background in law enforcement and education, Moravchik is a part of the outstanding mix of William Mitchell students. “I have met some extremely talented professional colleagues who have interesting careers and backgrounds in things like engineering, higher education, agriculture, and politics,” he says. “It was a main consideration for coming here.” Moravchik put his law enforcement background to use last year as an intern for Minnesota Rep. Debra Hilstrom, a fellow William Mitchell classmate who chairs the House Public Safety Committee. “I got a unique chance to see how the laws I used to enforce get made,” Moravchik says. “There are so many different interests and opinions that come into play. Of all the things that apply to law school at the Legislature, a lot of it comes down to negotiation, the importance of having good negotiation skills.” Moravchik received the 2009 James and Mary Frey Scholarship for William Mitchell students who have suffered a debilitating injury. He admires Jim Frey’s compassion, integrity, and perseverance. “Jim has great resources and has made a choice to generously give back to society,” Moravchik says. “I want to be in the same position someday.”

—Lisa Harden

Fall 2009 23

To learn more about giving to William Mitchell, visit wmitchell.edu/giving or call Lisa Barton, director of development, at 651-290-6357 or email [email protected].

A car accident changed Joe Moravchik’s life, but not his commitment to helping people

Joe Moravchik and his daughters Lilly, 5, (left) and Lauren, 7.

Mitchell on Law24

1965Samuel L. Hanson was elected to the board of directors at Briggs and Morgan, Minneapolis.

1967James S. Lane III was appointed to a six-year term on the Minnesota Racing Commission by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. He practices in business, corporate, real estate, and equine law, including thoroughbred horse breeding and racing.

1968John (Jack) K. Bouquet is of counsel at Hellmuth & Johnson, Eden Prairie, Minn. He practices in real estate law, community association law, corporate and business law, estate planning, and probate.

1973Frederick E. Finch, shareholder at Bassford Remele, Minneapolis, was elected to the American Bar Association’s Board of

Governors in August. The 40-member board oversees the administration and management of the association.

1974Donald E. Horton has been licensed by the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy as a professional counselor.

1975Charlie Diemer has written Pearl of Tao, a novel based on the world’s largest pearl. He formerly worked in the Dakota County (Minn.) Attorney’s Office and now lives in Daytona Beach, Fla.

James A. Stein was selected as executive director of NECHAMA—Jewish Response to Disaster, Minneapolis. NECHAMA (Hebrew for “comfort”) is the only Jewish organization nationwide that provides disaster recovery services to victims of natural disasters regardless of religious affiliation or any other qualification.

1976L. Charles Bartz joined BerchWood Partners, New York City, as a partner.

Dale H. Busacker, state and local tax director at Grant Thornton, received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota State Bar Association Tax Section.

Steven R. Kufus was elected chairman of the board of directors of Keystone Community Service, a St. Paul nonprofit human services organization.

Marilyn J. Michales formed Marilyn J. Michales & Associates, Golden Valley, Minn., a family law firm focusing on applying a pragmatic business approach to divorce cases for high net-worth clients.

1979Joan H. Engstrom, deputy general counsel, General Mills, was elected as a fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.

John W. Fitzgerald, principal at Gray Plant Mooty, is a Certified Franchise Executive by the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives.

Patrick S. Hammers was appointed to the Fairbanks (Alaska) District Court by then-Gov. Sarah Palin.

1980Barbara J. Gislason, founder and past chair of the American Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee in the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, developed the idea for the section’s new book, Litigating Animal Law Disputes: A Complete Guide for Lawyers, and wrote the preface.

John Hooley, a member of Mitchell’s board of trustees who recently retired as Supervalu’s executive vice president and president of Supervalu’s Retail East division, is a 2009 recipient of the St. John’s University Alumni Achievement Award.

Class Notes

The following Mitchell alumni are serving on the 2009–10 Executive Committee of the Hennepin County Bar Association: President-elect Courtney E. Ward-Reichard ’92, shareholder, Halleland Lewis Nilan & Johnson; Treasurer Jewelie A. Grape ’99, associate general counsel, ELCA Board of Pensions; and Secretary Thomas D. Jensen ’78, partner, Lind, Jensen, Sullivan & Peterson.

The 2009–10 leadership of the Ramsey County Bar Association includes Mitchell alumni: President Juan G. Hoyos ’92, assistant Ramsey County attorney; President-elect Paul W. Godfrey ’84, trial attorney, Farmers Insurance; Vice President Shawn M. Bartsh ’82, attorney, St. Paul; and Secretary/Treasurer Richard A. Stebbins ’93, partner, Stebbins & Hegranes.

Hennepin, Ramsey County Bar Associations name new leaders


25Fall 2009

1981Stacey A. DeKalb was elected to the board of directors of Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, Minneapolis.

Timothy J. Hassett, shareholder and director at Felhaber Larson Fenlon & Vogt, St. Paul, was elected a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

1983Louis J. Speltz, shareholder, Bassford Remele, Minneapolis, is a member of the Council on Litigation Management, a non-partisan alliance of corporations, insurance companies, law firms, and service providers.

1984Michael J. Grimes was re-elected to the 2009 board at Briggs and Morgan, Minneapolis.

1987Michael A. Klutho was elected CFO at Bassford Remele, Minneapolis.

Michael C. Krikava was re-elected to the 2009 board at Briggs and Morgan, Minneapolis.

Class Notes

Alumni appointed to 10th District trial court benchGov. Tim Pawlenty appointed Todd R. Schoffelman ’94, assistant Sherburne County attorney, to the 10th Judicial District trial court bench in Chisago County (Minn.) and Dyanna L. Street ’94, an attorney and shareholder with Fabyanske, Westra, Hart and Thomson, Minneapolis, to the 10th Judicial District Court trial court bench in Anoka County.

Alumni Association board has three new membersWilliam Mitchell’s Alumni Association board of directors has three new members:

Peter Berge ’83

Jill Esch ’03

Nicole James-Gilchrist ’03

William Mitchell’s alumni board of directors provides guidance to the college and is a direct link between the law school and its more than 11,000 alumni. All members are elected volunteers who have demonstrated commitment and loyalty to the school. The alumni association is online at wmitchell.edu/alumni.

Alumni Golf Tournament - May 18, 2009

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Mitchell alumni and friends gathered at Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington, Minn. , last May for the 36th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament. Event proceeds support the Student Award of Merit, which is given to a graduating student who has demonstrated exemplary scholastic achievement. Next year’s tournament is Monday, May 24.

26 Mitchell on Law

Keep us posted: Send your Class Notes updates to [email protected] or fill out the online form at wmitchell.edu/alumni. You can also fax 651-290-7502, call 651-290-6370, or mail your updates to Mitchell on Law, 875 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105. We (and your classmates) look forward to hearing from you!

1988Anne M. Honsa formed the law firm Honsa & Associates, Minneapolis, practicing in family law.

1990Brian T. Grogan was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors at Moss & Barnett, Minneapolis.

Phyllis C. Marion was named associate dean for library and information resources at California Western School of Law.

Janice M. Mueller, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, authored the text Patent Law, Third Edition (Aspen 2009).

1991Nancy E. Anderson joined the Wealth Management Group at US Bank, Minneapolis, as senior vice president, Private Client Reserve.

Shamus P. O’Meara, partner at Johnson & Condon, Minneapolis, has been appointed chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights state advisory committee.

Barry A. O’Neil was re-elected to the board of directors of Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, Minneapolis.

1992Kyle A. Loven, chief division counsel for the FBI in Minneapolis, is a 2009 recipient of the St. John’s University Alumni Achievement Award.

1993Ben C. Graves joined Hays Benefits Group, Minneapolis, as associate director of research and compliance in the employee benefits division.

1995Jonathan J. Fogel completed Rule 114 Mediation training and now offers mediation service through his firm, Fogel Law Offices, Minneapolis.

1997Megan J. Hertzler, assistant general counsel, Xcel Energy, has been named 2009–2010 president of Minnesota Women Lawyers.

Gary M. King received the 2009 Pro Bono Award from the Wisconsin State Bar Association for his work coordinating the free legal assistance clinic at the Chippewa Falls Public Library.

David C. Recker is a trial attorney in the Counterespionage Section, National Security Division, U.S. Department of Justice.

1999Daniel E. Cohen, founder of Full Court Press Communications, was named 2009 Small Business Innovator of the Year by the Oakland (Calif.) Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Class Notes

Nancy Berry ’03 receives MSBA President’s AwardNancy J. Berry, a partner in health andbusiness law at Moore, Costello & Hart, St. Paul, received the 2009 Minnesota State Bar Association’s (MSBA) President’s Award for her work developing the most highly and broadly attended continuing legal education programs for the MSBA’s Health Law Section. The award, selected by MSBA President Michael J. Ford ’79, recognizes outstanding service and devotion to the association’s mission and activities. Berry has served as Health Law Section program chair

for the past two years and was recently elected to the Health Law Section Governing Council. She is also a member of the MSBA Business Law Section and conducts CLEs on business law. Berry volunteered as a field supervising attorney in William Mitchell’s Apprenticeship program last summer.


27Fall 2009

Class Notes

Kevin P. Goodno, shareholder and chair of Fredrikson & Byron’s Government Relations practice, was appointed president

of the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota.

Daniel G. Queenan has been promoted to president and CEO at Opus North, Rosemount, Minn., a subsidiary of Opus, Minneapolis.

2000Martin S. Fallon was elected partner in the Litigation Group at Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, Minneapolis.

Kimberly K. Haas was promoted to deputy director at Wisconsin Judicare, a nonprofit law firm serving low-income individuals in Northern Wisconsin.

2001Karen A. Fitzsimmons was named partner at Merchant & Gould, Minneapolis. She practices intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patents within the mechanical and electrical arts.

Kristine A. Peterson opened Peterson Law Firm in Cold Spring, Minn., practicing in family law and criminal defense.

Matthew J. Shea joined Gray Plant Mooty, Minneapolis, as a principal.

2002Baiers C. Heeren joined Eckberg, Lammers, Briggs, Wolff & Vierling, Stillwater, Minn., as a senior associate attorney.

Lisa M. Meier joined the law firm of Honsa & Associates, Minneapolis, and specializes in family law.

Jeri L. Parkin joined Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker in Detroit as an associate focusing on business transactions.

John C. Pickerill, Fredrikson & Byron, Minneapolis, was ranked as one of the top 50 U.S. trademark attorneys in the Corporation Service Co. Year End 2008 Trademark Insider Report, based on applications submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Rachel M. Smith has been named program director of the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute’s Program for Excellence in Election Administration.

2003Jennifer L. Casanova opened Casanova Criminal Defense in Edina, Minn.

Jill A. Liska earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame’s Executive MBA program.

Daniel R. Mitchell joined the civil litigation defense group at Cousineau McGuire, St. Louis Park, Minn.

Michael J. Stepan joined Winthrop & Weinstine, Minneapolis, in the creditors’ remedies and bankruptcy law practice group.

2004Jacqueline B. Brainard joined Conseco, Carmel, Ind., as vice president, re-engineering.

2005Michael C. Gregerson joined Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, Minneapolis, as an associate practicing in workers’ compensation and subrogation.

Rebecca L. Kuehn Schack joined the law firm of Honsa & Associates and specializes in family law.

Alumni named 2009 Up & Coming Attorneys by Minnesota Lawyer Eight alumni were named 2009 Up & Coming Attorneys by Minnesota Lawyer for leadership, professional accomplishment, and service to the legal community during their first 10 years of practice: Molly M. Borg ’03, Briggs and Morgan; Sara R. Grewing ’03, chief of staff, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman; Troy A. Gunderman ’00, Educational Credit Management Corp.; Jamie L. Habeck ’01, Foley & Mansfield; Imani S. Jaafar-Mohammad ’04, Mohammad & Jaafar-Mohammad; Melissa J. Manderschied ’06, Kennedy & Graven; Chanel G. Melin ’04, Melin Law Office; and Kate G. Westad ’02, Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg.

28 Mitchell on Law

Class Notes

2005 (continued)Scott A. Kissinger joined Guelzow & Winston, Eau Claire, Wis., as an estate planning attorney.

M. Ryan Madison and his wife, Tricia, welcomed their second son, M. Ryan Jr., May 2, 2009. He joins older brother Martin, 2.

Allison L. (Madison) Marshall opened the Law Office of Allison Marshall, Minneapolis, focusing on criminal defense and family law.

Frank M. Modich joined Meagher & Geer, Minneapolis, as an associate in the catastrophic loss practice group.

Todd M. Murray opened Todd M. Murray & Associates, Minneapolis, representing consumers sued by debt collectors, homeowners facing foreclosure, and victims of abusive debt collection practices.

2006Elise M. Chambers has been named executive director, Criminal Division, of the People’s Law Collective of Minnesota.

Women in Law Annual Spring Tea—April 2, 2009Women in law donned their most festive hats, celebrated their accomplishments, and participated in a CLE at the Annual Spring Tea and CLE presentation at William Mitchell. Next year, as the tea marks its 10th anniversary, the event will be renamed in honor of Justice Esther Tomljanovich ’55, a role model for women in law. The next tea is scheduled for April 13, 2010.


29Fall 2009

Class Notes

Deanne M. Koll was named an Up and Coming Lawyer for 2009 by the Wisconsin Law Journal. She is employed by Bakke Norman in Eau Claire, Wis.

Maureen D. Lord Mohr joined Marilyn J. Michales & Associates, Golden Valley, Minn., as an associate attorney and will focus on family law and negotiation.

Robert L. Schug joined Nichols Kaster, Minneapolis, as an associate attorney.

2007Doering S. Meyer joined the U.S. Department of State as a foreign service officer and is currently the vice consul at the U.S. Consulate General Calgary on a two-year assignment.

2008Josiah R. Fricton married Jennifer L. Springsteen May 24, 2009, in Minneapolis. He joined the Law Office of D. Clay Taylor in Minneapolis.

Paul A. Godfread opened Godfread Law Firm, Minneapolis, practicing in intellectual property, business/corporate, e-commerce, and consumer law.

Mitchell honors outstanding alumniRetired Chief Justice Douglas K. Amdahl ’51 received the Honorable Warren E. Burger Distinguished Alumni Award for his exemplary judicial career, and Jessie R. Nicholson ’85 received the Honorable Ronald E. Hachey Outstanding Alumni Award for her work giving voice to underrepresented people as director and CEO of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS). They were recognized at the annual William H. DeParcq Leadership Dinner, which celebrates the contributions of William Mitchell alumni to the school and the legal community. Amdahl served eight years on the Minnesota Supreme Court, seven as chief justice. A leader in establishing the state’s Court of Appeals, he oversaw the construction of the Minnesota Judicial Center and the unification of the state’s trial court judges. He also served on the William Mitchell board of trustees and worked as an adjunct professor. Nicholson is the first African American woman to head an Upper Midwest legal aid organization. In her 25 years at SMRLS, she has touched the lives of thousands of people in 33 Minnesota counties who otherwise would not have had meaningful access to legal services.

Watch videos on the honorees at wmitchcell.edu/alumni

Jessie R. Nicholson ’85 accepts her award at the DeParcq Leadership Dinner. (Below) Nicholson congratulates Retired Chief Justice Douglas K. Amdahl ’51 on his award.

“Chief, my hat’s off to you. I can’t fill your shoes, I’m just going to try.”–Chief Justice Eric Magnuson ’76 to retired Chief Justice Douglas K. Amdahl during the awards ceremony at the annual DeParcq Dinner

30 Mitchell on Law

Class Notes

1950Eugene C. Wann (St. Paul College of Law), 88, New Prague, Minn., died May 23, 2009. Attorney for more than 50 years in New Prague, Minn. Survived by wife, Lois, and sons, E. Charles and Art.

1951Mark C. Brennan (Minneapolis School of Law), 86, Minnetonka, Minn., died June 30, 2009. Attorney, Meagher and Geer, 1951–1987. U.S. Marine Corps World War II veteran. Survived by wife, Lois, and children, Therese and Mark.

1955Clyde C. Blinn (Minneapolis School of Law), 87, Edina, Minn., died May 12, 2009. Patent attorney and patent agent at Honeywell for more than 40 years, known for his work on Honeywell’s round thermostat. World War II and Korean War veteran. Survived by wife, Marguerite, and children, Ann and John.

Children’s Law Center honors alumni with Distinguished Service Award Four alumni are among the Leonard,

Street and Deinard attorneys

who were honored with the 2009

Distinguished Service Award for

Children from the Children’s Law

Center of Minnesota: Dominic J.

Cecere ’90, Robert T. Kugler ’88,

Elizabeth A. Papacek ’00, and Daniel

L. Palmquist ’91. This prestigious

annual award recognizes a

significant commitment to pro bono

representation of children.

2008 (continued)Joshua G. Jones opened The Law Office of Joshua G. Jones, an entertainment and intellectual property law firm in Austin, Texas.

Christopher W. Keyser opened Keyser Criminal Defense in Minneapolis. He practices state and federal criminal defense.

Kathryn R. Minnich joined Rinke Noonan, St. Cloud, Minn., as an associate attorney practicing in real estate, contracts, general business, and economic development.

Nadia Polukhin-Pratt joined Wilson Law Group, Minneapolis, as a litigation associate focusing on immigration, family, and civil law.

Lisa M. and Matthew W. Sims opened The Sims Law Firm in Springfield, Mo., practicing in family and criminal law, contracts, and appeals.

Stephen Maxwell, distinguished judge, prosecutor, and community leader, dies at age 88

Stephen L. Maxwell ’53, the first African American district court judge in Minnesota, died Aug. 31, 2009, at age 88. His distinguished legal career included serving as Minnesota district court judge from 1968–87, St. Paul Municipal Court judge from 1967 to 1968, and assistant Ramsey County attorney from 1959–64 and 1967. As legal counsel for the St. Paul NAACP in the 1950s, he won a case for two black men who were refused service in a Dakota County bar. As a prosecutor, he worked on some of St. Paul’s most notable criminal cases. Maxwell assisted in the prosecution of

Rocky Lupine and John Azzone, both convicted of kidnapping in 1960 in connection with the slaying of Tony deVito. A leader in the African American community, Maxwell was the first black person to be a St. Paul corporation counsel (a position now called city attorney), an assistant Ramsey County attorney, and a Minnesota district court judge. He was the second black person to be a municipal judge in the state. Maxwell was an acting justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1979 and 1992. He earned a B.A. in accounting from Morehouse College and worked for the IRS, the St. Paul Municipal Auditorium, and the federal Office of Price Stabilization before entering law school. He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1966. The St. Paul native is survived by his wife, Betty.


31Fall 2009

1958Gerald L. Priebe, 80, Littleton, Colo., died March 11, 2009. Retired from First National Bank of Englewood, Minn. Survived by wife, Jeanne, and children, Richard, Stephen, and Sally.

1960Floyd J. Ordemann, 84, El Paso, Texas, died April 1, 2009. Retired from Honeywell after 14 years as an electrical engineer and 19 years as an attorney. World War II and Korean War veteran. Survived by children, Cheryl and Steven.

1964Robert T. Edell, 76, White Bear Lake, Minn., died March 23, 2009. Partner and board member, 1970–88, Merchant & Gould, specializing in U.S. International Trade Commission lawsuits. Survived by wife, JoAnne, and children, Deborah, John, James, Jeanne, and Kathleen.

David P. Langevin, 75, Cottage Grove, Minn., died June 28, 2009. Attorney in private practice and former Cottage Grove city attorney. Survived by children, Michael, James, Anne, and Mary.

1967Richard J. Chrysler Sr., 89, Park Rapids, Minn., died March 16, 2009. Retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel after 26 years, lawyer, and owner of Tate Island Resort, Reindeer Lake, North Saskatchewan. Survived by children, Candace and R. David.

1969Dan F. Byrne, 82, St. Paul, Minn., died April 26, 2009. Hennepin County (Minn.) prosecutor for 27 years. Prior 20 years as journalist. Sailed in 1978 South China Sea race from Hong Kong to the Philippines, guitarist in Better Than Nothing Dirt Band, and World War II vet. Survived by wife, Jo-Anne, and children, Kevin, Corcoran, Regan, and Nora.

John T. Finley, 69, St. Paul, died June 1, 2009. Retired Ramsey County District Court judge after 12 years on bench. Longest-serving member of Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, 1970–1996. Survived by wife, Jackie, and children, John, Bridget, and Mashiel.

1971Douglas G. Swenson, 63, Forest Lake, Minn. died Feb. 1, 2009. Tenth Judicial District Court judge in Pine and Chisago counties. Prior to his bench appointment, he served six terms in Minnesota House of Representatives. Survived by wife, Sandie, and son, Kirk.

1980David J. Moskal, 54, of Colorado died Aug. 3, 2009.

1985Constance L. Wilson-Steele, 61, Neenah, Wis,. died March 7, 2009. Senior counsel, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, 25 years. Survived by children, Charnea and Melanie.

1988Randall G. Becker, 64, Coon Rapids, Minn., died May 6, 2009. Retired master sergeant in Minnesota National Guard and 40-year Minnesota Department of Revenue employee. Survived by wife, Donna, and sons, Thomas, Matthew, and Mark.

1989Robin L. Miller, 49, Eagan, Minn., died March 27, 2009. Survived by children, Chelsea, Ashlee, Kaylee, and Charles.

1991Mark D. Wisser, 55, New Brighton, Minn., died Sept. 1, 2009. Attorney, Anthony Ostlund Baer & Louwagie and Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. Former sports editor, Chicago Sun-Times, Courier-News (Elgin, Ill.), and Star Tribune. U.S. Army Reserve and youth baseball umpire and coach. Survived by wife, Kathy, and children, Emily and Douglas.

1992Kristine L. Gabel, 44, Naples, Fla., died March 7, 2009. Chief legal officer of marketing and communication for Merrill Corp., active volunteer at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and Audubon of Florida’s 2008 Philanthropist of the Year and 2007 Volunteer of the Year.

1995Peggy S. Kawaters, 46, Austin, Texas, died Jan. 22, 2009. Former editor and investment specialist West Publishing, Eagan, Minn., and avid hunter.

1997Lisa A. Richards, 47, St. Paul, died December 2008.

2002David R. Loeffler, 36, died May 29, 2009. Aitkin (Minn.) County prosecutor and former Minneapolis police officer.

Obituaries

Visit wmitchell.edu/alumni for the latest William Mitchell alumni news, opportunities to get involved, and ways to connect with other Mitchell grads.

We’re proud to be a professional school—helping people transform themselves into skilled, expert legal practitioners. That’s the idea we try to capture when we talk about the outcomes for our graduates: practical wisdom and an enduring advantage. But recently, I’ve been thinking about Mitchell’s value not just to the folks who go to school here, but to the community. Here is something that got my attention: 27 percent of the lawyers on the Super Lawyers list went to Mitchell. But it gets better: Mitchell had more alums on the list than the next 15 law schools combined. And these included Harvard, Michigan, Iowa, Chicago, Wisconsin, Georgetown, Hamline, and St. Thomas. Here’s what I take away: If you care about the quality of law practice in this region, you care about William Mitchell because Mitchell’s impact on the profession is substantial. Of course, this is not new news to us. We know that more sitting judges in Minnesota went to Mitchell than to any other school. Our chief justice and attorney general are Mitchell alums. So is the CEO of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services. And the general counsels at more than 80 Fortune 500 and other companies throughout the region. So are 32 elected county attorneys and nine state legislators, who are joined in the legislature by three current

students. Speaking of students, more than 60 percent of ours voluntarily donate 50 or more hours to pro bono work, which is part of the reason we rank 12th in the nation as a place to study public interest law. A large part of our impact on the community comes from our faculty. Through publications, law reform work, and public service, our faculty help shape and improve the law. Here’s what I’m most proud of: Over the years, Mitchell has stayed true to its founding mission and spirit. Our accomplishments—from our beautiful building to our productive faculty and the civic leadership of our alums—have come from the hard work of the Mitchell community. You are our legacy, our endowment. Working together, we’ll provide real civic leadership for another 109 years. Thanks for your support!

Eric Janus President and Dean

Mitchell on Law

To the PointMessage from the Dean

Photo by Steve Woit

32

Our Civic Leadership

How far we’ve come...This photo was taken 95 years ago, when students from the Minneapolis College of Law gathered at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. The class included forty-five students who graduated on June 18, 1914. The graduation ceremony took place in the Plymouth Congregational Church, and the commencement speaker was Marcellus Countryman, a well-known lawyer and author who spoke on the subject of legal ethics. A lot has changed since then: Minneapolis College of Law became William Mitchell, 50 percent of our students are women, and students are now allowed to smile in photographs.

Minneapolis College of Law Class of 1914

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Mitchell on Law Fall 2009