Mitchell on Law Winter 2012

on law Where career opportunities and a great quality of life intersect

WINTER 2012

WILLIAM MITCHELL COLLEGE OF LAW MAGAZINE

Life and Law in Greater Minnesota

10

Six Things About Will Stute ’97 pg 12 Lara Hammel ’93 – Izzy's Ice Cream pg 14 Stephen '72 and Lisa Bonner Advance Innovation in Legal Education pg 25 Mitchell on Law

The William Mitchell Alumni CLE Series

Convenient. Interesting. Relevant.

The Legal Implications of the Assassination of Bin Laden Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 | 7:30–9 am Presenter: Professor Anthony S. Winer

Torts in the Courts Thursday, April 12, 2012 | 7:30–9 am Presenters: Professors David Prince and Mike Steenson

Indian Law Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012 | 7:30–9 am Presenter: Professor Colette Routel

The Intersection of Estate Planning and Family Law Friday, April 27, 2012 | Noon–1:30 pm Presenters: Chris Tymchuck ‘08, Michael Block, and Chad Snyder

IOLTA Tips and Traps for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 | Noon–1:30 pm Presenter: Patrick Burns ’91 and Tarell Friedley ‘85 Developments in International Patenting and the Patent Cooperation Treaty Thursday, March 8, 2012 | 7:30–9 am Presenter: Professor Jay Erstling Immigration in the Workplace Friday, March 23, 2012 | Noon–1:30 pm Presenter: Dyan Williams ‘05

Minnesota’s New (Uniform) Limited Liability Company Act Thursday, May 10, 2012 | 7:30–9 am Presenter: Professor Dan Kleinberger The Use of Computer Forensics in Litigation Friday, June 8, 2012 | Noon–1:30 pm Presenters: John Degnan ’76 and Mark Lanterman Mitchell’s CLEs are free to recent graduates (2010, 2011), $20 for all other alumni, and available via webcast for $30.

Learn more and register at

wmitchell.edu/lectures

Table of Contents

Mitchell on Law 13 A barroom bet leads to a historic

Volume 30, No. 1 Published by the Office of Institutional Advancement William Mitchell College of Law 875 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105 651-290-6370 fax: 651-290-7502 magazine@wmitchell.edu wmitchell.edu/alumni

Executive Editor Steve Linders Writing Kate Gillen Felicia Kelley Steve Linders Jenny Sherman Phil Theibert Art Direction Melinda Bianchet

legal career

13

If not for a barroom bet, John Cochrane ’58 may have never been named one of Minnesota’s top 100 lawyers of all time

16 Reflecting on the future

Graphic Design

16

Melinda Bianchet Kimberlea Weeks

William Mitchell President and Dean Eric S. Janus talks about leading the law school into the future by staying true to its past

20 Life and law in Greater Minnesota

Photography Mike Krivit Steve Niedorf Tim Rummelhoff Nick Shirghio Sarah Whiting Steve Woit

20

23 Making the most of the ‘Mitchell Mob’

President and Dean Eric S. Janus

How one recent graduate got connected to a fellow Mitchell graduate … and got a job

25 A gift for innovation, students,

and inspiration

23

Chair, Board of Trustees Kathleen Flynn Peterson ‘81

Many Mitchell graduates are carving out successful careers—and nice lives—beyond the shadows of the state’s tallest buildings

Board of Trustees Stephen B. Bonner ‘72, vice chair; Peter M. Reyes Jr. ‘97,

This fall, Stephen ’72 and Lisa Bonner make one of the largest gifts ever to Mitchell

27 Giving back, giving forward

secretary; Louis L. Ainsworth ‘77, treasurer; Lynn M.

25

Anderson ‘80; Lawrence T. Bell ‘79; Jeffrey P. Cairns ‘81; Richard R. Crowl ‘76; John M. Degnan ‘76; Lisa A. Gray ‘86;

Mitchell alumni and friends support Mitchell’s brand of practical legal education

Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks ‘85; John H. Hooley ‘80; James

6 Things About

J. Hoolihan ‘68; Stephen R. Lewis Jr.; David M. Lilly Jr.; Martin R. Lueck ‘84; Retired Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson ‘76; Judge Elizabeth Hoene Martin ‘80; James C. Melville ‘90; Justice

12 Will Stute ’97

27

Helen M. Meyer ‘83; Joseph S. Micallef ‘62; Ruth A. Mickelsen

‘81; Daniel P. O’Keefe ‘78; Ellen G. Sampson ‘84; Lenor A. Scheffler ‘88; William R. Sieben ‘77; David M. Sparby ‘80;

Departments

William F. Stute ‘97; Thomas W. Tinkham; Eric C. Tostrud ‘90; William A. Van Brunt; Donald F. Zibell ‘62

2 875 SUMMIT: News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

12

Alumni Association President John M. Degnan ‘76 Alumni Association Board of Directors Kathy S. Kimmel ’96, vice president; Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks ’85, secretary-treasurer; Thomas C. Baxter ‘94; Peter

14

H. Berge ’83; Timothy E. Bianchi ‘95; Mark V. Chapin ‘82; Alison C. Drichta ‘09; Jill K. Esch ’03; Mark A. Hallberg ‘79; Lee A. Hutton III ‘02; Imani S. Jaafar-Mohammad ‘04; Nicole James-

Robert G. Suk ‘70; Chris Tymchuck ‘08; William C. White ‘82

14 Off the Beaten Path: Lara Hammel ’93 dishes on entrepreneurship, innovation, and owning an ice cream café 18 Mitchell in FOCUS: An inside look at Ben Omorogbe’s ’95 “Mitchell Room” 28 Class Notes

Gilchrist ’03; Alexander J. Kim ‘06; Barbara J. Klas ‘91; Bruce J. Nerland ‘88; Lori Oleson ‘02; Judge George T. Stephenson ‘85;

Mitchell’s newest member of the board of trustees talks about his alma mater

18

36 To the Point: A message from Kathleen Flynn 10 Peterson ’81, chairperson of the William Mitchell board of trustees

Cover by Melinda Bianchet

Winter 2012

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

1

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

U.S. Supreme Court cites Prof. Dayton’s scholarship “Sometimes we wonder if anyone reads our scholarship.” Professor A. Kimberley Dayton got an answer when an article she wrote was recently cited by the U.S. Supreme Court. “It’s nice to know that it is being recognized at that level,” she says.

The court cited Dayton’s 1987 article “Personal Jurisdiction and the Stream of Commerce” in its Goodyear Dunlop v. Brown decision. Dayton’s article discusses the origins of the stream of commerce theory.

“My article was one of the first published after the court’s last decision [in the 1980s] on stream of commerce theory, and it was very comprehensive on the history of this theory of jurisdiction,” says Dayton. “I was hoping with fingers crossed that I might get cited. When the decisions came out, I looked for a citation—and there it was. It was very cool.”

Leading academic minds at Mitchell President and Dean Eric Janus is the co-editor of a special issue of the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, entitled “Beyond Myth: Designing Better Sexual Violence Protection.”

Professor Sarah Deer testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about the historical discrimination and ongoing economic, social, and cultural abuses that indigenous peoples in the United States experience, resulting in high levels of violence against Native American women.

Under the direction of Professor John Sonsteng, Mitchell hosted the Expert Witness Advocacy Training Academy, funded by the National Science Foundation. It was a first-ever program to help scientists more clearly communicate and demonstrate their often-complex work to people unfamiliar with scientific data, terminology, and methodology.

The academy attracted 29 scientists and experts from across the United States and earned a feature story in The Yale Forum on Climate Change & The Media in August.

2

The William Mitchell Intellectual Property Institute faculty, Professors Ken Port, Carl Moy, Jay Erstling, and Vice Dean for Faculty Niels Schaumann.

Hosted by the IP Institute and featuring presentations by

Professor Carl Moy, Professor Ken Port, and Professor and Vice Dean for Faculty Niels Schaumann, the International Visitor Leadership Program drew 18 intellectual property professionals from across the globe to Mitchell in August.

Sponsored by the U.S. State Department, the program allows for professional and cultural exchanges among emerging leaders in intellectual property law.

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

Photo by Tim Rummelhoff

Meet Emily Plunkett,1L When it came to choosing a law school, Emily Plunkett had a lot of people selling her on William Mitchell—13 relatives spanning three generations, to be exact. She listened and then made her decision based on a variety of factors that are part of the law school’s hallmark.

I chose William Mitchell for a number of reasons: I’ve heard nothing but positive things about the school from my family.

I like small, private schools with close-knit communities; and I want to practice law in Minnesota.

My parents inspire me. They have instilled in me the core values of faith, honesty, and respect. They’ve guided me toward a life founded upon balance and hard work.

They’ve also afforded me many opportunities.

I think attending Mitchell will enhance the opportunities available to me. After all, more Minnesota judges graduated from Mitchell than any other law school.

We travel a lot. We’ve probably visited more national parks and historical monuments in the United States than any other family.

I have a family history with William Mitchell. I will be the 14th member of my family to attend the school. My family thinks William Mitchell is first-class—a great place to begin one's legal career.

I’m excited to be studying the law. My family told me the classes would be tough and when I wanted to give up to just find strength and keep going. They will be there for me. I feel blessed to have them in my life.

The first member of my family to attend Mitchell was my great-grandfather, James Patrick Plunkett ’24.

I don’t have a lot of free time anymore. But when I do, I enjoy reading the paper (sports section first); power walking with my mom and sister, who plans to enroll at Mitchell next year; and family road trips.

Both my great-grandfather and father were adjunct professors at the school. In fact, my uncle Paul Plunkett ’82 had my father as an adjunct professor at Mitchell.

Right now I’m focused on fulfilling my degree in three years.

After that I’d like to work for a sports organization.

– Felicia Kelley is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer.

Winter 2012

Mitchell on Law

3

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

Chief Justice Warren Burger’s law clerks reunited at Mitchell On the 25th anniversary of the day Chief Justice Warren Burger ’31 retired from the U.S. Supreme Court, many of the men and women who served as his judicial clerks gathered at William Mitchell to discuss his decisions, share personal stories, and celebrate his life.

Burger graduated from St. Paul College of Law (now William Mitchell) in 1931 and went on to become the 15th chief justice of the United States. Only seven law schools have alumni who

have become chief justices. Burger is arguably Mitchell’s most accomplished graduate. He brought to the high court the same traits that made him successful in law school: grit, determination, a keen understanding of the law, and modesty.

“If I had to pick one word to describe Chief Justice Burger and his judicial legacy it would be modesty,” says U.S. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, who was one of several former clerks to participate in a panel discussion at the event.

“He as a man was genuinely humble and genuinely modest.”

>> Watch the entire discussion at wmitchell.edu/burger

Prof. Radsan: A wanted man Prof. Radsan on national security, 10 years after 9/11

“ catastrophic attack

Across the country, the risks of a have come

down sharply, thanks in large part to

“

our decimating the top levels of al Qaeda.

Al Qaeda's fragmentation, in my view, means their targets are shifted from obvious places like New York and

“ “

”

Washington to other parts of the country.

The nation is safer, overall, from attack

”

since 9/11, but the risk for Minnesota is now

higher.

”

At the same time, the chances of attacks like the Fort Hood shooting or the attempted Times Square car

bombing have gone up. Perhaps we must resign ourselves for a while to smaller but more frequent attacks.

”

Professor Afsheen John Radsan is a former assistant general counsel with the CIA and assistant U.S. attorney with the Department of Justice. He’s also the director of the National Security Forum at William Mitchell and a highly sought-after pundit on counterterrorism, targeted killing, and human rights.

In the last few months, Radsan has been a featured speaker at the Human Rights Institute at Columbia Law School and at the University of Cadiz in Spain. He’s also been interviewed by numerous media outlets, including USA Today and Politico.com.

>> Learn more about Radsan, watch and read his interviews, and find out where he’ll be speaking next at wmitchell.edu/national-security-forum

4

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

Modernizing teaching tools Mitchell Professors Christina Kunz and John Sonsteng make textbooks (gasp!) interesting Many things have changed in legal education since William Mitchell College of Law’s namesake studied the law. However, students and graduates have been known to make the argument that legal textbooks are not among them.

Until now. Recently, two Mitchell professors successfully modernized teaching tools in print and online.

Professor Christina Kunz’s book, Contracts: A Contemporary Approach is now in its second printing.

Students and law school professors across the country laud the book for its: • flowcharts, diagrams, and tables that highlight analysis and relationships among legal concepts, • online photographs and video clips that help students understand the case materials, and • graphics that draw attention to learning tools.

Learn more about the book at interactivecasebook.com

Professor John Sonsteng’s new legal educational tool has been called the “textbook of the 21st century.”

Arbitration Advocacy is a collection of DVDs that bring a complete arbitration case file to life through demonstrations and analysis of direct and cross examinations, opening and closing arguments, objections, and exhibits that users can actually examine.

Sonsteng partnered with Mitchell, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and Minnesota Continuing Legal Education to create the DVDs. Learn more at effectiveadvocatetraining.com – Felicia Kelley

Mitchell, China University partner to expand opportunities for students, faculty William Mitchell and China University of Political Science and Law’s College of Comparative Law signed an agreement that will establish an educational partnership between the two law schools.

Under the agreement: • Students from each college will have the opportunity to participate in student exchange and visiting scholar programs; • Faculty members from each college will have opportunities to serve as visiting professors at the partner school; • The partner schools will organize joint conferences; and • Faculty may publish scholarly articles in the partner school’s journals and law review.

Winter 2012

William Mitchell President and Dean Eric S. Janus and Vice President Baosheng Zhang of China University of Political Science and Law after signing an agreement to increase international educational opportunities for students.

Mitchell on Law

5

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

Prof. Dube honored for service to community

“ The law is a tool to

promote and achieve social justice; access to legal services for all income groups is essential in a democracy.

— Professor Diane Dube ’82, recipient of the A.M. “Sandy” Keith Alternative Dispute Resolution Award

”

Professor Diane Dube (center) visits with students from Mitchell’s Community Development Clinic.

Professor Diane Dube ’82 has received the A.M. “Sandy” Keith Alternative Dispute Resolution Award from the Dispute Resolution Center in St. Paul, Minn. The award recognizes Dube’s demonstrated commitment to social justice and ensuring that everyone has access to legal support services.

Dube has worked at Mitchell since 2001, when she was a field supervisor with the Civil Advocacy Clinic. She is currently director of the Community Development and Civil Advocacy Clinics, where she works with students who help individuals, nonprofit

organizations, and community groups on legal issues involving neighborhood revitalization, fair housing, affordable housing, and economic development.

“Professor Dube’s dedication to community-based practices— as exemplified by the Community Development and Civil Advocacy clinics—is an inspiration, and her contributions help make our neighborhoods better places in which we live and work,” says Jeanne F. Zimmer, executive director of the center.

Mitchell recognized for work with the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition President and Dean Eric Janus recently accepted the Pro Bono Publico award on Mitchell’s behalf from the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition.

The award recognizes Mitchell’s efforts to support the provision of civil legal services and the preservation of dignity to disadvantaged Minnesotans.

For more than a decade, Mitchell has opened its doors to the coalition’s support office, allowing it to use the campus to provide low-cost continuing legal education for public service attorneys.

“Through the generous contributions of their facilities and staff, William Mitchell College of Law has demonstrated true

6

leadership in supporting access to justice for low-income, elderly, and disabled people throughout Minnesota,” says Cathy Haukedahl, executive director of the coalition.

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

Responding to the need

New clinic focuses on keeping parents, children together William Mitchell has launched a new clinic aimed at helping families stay together.

Approximately 5,000 Minnesota children are in foster care or the adoption process at any given time.

Many never end up in a safe, permanent family, and some spend years in foster families and group homes, raising their risk of emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges, according to Child Trends, a nonprofit center that studies children at all stages of development.

For this reason, policy makers, administrators, and advocates focus their efforts on safely reducing the foster care rolls. Now William Mitchell has joined the effort.

This fall, the law school launched the Child Protection Clinic.

It will certify students to represent parents in Ramsey County.

If successful, the clinic’s organizers hope the model can be replicated more broadly and throughout the state and country as a way to address the dearth of attorneys trained and willing to represent parents in the child protection system.

“Right now, there is no uniform system or set of rules to ensure parents accused of abuse or neglect have access to qualified, well-trained lawyers,” says Joanna Woolman, the new clinic’s director. “Counties decide on their own whom to appoint as attorneys for parents, what to pay those attorneys, and what, if any, practice standards to impose for attorneys.”

The result, according to Woolman and others involved in the child protection system, is that many parents accused of neglect or abuse go to court without adequate representation, and children are often removed from homes.

“Our goal,” says Woolman, “is to help families that should remain together do so. It does not benefit society to have families torn apart when they could be saved.”

Winter 2012

Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and William Mitchell Trustee Helen Meyer ’83 agrees. She brought the idea for the clinic to Mitchell after witnessing firsthand the importance of providing quality representation to parents.

“The bottom line is that this will promote the best interests of abused and neglected children,” says Meyer. “Research tells us that a child can be safely returned home more quickly and permanently if the child’s parent has a well-trained lawyer. A welltrained lawyer can engage a parent in working together with the county and the child’s advocate to plan for the child’s safe return home.”

– Felicia Kelley

Child Protection Clinic Advisory Board Susan Ault, Casey Family Services James Backstrom ’78, Dakota County Attorney, Resources Subcommittee Chair Jody DeSmidt ’82, Walling, Berg & Debele Deb Diver, Parent Representative Sue Dosal ’79, Minnesota State Court Administrator Dianne Heins, Faegre and Benson Kathleen Junek ’08, State Public Defender’s Office Peter Knapp, Professor, William Mitchell Judge Leslie Metzen ’79, Senior Judge, Director of Violence Prevention 360 Degrees Justice Helen Meyer ’83, Minnesota Supreme Court, Chair, Board of Advisors Larene Randle, Parent Representative Judge Denise Reilly ’83, Hennepin County, Outreach Subcommittee Chair Erin Sullivan Sutton ’86, Assistant Commissioner, Children and Family Services Judge Terri Stoneburner, Minnesota Court of Appeals Nancy Ver Steegh, Vice Dean for Academic Programs, William Mitchell Joanna Woolman, Resident Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell

Mitchell on Law

7

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

Professors Colette Routel and Sarah Deer

Prof. Routel testifies before U.S. Senate committee

Prof. Deer selected for U.S. Department of Justice task force

On Thursday, Oct. 13, William Mitchell Professor Colette Routel testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The hearing, entitled “Carcieri Crisis: The Ripple Effect on Jobs, Economic Development, and Public Safety in Indian Country,” focused on the impact that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Carcieri v. Salazar has had on Indian tribes throughout the United States.

In Carcieri v. Salazar, the U.S. Supreme Court held that when Congress extended the benefits of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) to “all persons of Indian descent who are members of any recognized Indian tribe now under federal jurisdiction,” it used the term “now,” to mean June 18, 1934, the date when the act was passed. As a result, the benefits of the IRA—including the ability of the Secretary of the Interior to take land in trust for Indian tribes—extend only to tribes that were under federal jurisdiction on that date.

In her testimony, Routel pointed out that the decision was at odds with longstanding congressional policy that all recognized Indian tribes should be entitled to the same federal rights and benefits. Read more about her testimony at wmitchell.edu/news.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention selected William Mitchell Professor Sarah Deer to be a member of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence.

The task force will identify promising practices, programming, and community strategies used to prevent and respond to children’s exposure to violence.

There are 14 members on the task force. Professor Deer was chosen to join the team based on her advocacy work at the intersection of tribal law and victims’ rights.

Over the course of the year, the task force will conduct four public hearings across the country to learn from practitioners, policymakers, advocates, academics, and communities about the extent and nature of the problem of children’s exposure to violence in the United States, both as victims and as witnesses.

Read more at wmitchell.edu/news.

8

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

The Hon. Edward Toussaint joins Mitchell’s faculty This fall, former Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals Edward Toussaint Jr. joined the William Mitchell faculty as a distinguished professor of law and associate dean of Multicultural Affairs. He’s teaching Evidence and Civil Procedure and getting accustomed to spending his days in front of students rather than behind a bench. Here’s what he had to say about the transition.

Now that you’ve retired from the bench, how are you spending your free time? Generally, I think time is time.

And for me there is no such thing as free time. I choose to spend the time that I have been given with the William Mitchell community because I enjoy people, being in this environment. It is time well spent.

What do you miss most about the Minnesota Court of Appeals? I miss the day-to-day relationships that developed over the years. The collegial environment allowed for a free flow of ideas, with only one objective: service to the people. The work of the Minnesota Court of Appeals adds value to the development of the law, which allows citizens access for resolution of their claims.

How did you feel when you were asked to join Mitchell’s faculty? My ability to join this prestigious institution exceeded my life expectations. I am truly fortunate that the faculty and the board agreed that I am worthy of this opportunity.

What do you enjoy most about your time in the classroom?

It is and has always been about the students. I enjoy the interaction with the class members.

What’s one thing that’s surprised you about Mitchell?

Although I have been an adjunct professor at William Mitchell since 1993, I am finding out how little I know about this institution. I have so much to learn.

Fortunately for me, everyone reaches out, helping me with my blind spots.

– Steve Linders

Winter 2012

Mitchell on Law

9

News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and community

The 2011 ‘Mitchell Mix’ Recruiting the right mix of students is important to a law school.

It can help enhance national reputation. It brings vitality to classrooms. And it helps ensure that Mitchell alumni will continue to be the region’s legal, civic, and business leaders for years to come.

That’s why William Mitchell is committed to successfully recruiting students with the credentials and ability to succeed in law school and who will enhance the diversity of our student body. This year’s incoming class of students did both.

This year Mitchell welcomed an impressive group of 309 new students in late August.

The incoming class’s LSAT median of 155 is the second highest it’s ever been.

Minority enrollment increased to 16.5 percent in 2011, compared to 13 percent last year.

Women made up 47 percent of the incoming class.

Students came from 116 undergraduate institutions, 29 states, and 19 foreign countries.

practical wisdom ...

at your fingertips

Mitchell professors are internationally recognized for their scholarship. They’ve published articles on topics ranging from counterterrorism to intellectual property law to consumer financial services law.

Thanks to the librarians at the Warren E. Burger Library, nearly every article written by a Mitchell professor is available, for free.

In 2009 library staff started collecting and uploading every scholarly article they could find written by former and current Mitchell professors. Last year, the library unveiled Mitchell Open Access, an institutional repository that makes the articles available online to anyone, anytime.

10

Since then, researchers, lawyers, judges, and students have downloaded the work of Mitchell professors thousands of times, proving once again the value of faculty scholarship.

“Our faculty’s work has never been more accessible or widely disseminated,” says Simon Canick, assistant professor of law and associate dean for information resources. “Since Mitchell Open Access debuted, our faculty’s work has been downloaded 13,249 times. It’s incredible.”

>> Log on to William Mitchell Open Access at

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

open.wmitchell.edu

Mitchell on Law

alumni LINK Nerland, Oleson, and White join alumni board Three alumni with extensive business, legal, and leadership experience recently joined Mitchell’s alumni board: Bruce Nerland ’88, senior vice president for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and a board member of Youth Link and the St. Paul Area Council of Churches.

Lori Oleson ’02, compliance director at UCare Minnesota and a former member of the executive council and board of trustees of Concordia Academy.

William (Bill) White ’82, president of Lucid Patent and a member of the Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers advisory board.

hell Alumni

An Open Letter to Mitc

ged the legal s dramatically chan ha y om on ec w ne e w law school As we all know, th opportunities for ne job of ea ar e th in ly s as much landscape, particular dents and graduate stu ll he itc M am illi W e for graduates. This is tru mni, rs. redible group of alu as it is for othe at Mitchell is our inc e ag nt age va nt ad va r ad ll ajo m is Mitche However, one tion is leveraging th cia so as ni m is e alu r tiv Ou Initia over 11,000 strong. chey Initiative. This tes through the Ha ua ad gr so much d ve an s ga nt o de for our stu graduate wh 43 19 a , ey ch Ha n et. e Judge Ro itchell student he m named after the lat the lives of every M d he uc to nts. d de an stu ll r he out ou of himself to Mitc ion of truly caring ab dit tra his on es nt rri rre ca e cu The Hachey Initiativ cent graduates and ect our alumni to re nn Co : tough is ple th sim in is ies al Our go job opportunit ek se ey th as k or et to em netw nt to help them “g students to help th difference—we wa a es ak m ow kn u economy. Who yo an association or know” our alumni. uate or student to ad gr nt ce re a ke Ta : t people Our “ask” is simple involved and to mee em th t ge to e, tic ac ea of pr bar event in your ar . em ll.edu/hachey. who can help th u sign up at wmitche yo if ly on t Bu . rk nnected with a Our efforts can wo e’ll then get you co W . ils ta de e or m t ge meeting or event.

We’ll contact you to go with you to the to te ua had, but ad gr nt ce student or re Initiative has already ey ch Ha e th at th e impact y make a difference.

We are proud of th so that we can reall ed olv inv t ge to ni if you already have we need more alum Hachey Initiative or e th t ou ab e or m tive student If you’d like to learn ail our Hachey Initia em e as ple lp, he to itchell.edu. u’d like an idea for how yo ence, at hachey@wm wr La ey tn ur Co d Donovan an coordinators, Liliya e for your support.

Thank you in advanc Sincerely,

The Alumni Association extends its gratitude to three outgoing alumni board members: Jennifer Beck-Brown ’03, Bernard Dusich '80, and Jocelyn Knoll '92.

10

Winter 2012

John Degnan ’76 d itchell Alumni Boar President, William M e Hachey Initiative Learn more about th hachey at wmitchell.edu/

Mitchell on Law

11

6

S ix Things About... Will Stute ’97, one of the newest

members of the William Mitchell board of trustees, talks about Mitchell, life in a house with four young boys, and why Eric Janus really didn’t need to buy him breakfast Will Stute is a partner at Faegre & Benson, involved with several community service organizations, a husband, and a father to four young, active boys. But when the phone rang and Mitchell’s President and Dean Eric Janus asked to meet for breakfast, Stute agreed to rearrange his busy schedule to make time.

Turns out, breakfast wasn’t necessary.

mission of providing students with the practical wisdom to succeed in the profession.

I’d also like to help increase diversity within the profession.

1 How’d it feel to be asked to join the board of trustees?

He was a keynote speaker at an event my wife and I attended. We actually had dinner with him, and this photo of us was taken.

He is an inspiration, and meeting him is an experience I will never forget.

2 With your busy schedule, did you think twice about the invitation?

No. Dean Janus invited me to breakfast at a café in St. Paul. I told him afterward that he didn’t need to buy me breakfast … he could have asked me over the phone and I would have said yes.

I respect Dean Janus a lot. He was my first-year Civil Procedure professor. He is the most thoughtful and inquisitive professor I ever had. I am excited about the opportunity to work with him.

3 What issues are you most looking forward to addressing as a member of the board?

I think William Mitchell is a unique place.

There is a distinct advantage to the practical focus of the curriculum you find there.

I think it’s important the school stay true to its

12

5 You’re a trial lawyer focused on complex financial disputes. You’re president of Twin Cities Diversity in Practice and a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. And now you’re a member of the board of trustees. How do you find time to relax?

I don’t have too much downtime. I have four boys, and they keep my wife and me busy.

They play football, and they’re in school.

They’re just really active, so we’re really busy at home. But when we can, my wife and I like to travel. We especially like to escape to the Dominican Republic and just enjoy some peace and quiet.

6 Do you have time for one more question?

Actually I don’t, I’m sorry. I’m in the middle of a case, and it’s almost time to get the kids to football practice.

—Steve Linders

Mitchell on Law

Photo by Tim Rummelhoff

It was flattering, really. I was approached

by Dean Janus and Mary Cullen Yaeger ’89. Someone mentioned to them that I might be a good candidate. I was surprised and flattered.

4 You have a picture of yourself with Nelson Mandela in your office. When did you meet him?

John Cochrane

A Barroom Bet Photo by Nick Shirghio

leads to a historic legal career

By Phil Theibert The résumé is impressive. He successfully battled corporate giants. He won both the shortest and longest murder trials in Minnesota’s history. And he was named among the state’s most influential lawyers of all time, along with Warren Burger ’31, Douglas Amdahl ’51, and William DeParcq ’30.

Yes, John Cochrane ’58 made history during his half-century long legal career

Winter 2012

before retiring to Florida. But if it weren’t for drunken bravado, he may have never become a lawyer.

“I went to school on a bet,” says Cochrane. “At the time, I was a marine chief engineer at Bethlehem Steel. My brother Hamilton Cochrane ’51 was a St. Paul College man and a trial lawyer, and I went to meet him at the Sam Silver Club Bar. There was the usual crowd—federal

judges, court people.”

The bar was busy on this particular day.

“My brother was arguing with Mr. Robert Butler, then ambassador to Australia. He was giving Mr. Butler a very tough time about the ships they built up in the Great Lakes called The Lakers, which were around 312 feet long, and some bright guy in Washington decided to send them out to the North Atlantic. They didn’t last very long.

“So my brother Ham was giving the ambassador a hard time. Mr. Butler was taking it rather angrily. Somehow I got into the conversation and told them, ‘You two don’t know what the hell you are talking about.’

“They said, ‘Aw, you don’t understand.

There are some legal aspects here.’ I said, ‘Look, any dumb son of a (gun) can be a lawyer.’”

Butler smiled wryly, then told Cochrane there was no way he could make it through one semester of law school.

“So we bet a thousand bucks and wrote the checks out and gave them to Sam Silver.

Even though we had been drinking, they were nearly legible.”

The next day, Cochrane went to the St. Paul College of Law and sat down in the dean’s office.

“I said I want to go to law school, and the dean said, ’Well we are three weeks into the semester.’”

Cochrane got in anyway by paying the first year’s tuition on the spot.

“So I started law school. But I had to call my boss at Bethlehem Steel. I said, ‘You have to get someone else; I am going to law school.’ He responded, ‘Oh hell, another good man gone wrong.’“ Cochrane graduated in 1958, went back to Sam Silver’s, collected his winnings, and started practicing law in 1959.

The rest is history.

Mitchell on Law

13

Scooping up a sweet gig Lara Hammel ’93 dishes on entrepreneurship, innovation, and owning Izzy’s Ice Cream Café

14

Mitchell on Law

off the beaten path

Photo by Mike Krivit

By Kate Gillen Lara Hammel ’93 never imagined that words like “pomegranate pizzaz” and “mango django” would be a part of her everyday professional lexicon. But when she and husband Jeff Sommer decided to leave the comforts of their careers in search of adventure, their lives—and vocabularies—quickly changed.

Hammel and Sommer opened Izzy’s Ice Cream Café in 2000. Since then, they’ve turned a quaint shop on a tree-lined St. Paul street into more than just another small business; they’ve turned it into a must-visit destination for neighborhood families and tourists alike.

The couple met while studying at Hamline University. After graduating, they married, and Sommer began his career as an English teacher while Hammel enrolled at William Mitchell.

Three years later, she earned her J.D. and took a job with a small law firm in Michigan. For seven years she practiced family law. Then one day the couple’s cravings for adventure set in, and they decided their dream was to own a small business.

“We knew we wanted to open our own business, but we didn’t know what type,” Hammel says. “Neither of us had any practical experience running a business.”

They moved back to Minnesota and, for the next several months, pondered business ideas—deli, bakery, bookstore.

Then, they landed on the unexpected.

“We decided to open an ice cream shop,” says Hammel. “It sounded fun, it sounded adventurous, and who doesn’t like ice cream?”

Their original idea was to sell their favorite brands of locally made ice cream, but after approaching several companies and being rejected or ignored, the couple

Winter 2012

decided to take matters into their own hands and set out to learn how to make ice cream.

They scoured local bookstores for “how-to” books on the sweet science (and art) of ice-cream making and studied under Edina Creamery owner Tony Nguyen. Sommer wanted to take it a step further. He teamed up with an ice-cream consultant and traveled to the East Coast

“In a place like an ice cream shop, customers are usually happy.

And to know all of our hard work is creating these emotions is the ultimate accomplishment.”

– Lara Hammel to study gelato. Meanwhile, Hammel dusted off the legal skills she’d learned at Mitchell and began sifting through lease documents, OSHA requirements, and employment law.

When it was time to pick a name, their formula was simple. Both wanted the name to be family oriented, so they each wrote down their favorite children’s names. After comparing lists, they agreed on Izzy’s.

Not just another ice cream shop Hammel and Sommer share a strong commitment to using environmentally friendly products and spent several years working to decrease the business’s carbon footprint: They installed solar panels on the café’s roof and invested in chemicalfree products.

But being environmentally conscientious isn’t Izzy’s only focus.

The owners also care about the neighborhood.

“Our unofficial business model is simple: Keep it friendly, keep it fun, and keep it happy,” says Hammel.

“Our commitment to that motto is what led to our most innovative concepts.”

Izzy’s carries nearly 150 flavors of ice cream, but only 32 are in the “dipping cabinet” at any given time. With a line-up of distinctive flavors in high demand, they often take phone calls from customers asking when a particular flavor will be available.

“We tried to address the problem by taking down customers’ names and calling them when their favorite flavors were in, but that system had a lot of flaws,” says Hammel.

“So, with the help of a software and design company, we developed a way to use a radio frequency identification system to send updates via email, Twitter, and Facebook and post on our website when new flavors are stocked.”

To encourage fans to try something new, Hammel and Sommer invented their trademark: The Izzy Scoop—a one-ounce taster added to each order, allowing customers to have a noncommittal try of some of Izzy’s more unusual flavors.

The idea is working. Today, Izzy’s ice cream is for sale in grocery stores across the region.

“Of all the areas of the business that we’ve taken on, the most rewarding is still seeing our products at local businesses and hearing customers share their Izzy stories,” says Hammel. “In a place like an ice cream shop, customers are usually happy. And to know all of our hard work is creating these emotions is the ultimate accomplishment.”

Mitchell on Law

15

President and Dean Eric S. Janus talks about how Mitchell’s past can shape its future

By Steve Linders During his installation ceremony as William Mitchell’s president and dean, Eric S. Janus told those in attendance that the law school was well-positioned to lead legal education into the future— through innovation, engagement in the profession, and practical wisdom.

That was four years ago. Since then, much has changed in the legal profession and for Mitchell. The nation’s economy has continued to falter. Law firms have tempered their hiring. The number of people applying to law school has decreased.

To be sure, these are challenging times. But Janus still believes Mitchell is the law school that will lead legal education to a brighter future.

16 16

The speech you gave during your installation ceremony painted a bright future for Mitchell. Are you still optimistic?

Janus: Absolutely. Our mission is unquestionably aligned with what’s needed in legal education today.

We serve the law. We teach it, practice it, and work to make it just.

And we do that, as we have for more than 110 years, by focusing, unapologetically, thoughtfully, and systematically on giving students the practical skills they need to succeed as professionals.

We are not the only law school in the country focusing on a practical legal education, but I believe we have the strongest commitment to it, and we have the deepest roots. That is our competitive advantage.

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

What is the most difficult aspect of your job?

Janus: Without a doubt the most challenging part of the job is maintaining a true and authentic focus on our mission, while addressing concerns about outside influencers, such as the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

While there are aspects of what U.S. News measures that are important to us, it is unfortunate that there are no widely understood external sources of information that are congruent with our mission.

We know, for example, that there is inherent benefit to our students that comes from having a faculty that is connected to the profession, which U.S. News does not measure. We also value diversity among

Mitchell on Law

Photo by Steve Woit

President and Dean Eric S. Janus students, and we define diversity more liberally than U.S. News.

What happens, then, is that people— prospective students, college counselors, hiring managers, some alumni—rely on U.S. News rankings to evaluate the quality of a law school, and they only get partial information. They don’t see our professors and students working together on writing amicus briefs and crafting public policy. They don’t see the energy that’s created in a classroom when students from diverse backgrounds—an engineer from 3M, a state senator, a former police officer, and a recent college graduate, for example—discuss the law from their unique points of view.

What they see is that William Mitchell is a law school ranked in the “top tier,” which is a pretty generic assessment.

For years, there’s been an internal tension at Mitchell about whether to go down a scholarly track, which would benefit us in the rankings, or a practical track.

I think we’ve come to understand that it is possible to do both, which is what we do, and that both benefit our students.

What has surprised you most during your first four years leading the law school?

Janus: How much people are willing to support Mitchell—the board of trustees, alumni, community members.

It has been challenging and wonderful to engage so many people in the institution at a strategic and policy level. The board is a huge asset to the college, and they lead by example; 100 percent of the board give to the Annual Fund.

Winter 2012

Prior to taking this position, I had never been involved in fundraising.

I’d seen every day the importance it made in the lives of our students, but I’d never personally raised money.

As dean, it’s a key part of my job, and I’ve been amazed both by how much work it is and how rewarding it can be.

Last year we had our most successful fundraising year ever. That says a lot about how much our alumni and friends value Mitchell, especially when you consider that they supported the law school in the midst of such challenging economic times.

“I’m excited about following in the rich Mitchell tradition of innovating by exploring how technology can improve legal education and make it more accessible. I think there are opportunities in distance learning.”

– Eric S. Janus Speaking of finances, how is Mitchell weathering the current economic uncertainties?

Janus: We are in a strong position.

We’ve focused resources strategically on recruiting the right mix of students; innovations, such as the new Center for Law and Business; and keeping Mitchell affordable.

Much has been made in the media recently about the cost of law school and the dearth of job prospects for recent graduates. Is law school still a good investment?

Janus: It is a significant investment, and anyone enrolling should be sure they go into it with their eyes open in terms of dollars, time, and energy.

But it can also be a good investment.

We offer a part-time option that allows students to work while attending, thereby significantly reducing their level of debt when they graduate.

A piece of advice I’d give anyone thinking about Mitchell is this: Think about what you want to get out of law school. If you want to earn a degree that can help you hit the ground running as a legal or business professional, then we can help you reach your goals. I believe, for someone who wants to live and work in the Midwest, there is no better law school than William Mitchell.

When you think about Mitchell’s future, what gets you excited?

Janus: A lot. I’m excited about following in the rich Mitchell tradition of innovating by exploring how technology can improve legal education and make it more accessible. I think there are opportunities in distance learning.

I’m excited about the work our faculty is doing. We have great faculty members who are dedicated to the mission of the school and making significant contributions to society both in and out of the classroom.

And I’m excited about the enthusiasm with which our alumni and friends step up to support what we are doing.

To me, their support is the perfect example of what it looks like when an organization is doing things right— it’s grassroots, it meets a need, and it’s sustained over a long period of time.

Mitchell on Law

17

Ben Omorogbe ’95 loves his alma mater.

The second vice president of legal services at Traveler’s Companies is affectionately referred to by friends and colleagues as “Mr. Mitchell,” and he makes it a priority to spend as much time at William Mitchell as he can.

He served nine years on the law school’s board of trustees, spent three years on the alumni board, and has mentored many Mitchell students.

And when he’s not at Mitchell, the law school is never far from his mind, especially when he’s working from his home office, which is called the “Mitchell Room” and entirely dedicated to what Omorogbe calls “Mitchell’s greatness.” Take a look.

4.

5.

2.

1.

3.

6.

11.

1.

Omorogbe, a native of Nigeria, acquired his U.S. citizenship while attending William Mitchell. These three flags represent the United States, his adopted homeland; the State of Minnesota, his adopted state; and Nigeria, his country of birth.

18

2.

A letter from the former president of the William Mitchell Alumni Association announcing Omorogbe’s selection as the recipient of the Student Award of Merit for the class of 1995.

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

3.

The multiple awards on the table include leadership awards given after his term as Student Bar Association president in 1995.

He served as a member of the association from 1993 to 1995.

Mitchell on Law

MITCHELL IN FOCUS 9.

6.

This photo was taken at Mitchell during a scholarship luncheon.

It includes Jessica Stomski ’08, who received a scholarship from Travelers when she was a student.

7.

Omorogbe received this clock as a gift from his employer at the time of his graduation from law school in 1995.

8.

8.

7.

The William Mitchell Law Review— he owns every volume dating back to 1993, along with other Mitchell journals and magazines.

10.

9.

This set of photos features Omorogbe with Mitchell greats, such as Justice Esther Tomljanovich ’55, one of his favorite alums and judges, taken in 1994; former William Mitchell President and Dean Harry Haynsworth at his welcoming ceremony in Mitchell’s boardroom, taken in 1995; and former Minnesota Governor Al Quie at a Mitchell dinner honoring Justice Warren Burger ’31 on his last visit to St. Paul in 1994.

Photo by Steve Wolt

10.

4.

Omorogbe received his William Mitchell diploma in 1995.

Winter 2012

5.

He received a Certificate of Recognition for his nine years of service on the Mitchell board of trustees in 2011.

The American flag inside the Mitchell mug is one that he received upon acquiring U.S. citizenship as a student at Mitchell. The swearing-in ceremony was administered by then Chief Judge Paul A. Magnuson ‘63, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

11.

With Satisfaction and Honor, William Mitchell’s history from 1900 to 2000, written by Professor Douglas R. Heidenreich ’61.

Mitchell on Law

19

Life and law in Greater Minnesota

Opportunities abound for attorneys beyond the shadows of Minnesota’s tallest buildings From left Mary Pfeifer ’04, Kathy Hart ’00, and Tori Appelhof ’03

By Jenny Sherman For nearly the past 20 years, the residents of Braham, Minn., population 1,700, have rolled and floured, filled and baked, sliced and served hundreds of pies in preparation for the town’s annual festival.

Pie Day is the first Friday in August and celebrates the Homemade Pie Capital of Minnesota. There is a car show, the savory smell of grilled pork wafts through the air, and there are pie-eating contests.

Pie Day is a big deal in Braham. The law office of Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart realized that when it hung out a shingle in the community in 2008.

20 10

The firm’s attorneys, all Mitchell graduates, recognized the event as a marketing opportunity, so every year they staff a booth, hand out promotional materials, and hope to drum up business.

“I don’t know how you get on the committee to bake pies,” says Mary A. Pfeifer ’04, one of the firm’s three partners.

“We haven’t done that yet.”

Chances are they will someday.

Lawyering in a small or mid-size town outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro requires a personal touch—firm handshakes, an open-door policy, and

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

remembering faces.

It’s a type of marketing that can lead to long and successful careers in areas of Minnesota where many lawyers don’t think about practicing law.

“You wonder if there’s business to support you there,” says Kathy K. Hart ’00.

She and her partners opened their first office in Oakdale, Minn., and, shortly afterward, a branch office in Braham.

“One challenge up north is the lack of income among clients,” says Tori M. Appelhof ’03. “Sometimes you have to be crafty with payment arrangements.”

Mitchell on Law

Photography by Sarah Whiting

greater minnesota

The attorneys have found plenty of work to keep them busy.

“We’re actually interviewing right now for another associate,” says Appelhof.

The Braham office is only open a couple of days a week, with each of the partners taking turns staffing the location.

Even with limited hours, the firm gets a significant amount of walk-in business, much more than they ever get at their metro location, says Hart.

She speculates that the walk-in business is probably due to the rapport they built with residents when they first opened.

“We met people personally, brought gifts, and introduced ourselves,” says Hart.

“We talked to every shopkeeper in town.”

They also advertised heavily in the phonebook. And they got involved in Pie Days.

“We’ve really got a good thing going,” says Pfeifer. “I really do enjoy and hope to be able to continue and develop our practice up north.”

A Family Affair “I’m the one in the family who swore never to come back to Marshall,” says Barbara J. Runchey ’80, who was born and raised in the southwest Minnesota burg.

Her father founded Runchey, Louwagie & Wellman there in 1953. Growing up, she chafed at the town’s slower pace and lack of, as she puts it, action. She fled to St. Paul for college and law school, but returned afterward with her new husband, Robert L. Gjorvad ’79, when her father’s firm coaxed her back.

“They wanted to hire both of us because they wanted some new, young talent,” says Runchey. “There was a lot of work, so financially it was a good decision.” Married and thinking about starting a family, she saw the close-knit, quiet community through new eyes: It was a wonderful place to raise children.

Winter 2012

“We’ve really got a good thing going. I really do enjoy and hope to be able to continue and develop our practice up north.”

– Mary A. Pfeifer Besides, she says, “As you grow older, you realize maybe restaurants and shopping isn’t the end all, be all.”

Her youngest sister, Sara J. Runchey ’96, agrees.

“You really have to look at your life in terms of the whole package,” she says.

“Your work is definitely a significant part of that package, but there are other things as well.”

Sara also moved to St. Paul for college and law school, then worked for a time in several different firms in the metro. She says her colleagues were competitive and focused on earning big salaries.

“That wasn’t the lifestyle I wanted or envisioned for myself at all,” she says.

“I realized I didn’t want to be in that environment. The outstate areas looked very good to me—it was where I wanted to land.”

She had offers from firms in Albert Lea and Winona, Minnesota cities with combined populations of about 40,000, but finally arrived back in the family practice in Marshall.

“In a smaller community, the firm is a business,” she says. “But it’s also a family.”

“We offer a pretty quick partnership track,” says Barb, who is managing partner of the firm. “That’s another advantage of going to a small town: a faster partnership track.”

Other benefits include short commutes—Barb rides her bike to work— and flexible work hours. And the pay is competitive.

“Based on my discussions with other lawyers in my age group, I make as much continued on next page

“My advice is to look beyond the metropolitan areas.

There's so much more opportunity in Greater Minnesota.”

– Barbara J. Runchey

Mitchell on Law

21

greater minnesota

if not more than my contemporaries,” says Barb.

And business is growing. In fact, the firm wants to expand by hiring additional attorneys. But drawing good candidates away from larger markets is difficult.

“My advice is to look beyond the metropolitan areas,” says Barb. “There’s so much more opportunity in Greater Minnesota.”

A Lifetime of Lessons “Most of the guys I know in bigger cities are all retired now,” says William “Bill” Bernard ’63, who is 82 and still practicing in Willmar, Minn. “I enjoy doing it; it keeps you thinking. At my age, you’ve gotta be busy, both physically and intellectually. A lot of people die of boredom.”

For Bernard, lawyering in a small town has been anything but boring. When he first arrived in Willmar in 1964, he started working for an older attorney who had been established in town for years, but who needed to go on a medical sabbatical.

“His business would’ve dried up had I not showed up,” says Bernard. “He had many, many stacks of cases that hadn’t been tended to. I was busier than a onearmed paperhanger. It was great for me because I didn’t know much about what was going on, but I learned quick.”

William “Bill” Bernard has practiced in Willmar, Minn., for more than 40 years.

He also signed up for local social clubs, the chamber of commerce, the American Legion, and the VFW (he’s a former Navy pilot).

“One thing you should do, if you go to a small town, is be a joiner,” he says. “I even ran for county attorney the first year I was here, just to get known. That was the legal way to advertise.”

After practicing solo for several years, he was able to expand the firm by opening branches in nearby Atwater, New London, and Raymond, Minn., and hiring more attorneys.

One of the offices was located in an old gas station, complete with closeddown gas pumps. He liked to keep it simple: a small waiting room and a small office with a desk. He left notes on the door to let visitors know if he was in court or out of town or in the basement or at the local café.

“There were days somebody wouldn’t come in, but most days they did,” he says.

“When you go to a small town, you’re probably the only lawyer in the town, so what business they have, the majority of it gravitates to you.”

Exploring a Career in Greater Minnesota Bridgid Dowdal, assistant dean for career and professional development, offers this advice for job seekers looking to go rural: • Use Symplicity, the school’s online job-search database and electronic bulletin board. Note in the profile section that you’re interested in working outside the metro region.

• Start networking in town before your interview or relocating. Getting to know the community is important, but letting them get to know you is critical.

• Set up a job shadow, internship, or externship. You’ll get experience in a small town—the best way to know if it will be a good fit for you or not.

• Attend “Greater Minnesota: Life and the practice of law beyond the metro” on Tuesday, April 3. There are more than 850 towns in Minnesota, all of them full of people and organizations who need legal services. Come hear about the life of a lawyer in Greater Minnesota from a panel of attorneys who live and practice in towns large and small throughout the state.

wmitchell.edu/careers

• Get some solid practical experience under your belt by clerking or participating in legal clinics before applying at rural firms. Smaller practices and solo attorneys will need you to hit the ground running.

22

Read more news online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

Photography by Sarah Whiting

continued from page 21

Making the most of the ‘Mitchell Mob’ How a William Mitchell student got connected to a successful Mitchell graduate and found a job

By Jenny Sherman Cynthia J. Vermeulen ’89 was being followed. In her office, in her car, during meetings, she had someone looking over her shoulder, watching her every move. Someone was even listening in on her phone conversations.

She was definitely being followed, and she knew it. In fact, the owner of Vermeulen Law welcomed the intrusion; she asked for it.

Vermeulen is a proud Mitchell graduate—one of nearly 11,000. She knows there’s a responsibility that comes with being

part of such a vast and influential mob—a responsibility to help others who are, or soon will be, Mitchell alumni. So she signed up to participate in a job-shadow program arranged by William Mitchell’s Office of Career and Professional Development.

The program pairs students with practicing attorneys who graduated from Mitchell. Each student tails an attorney for an entire day, witnessing firsthand the ins and outs, highs and lows, fast pace and slow drudgery of legal work.

Vermeulen’s student “shadow” was Aaron R. Decker ’10, who continued on next page

Winter 2012

Mitchell on Law

23

continued from page 23

signed on to participate in the job shadow they’re fun to have sit-downs with. program hoping to get connected with “I strongly support anything that someone working in family and criminal involves an informational interview, an law. internship, or just a couple of hours of For an entire day, Decker observed exposure to the work setting. It allows that Vermeulen at work. He went to sit-down student to get a much better grasp on the meetings with clients, talked to her reality of law.” associates, and drove with her to court proceedings. During the drive, he peppered A Powerful ‘Family’ “I’ve always believed William Mitchell is her with questions about the business, and a unique law school,” says John Degnan she sang like a bird. ’76, president of the alumni board and a “I think students—in particular those member of the board of trustees. “I don’t who have no experience in the legal think there’s another school with a more field—need to have that exposure to the loyal and devoted alumni group.” real world,” says Vermeulen, “so I told him As proof, he describes a about real-world practice in a variety of areas.”

“I've always believed very dedicated group of alumni board members, Decker’s questions William Mitchell is a faculty, staff, and students were on point. He who are helping to listened well. And his unique law school. promote an endeavor attentiveness didn’t go unnoticed.

I don't think there's called the Hachey Initiative.

Named in honor of the late So when he another school with Judge Ronald Hachey ’43, contacted Vermeulen an alumnus and staunch after his shadow a more loyal and supporter of the school, experience to ask if he the Initiative seeks to could clerk at her firm, devoted alumni leverage the experience, she hired him part time. group.” resources, connections, He researched projects, and goodwill of alumni to did trial preparation help students and recent graduates find and investigation work, and drafted employment. correspondence. He proved to be a “good The Hachey Initiative is, in effect, a earner.” networking powerhouse. Its events and “I guess you could say he made himself seminars cover techniques for networking, valuable,” says Vermeulen. using LinkedIn, financial planning, and After Decker graduated and passed the marketing oneself. It is planning to bar, Vermeulen hired him full time as an hold informational sessions with the attorney.

Minnesota State Bar Association and is “There’s a level of satisfaction that encouraging alumni to connect with and alumni or older lawyers can experience mentor students. “Knowing what they in mentoring a younger attorney,” says benefited from, it’s a situation where Vermeulen.

Plus, she says, people who study the law alumni should be grateful and give back,” says Degnan. at Mitchell are special; they’re ready to hit

1

Three ways to get connected Connect with the Office of Career and Professional Development.

The staff has experience and contacts in nearly every area of practice, and they can help you develop job-search skills, build your network, and find employment opportunities. Learn more at wmitchell.edu/careers.

Connect with Mitchell. We host events every month. Attend them.

They’re great opportunities to meet people who know people who may have open positions.

3

Use our resources. The Office of Career and Professional Development website has tools you can use to help in your job search—tip sheets about resume writing, links to job-search websites, advice about interviewing, and much more.

the ground running, they’re mature, and

24

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

A Gift for

students, innovation, and inspiration

From left Ashley Nagy, Daryl Fuchihara, Scott Cody ’11, Josh Kube, Christine Anderson (recipients of the Bonner Family Scholarship)

This fall, William Mitchell College of Law received a gift of $2 million, one of the largest to the college, from Stephen B. ’72 and Lisa S. Bonner A family whose life has been positively affected by William Mitchell recently made a $2 million gift to the law school.

“We are thrilled with Steve and Lisa Bonners’ generosity,” says Eric S. Janus, president and dean of William Mitchell.

“The legal profession and higher education are changing, and the Bonners have given us the resources to innovate and find ways to best prepare students for practice and leadership in this new world. This gift will have a powerful impact across the college and on generations of students.”

The gift creates the Bonner Distinguished Chair and Innovation Fund, which will support the work of Mitchell’s president and dean and provide resources to advance innovation in the teaching of law. The Bonner Fund honors three generations of the Bonner family that have participated in progress at Mitchell, beginning with John F. Bonner Sr., who taught at the college in the 1930s, John F. Bonner Jr. ’50, and Steve.

The law school has a rich tradition of innovation. For decades it was the

only evening law school program in the Midwest. It was among the first in the country to establish a clinical program for the community and has led the way with its legal writing, advocacy, and practicum programs. This past year, Mitchell created the Center for Law and Business, an innovative program focused on teaching business proficiency as well as legal skills and theory. The college has cooperative programs with global partners, including BPP Law School, one of the largest providers of legal education in the U.K.; continued on next page

Winter 2012

Mitchell on Law

25

The difference a gift can make “It was a great honor to be recognized by the Bonner family. Their scholarship helped motivate me to achieve not only in law school, but in practicing the law so that I can one day follow their example.”

– Scott M. Cody ’11 “I am incredibly honored to be a recipient of this scholarship. The Bonners’ commitment to education has given me the ability to pursue my passion of becoming an attorney and has inspired me to be a valuable advocate for the legal needs of my community.”

– Christine L. Anderson, 3L

“Without the generosity of the Bonner family and other William Mitchell donors, it would not be possible for me to attend law school. I deeply appreciate the opportunities that I have been granted and hope to make the most of them.”

– Daryl T. Fuchihara, 3L

“It was an honor to receive such a prestigious award from the Bonner family. With their ongoing support, I have been able to embrace my education with confidence, passion, and enthusiasm.”

– Ashley L. Nagy, 3L

26

continued from page 25

Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, Turkey; and most recently, the China University of Political Science and Law. A portion of the gift supports the Bonner Family Scholarship Endowment, which was created in 2008. With the additional support from the Bonners, the fund will grow to nearly $700,000, making it the largest scholarship fund currently supporting students at William Mitchell.

“The Bonner Family Scholarship has allowed me to worry

“The Bonner Family Scholarship has allowed me to worry less about finances and focus more on school and family.”

– Josh Kube, 3L less about finances and focus more on school and family,” says Joshua D. Kube, a third-year student. “The scholarship has a big effect on me, my wife, and children.”

The Bonners’ gift also includes a matching fund to encourage alumni giving over the next five years. The Bonner Match was put in place during the spring of 2011 and helped boost the number of alumni donors 12 percent to more than 1,800 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, and annual fund contributions by 24 percent to $584,000. ”If not for Mitchell, I would not have been able to get my J.D. degree in an evening program, which has been a cornerstone of progress for me and for Lisa and for my family.

We seek to attract more great students to Mitchell and to support an environment where they, our faculty, and our administration can drive innovation for our communities,” says Steve Bonner. “We hope that other Mitchell alumni will consider what the college has added to their lives and increase their support for this unique institution.”

Bonner is the president and chief executive officer of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), based in Chicago. He has been named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare. He is also vice chair of William Mitchell’s board of trustees and a member of the boards of CTCA, the American Architectural Foundation, the National Foundation for Women Legislators, and the Tennis Opportunity Program. Lisa Bonner is an attorney and business woman.

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

giving back

Giving Back, Giving Forward Last year, William Mitchell friends and alumni demonstrated their support for practical wisdom by making gifts to the law school at levels never before seen. Thanks to their generosity, Mitchell raised more than $6 million for scholarships, teaching innovations, and the educational programs that make the law school a national leader.

In addition to more than 1,600 people who made gifts to the Annual Fund, several others made leadership gifts recently that will impact students, the community, and Mitchell for generations:

Phyllis Welter ’79 generously increased her contributions to The Welter Intellectual Property Scholarship, which was established in 2006 with her late husband Paul Welter ’64.

Ruth A. Mickelsen ‘81 established a fund to advance innovations in curriculum and teaching methodology intended to enhance the accessibility of legal education.

Phyllis Welter ’79

Along with the wonderful support of Mitchell alumni at the firm,

Bill ’77 and Joyce Sieben

Briggs and Morgan recently committed a significant leadership

have created and supported scholarships at Mitchell for years, including the Harry Sieben Scholarship and the Kimberly Middendorf Courage Scholarship. This year they created another scholarship.

gift to create an endowed faculty chair and support the new Center for Law & Business at Mitchell. As part of the gift, 22 alumni at the firm pledged $162,300. One of the largest commitments of alumni at one firm.

Joyce and Bill ’77 Sieben

Judge Elizabeth “Betsy” Martin ’80 has been a longtime advocate and supporter of Mitchell, and recently she expanded her support of the Honorable Elizabeth Hoene Martin Scholarship for Women.

Judge Elizabeth “Betsy” Martin ’80

Winter 2012

Jeff Cairns ’81 and Scott Erickson ’83 helped secure a leadership gift from

Leonard Street and Deinard and its alumni. The firm’s gift supports the Center for Law & Business, and the Leonard Street and Deinard Scholarship, which has helped advance diversity at Mitchell.

>> Learn more about giving to Mitchell at wmitchell.edu/giving Mitchell on Law

27

Class Notes 1960

Llewellyn Linde presented a historical paper, “Congressman Andrew John Volstead: Author of the National Prohibition Act of 1919,” at the Norwegian-American Historical Association seminar at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

1965

R. Thomas Roe published a novel titled The Gaelic Letters: A Novel of the Almost Perfect Crime, about a retired attorney who begins a project to learn about family that his grandfather may have left behind in Ireland when he fled during the famine.

1967

Webster Hart received the James Huff Stout award from the UW-Stout alumni association in honor of his commitment to the college.

1974

Ross Kramer received the 2011 Leaders in Public Policy Unsung Hero Award from Politics in Minnesota and the Capitol Report for his involvement in many civic projects.

1978

1981

John Massopust was elected to the board of trustees for the Nature Conservancy in New Mexico.

Ruth Mickelsen was appointed to the board of governors for the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies.

Thomas D. Jensen was elected president-elect of the Hennepin County Bar Association for the 2011–12 term.

He was also voted a 2011 Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyer

by Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.

Jim Morrow was named the 2010– 2011 Professor of the Year by the Student Bar Association at Hamline University School of Law.

1979

Curtis D. Smith was awarded the first-ever Champions Award by the American Subcontractors Association of Minnesota.

Russell LaCourse Jr. and Ronald Envall ‘92 have merged their practices to form LaCourse & Envall.

The practice is dedicated to the representation of injured persons in workers’ compensation, automobile accidents, and other matters involving severe personal injury or death.

1982

Shawn Bartsh was elected president of the Ramsey County Bar Association.

David M. Jennings was named of counsel at Lapp, Libra, Thomson, Stoebner & Pusch.

Jennings practices primarily in the areas of banking, creditors’ rights and remedies, business litigation, real estate, and alternative dispute resolution.

1976

Melinda Elledge retired from the Ramsey County attorney’s office.

Linda Miller received the 2010–2011 Soroptimist Ruby Award, which honors women who significantly improve the lives of women and girls through their professional or personal efforts.

1977

Susan Haigh was named one of the 2011 Minnesotans on the Move by Finance & Commerce.

28

Seven things you didn’t know about Minnesota Lawyer’s Up & Coming Attorneys Seven William Mitchell alumni were recognized by Minnesota Lawyer as 2011 Up & Coming Attorneys for professional accomplishment, leadership, service to the community and profession, or achievement as in-house counsel. We know these seven attorneys are emerging leaders in their fields, but here are a few things you maybe didn’t know about them:

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Patrick Arneson ’00 originally wanted to drive a garbage truck because that was his favorite toy as a young child. But he says it seems more likely that he would have ended up a teacher had he not become a lawyer.

Caldwell Camero ’01 became a licensed pilot three days after turning 18 and flew for about eight years.

Mitchell on Law

Class Notes Judith Kopen was named partner at Gebhardt & Kiefer.

1985

Michael Miller was elected shareholder at Briggs and Morgan.

Maureen O’Connell joined the Minnesota Department of Human Services as assistant commissioner for the Chemical and Mental Health Services Administration.

1987

Michael A. Klutho was re-elected chief officer of Bassford Remele.

Melissa Miller-Byrnes was elected president of the New Mexico Municipal Judges Association.

Sandra Trenda was promoted to chief legal officer for Great Clips.

1988

Anne M. Honsa was named an American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers fellow.

Shannon Carey’s ’06 first job was working as a secretary in her dad's law office.

1989

1992

Richard H. Kyle Jr. was elected secretary of the Minnesota State Bar Association.

1990

Daniel J. Young joined Lommen Abdo as a shareholder practicing with the firm’s corporate and entertainment groups.

He also received the CJ Ramstad Unsung Hero award for his work supporting the 2011 Special Olympics Northland 300 snowmobile ride.

1991

Ronald Envall and Russell LaCourse Jr. '81 have merged their practices to form LaCourse & Envall. The practice is dedicated to the representation of injured persons in workers’ compensation, automobile accidents, and other matters involving severe personal injury or death.

Kevin S. Spreng joined Fredrikson & Byron as an officer.

1993

John Hamilton was appointed judge advocate of the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Newport Beach, Calif.

Arlene M. Perkkio was appointed district court judge in Minnesota’s First Judicial District by Gov. Mark Dayton.

Daniel Yarano was named one of the 2011 Minnesotans on the Move by Finance & Commerce.

Soren Paul Petrek authored a book titled Cold Lonely Courage. The book is inspired by the true story of a young woman who helped Jewish children during World War II.

Christine Cassellius ’00 spent her high school years playing softball and basketball and was the editor of her school newspaper.

Stacia Driver ’03 attributes her success in law school to having a supportive family, a great mentor (her dad), and learning that preparation is the key component to the success of a case.

Susan Tindal ’03 enjoys boating and recently relearned to ice skate with her 4-year-old son.

Hanna Wolf ’08 played the violin for more than 12 years and is passionate about traveling and being exposed to different cultures.

Congratulations to all seven recipients for their hard work and recognition!

Winter 2012

Mitchell on Law

29

Class Notes 1994

Jennifer O’Neill opened her own practice, O'Neill Elder Law, in Hudson, Wis.

1995

Anne Barry was named deputy commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Stephen C. Coughlin was named a 2011 Lincoln Fellow by the Claremont Institute.

Diana Bouschor Dodge was elected to the board of directors for the Lake Superior Zoological Society.

Thomas C. Plunkett was certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association as a criminal law specialist.

Plunkett is one of only 14 criminal defense attorneys in the state of Minnesota to have achieved this certification.

1997

Daniel J. Enebo joined the William Mitchell College of Law Intellectual Property Institute board of advisors.

Mark Metz was elected Carver County attorney and was sworn in by Judge James A. Morrow ‘78.

2001

1998

Anh Le Kremer was named one of this year’s Women to Watch by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.

David Garelick was selected as regional supervisor for Zone II (North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska) during the claims processing phase of the class action lawsuit Keepseagle v. Vilsack.

The suit, filed in 1999, challenged discrimination in the USDA farm loan programs dating back to 1981.

Tim Gustin was appointed adjunct director for Moss & Barnett.

The adjunct director program is intended to train future leaders of the firm.

1999

Jewelie Grape was named president of the Hennepin County Bar Association.

2000

Tim Hood joined Redgrave as an analyst in its information law practice.

James Mogen was appointed assistant county attorney for the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.

Matthew H. Morgan was named partner at Nichols Kaster.

John Soshnik has joined Lindquist & Vennum as a partner in its health law practice.

Garth Gavenda was elected shareholder at Anastasi & Associates in Stillwater, Minn.

Jennifer Lammers was named to the 2011 40 Under Forty list by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.

Matthew Shea was elected shareholder at Gray Plant Mooty.

Aric T. Stienessen was elected partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson.

2002

Aimée D. Dayhoff was named to the 2011 40 Under Forty list by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.

Lee Hutton was selected as one of 25 Attorneys of the Year

by Minnesota Finance & Commerce.

Erica L. (Thompson) Roettger and her husband, Philip, welcomed their fourth child, Benjamin Albert Roettger, on May 12, 2011. Ben joins big brother Luke (5), big sister Amelia (4), and big brother Samuel (2). The family now lives in Landisville, Penn.

Keep Us Posted:

Send your Class Notes updates to magazine@wmitchell.edu 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!

30

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

Class Notes Justice Esther M. Tomljanovich ’55 recognized for lifetime of achievements Justice Esther M. Tomljanovich ’55 is a pioneer for women in law. Some know her for her service on the Minnesota Supreme Court, others for her contributions to the Medica board of directors, and many for her uncanny ability to coordinate multiple endeavors and stylish business suits with hats. Anyway you look at it Tomljanovich has an impressive list of lifetime achievements, recently earning her the American Bar Association’s 2011 Margaret Brent Women of Achievement Award. The award, established in 1991, honors outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence in their area of specialty and have actively paved the way to success for others. The award is named for the first woman lawyer in America. The only other Minnesotan to receive the award was Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Wahl ’67.

Tomljanovich received the award after serving more than 50 years in the legal field. She served as Minnesota Supreme Court justice between 1990 and 1998.

Prior to that, she was a district court judge in the 10th Judicial District for 13 years. Tomljanovich has been involved in many organizations, including the Legal Rights Center, Medica, William Mitchell, the Itasca Community College Foundation, and the Landmark Center.

When asked what advice she has for those just getting started, Tomljanovich replied, “You can have it all, but maybe not all at once.”

Lisa Needham was named of counsel at the Minneapolis-based law firm of Seiler & Associates and will practice in the areas of civil and appellate litigation and regulatory law.

Christine M. Swanson opened her own practice, Swanson Law Office, in Mendota Heights, Minn. It's a general-practice firm.

2007

2003

2005

Greg Larson was elected shareholder at Gray Plant Mooty.

2008

Wendy Brekken was elected shareholder at Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt.

Robin Radke was named partner at Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly.

Jon Schindel joined Seiler & Associates and will practice in the areas of Internet law, business law, estate planning, and litigation.

Richelle Wahi joined the law firm of Lindquist & Vennum as a partner in its family law practice.

2004

Kelly Eull was named to the 2011 Minnesota Rising Stars list

by Super Lawyers.

Winter 2012

Allison L. Marshall opened a new law firm, LEGALnudge, which provides flexible, unbundled, flat-fee family law services and clinics as well as full representation in family law matters.

Katherine E. Merkel joined the law firm of Henschel Moberg as an associate attorney.

2006

Patrick McGuiness was elected to the board of directors of Hiway Federal Credit Union in St. Paul.

Jackson J.J. Evans married Cammie Downing on May 29, 2011, in Lutsen, Minn.

Janine Luhtala married Benjamin Loetscher, on May 14, 2011, in Minneapolis.

2009

Colleen Berryman married Seth Spreadbury on June 11, 2011.

Joe Nazarian joined the law offices of Nico N. Tabibi located in Beverly Hills, Calif., practicing business litigation.

Lucas Nesse was named to the Minnesota State Senate Republican Committee.

Jacob A. Thompson joined the White Earth Band of Ojibwe as a tribal attorney representing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Mitchell on Law

31

Class Notes 2010

Amanda Swanberg and Kristen Bullock have launched a new website called SlidingFeeAttorneys.com.

The website provides potential clients with a central location to find affordable attorneys, while allowing solo and small firm attorneys the opportunity to benefit from a pooled marketing budget as they build their client base.

Shefali Patel joined Babst Calland as an associate in its employment and labor and litigation services groups.

2011

Andrea Bement married Kevin Hagerty on June 10, 2011, in Breezy Point, Minn.

Shari P. Fischer joined Somsen, Mueller, Lowther & Franta as an associate attorney.

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

Stay connected!

Like William Mitchell on Facebook.

32

1934

Harold J. Anderson, 101, March 5, 2011.

Preceded in death by wife, Eleanor; daughter, Margaret Ann; brother, Judge Elmer R.; sisters, Priscilla, Pheobe, Ruth, and Violet. Survived by sons, Gary T., Daniel R.; daughter, Mary Lynn; and grandchildren, Danny and Kate.

1944

Agnes M. Anderson, 94, Aug. 14, 2010.

Survived by sister-in-law, Gladys S. Anderson; niece, Esther (Gordon) Grimm; and many other nieces and nephews.

1948

Richard T. Malone, 91, Feb. 1, 2011.

Preceded in death by wife, Betty, and son Tom. Survived by companion Mary Ellen Storms; children, Judy (Benny) Bright, Robert (Deb), Mary (Craig Gelderman), John (Diane), and Fr. Patrick; 11 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

1949

Thomas James O’Brien “TJ”, 87, July 28, 2011. Preceded in death by son, Michael. Survived by wife, Elizabeth; children, Thomas Jr., Patrick (Theresa), Timothy (Ellen), Ann, Daniel (Kathy), Christopher (Paula), and Sean (Cathy); 21 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and daughter-in-law, Mary.

1952

Richard E. Aretz, 86, May 13, 2011.

Preceded in death by wife, Joan (Salisbury) and son-in-law, Peter Garske. Survived by wife, Barbara (Creaghe); sister, Virginia Aretz; children, Gregory, Suzanne (Patrick) Sullivan, Diane Garske, Joan (Thomas) Hedin, Julie (Richard) Salmen, Jane (Shawn) Mullarky; 13 grandchildren; and step-children, Shauna Martin, Carey Schauer and Christopher Schauer.

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

1953

Richard Genty, 84, Feb. 7, 2011.

Survived by wife, Joan; children, Jan (Fran) Eggert, Richard (Roberta) Jr., John (Sharon), Cynthia (Steve) Ernhart, Teresa (Alan) Ohm, Kathleen (Mike) McGinn, Thomas (Scott Schlaffman), Maureen (Greg) Sevilla; 16 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Donald L. Lais, 86, July 23, 2010.

Survived by wife, Elizabeth; children, Helen (Lenny), Mary (Bill), Tom, Greg (Patti), Charlie (Sherry), Joanne (Dan), and Ruth; 16 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

1954

Thomas Newcome Sr., 87, Feb. 7, 2011. Survived by wife, Esther; daughters, Cathy Newcome, MaryJo Kartarik, and Nancy Schmidtz; sons, Tom, James, and Michael; and eight grandchildren.

1955

Joseph L. Muldoon, 84, March 22, 2011. Served as a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division during WWII and survived a long recovery from polio. Preceded in death by wife, Helen. Survived by children, Marcy, Sis, Q, Nita (Said), Joe (Kelly), Mena (Pete), and John; 16 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Wallace A. “Wally” Thompson, 80, March 6, 2011. Practiced law in Winnebago, Minn., for over 30 years.

Preceded in death by wife, Darlene "Dolly" (Brakke) Thompson. Survived by sisters, Clarice Fager and Jo Ann Baker; and brother, Tilmer Thompson; children, Craig (Julie), Curtis, Cara Thompson-Weir, Colleen (Allen) Wendt; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Mitchell on Law

Obituaries

C. Paul Jones, LL.M. ’55 and Helen F. Jones This past spring the Minnesota legal community lost a great friend, supporter, and leader when C. Paul Jones passed away. He was 84 years old.

Jones, who was born Jan. 7, 1927, earned his J.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1950 and his LL.M. from the Minneapolis-Minnesota College of Law (one of the law schools that later became William Mitchell) in 1955.

After finishing his legal studies, he began a career that spanned 45 years and included public service, teaching, and a commitment to helping others succeed.

Jones began his career in 1950 as an associate with Lewis, Hammer, Heaney, Weyl & Halverson in Duluth, Minn. After two years in private practice he took a job as an assistant deputy Hennepin County attorney in Minneapolis. Six years later he was named assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota. A year later, in 1960, he made the decision to return to private practice and worked with Maun & Hazel for a year before joining Dorfman, Rudquist, Jones & Ramstead as a partner in 1961.

Winter 2012

After 15 years of honing his legal skills, Jones established himself as a pioneer in the Minnesota legal community when he became the state’s first public defender. In his new role, he built a reputation as a warm, humble person who was committed to equity and fairness—he made it his practice to hire women in the public defender’s office at a time when most law firms would not even interview them. In 1990, after 25 years leading the office, Jones retired from the bench.

In addition to his work as a public defender, Jones dedicated a great deal of time and energy to improving Minnesota’s justice system. He founded the Minnesota Criminal Justice Institute, an annual event during which legal experts presented the latest in criminal law to prosecutors, defense counsel, legislators, judges, police officers, and law students. He served on the Minnesota Supreme Court’s Rules of Criminal Procedures committee for 30 years. And he authored two textbooks on criminal law.

Throughout his career, Jones remained close with the law school where he earned his LL.M. He and his wife, Helen, established the C. Paul and Helen F. Jones Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a William Mitchell student in an effort to increase the diversity of the legal profession.

He served as an adjunct professor from 1953 to 1970 and became a full-time professor in 1970. From 1991 to 1995, he served as associate dean for academic affairs. In 2001, Jones became an emeritus professor of law.

Outside of courtrooms and classrooms, Jones enjoyed spending time with his wife, Helen, who passed away Wednesday, April 20, 2011. Helen was a gracious, vivacious woman who loved collecting antiques. One of the couple’s favorite things to do together was relax with their children in Palm Desert, Calif.

Professor Jones and Helen are survived by daughters, Katie Solliday and Sara Jones, and grandchildren.

“William Mitchell and Minnesota’s justice system are both better thanks to Professor Jones,” says William Mitchell President and Dean Eric Janus. “He was truly a special person who touched many lives and made our community a better, more just, place to live.”

33

Obituaries Minnesota State Senator Linda Scheid ’89 remembered fondly by William Mitchell and local community State Senator Linda Scheid ’89 lost her six-year battle with ovarian cancer on Wednesday, June 15, 2011.

Scheid, a DFL senator from Brooklyn Park, Minn., began her legislative career in 1976 when she was elected to the Minnesota House, representing Brooklyn Center; she moved on to the Senate 10 years later, most recently being re-elected in 2010.

During Scheid’s time in the Senate, she was an advocate for the elderly. She was also credited with passing the socalled Surly bill this year, allowing Brooklyn Center-based

1959

Robert E. Sielaff, 85, April 19, 2011.

Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Worked as a real estate attorney for J.C. Penney, until his retirement in 1986. Survived by wife, Muriel; son, Robert (Nancy); daughter, Jill (John) Redmond; and grandchildren, Cole, Jenny, and Drew Redmond.

1961

Vincent S. Dahle, 83, April 18, 2011.

Served as an officer in the Army for six years and the Army Reserves for four years, obtaining the rank of captain. Survived by wife, Anna Marie; sons, Vance S. (Linda) and Gary C. (Beth); grandsons, Vinson, Colin, David, and Christopher.

34

Surly Brewing and other Minnesota breweries to sell beer on-site. Scheid was involved in almost every committee and commission for the city and focused many of her efforts on improving education. And she did so in the most humble ways, often avoiding the limelight altogether.

In her spare time, she read books to children at Brooklyn Park recreation centers.

“There wasn't a fake or phony thing about her,” her son, Scott Scheid, told Minnesota Public Radio.

“It's really been our great pleasure to share her with Minnesota.”

Colleagues and friends remember Scheid as a bipartisan and detail-oriented lawmaker with a strong sense of justice for the people.

She's survived by her sons, Kristofer and Scott, and sister, Becky Longabaugh.

Clarence “Bud” Schlehuber, 75, June 21, 2011.

Survived by wife, Patricia; children, Mary Claire Scanlon, Jeff Ranjo, Mike (Jamie), Joan (Charlie) Brady, Dan (Niki), Tom (Michelle), Shannon, Patrick (Heather); and 15 grandchildren.

1962

Jere Maertz, 80, Jan. 10, 2011.

Practiced law in Minneapolis until he retired and moved to Naples, Fla. Survived by children, David (Lori), and Nancy Kraatz; and grandchildren, Bradley, Kara, and Kira Kraatz.

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

1963

Martin E. Conway, 85, Jan. 16, 2011.

Served in the U.S. Naval Air Corps.

Was a human resources executive, Minnesota State Labor mediator, attorney, arbitrator, and active in politics. Survived by wife, Helen; son, Pat; daughter, Kerry (Doug) Hoverson; grandchildren, Joe, Claire, and Alex; brother, Jim; sisters, Gloria (Phil) Sheehan, Barbara (Dwight) Soucy, and Nancy; sister-in-law, Janet; sister- inlaw, Ginny (Tom) Musser; and nieces, nephews, and friends.

Wayne P. “Tim” Dordell, 73, March 4, 2011. A longtime managing partner of Hansen, Dordell, Bradt, Odlaug & Bradt. Survived by wife, Priscilla; children, Timothy P., Robyn A. Bedgood, and Christoffer J.; and grandchildren, Mackenzie A. Bedgood, and Zachary J. Bedgood.

Mitchell on Law

Obituaries Donald “Don� F. Giblin, 80, June 16, 2011. Survived by wife, Maureen (Murphy) Giblin; children, Greg, Mike, Dave, and Colleen (Kyle) Dupre; and grandchildren, Grace, Rose, and Max Giblin.

James F. Nelson, 74, May 22, 2010.

Preceded in death by sister-in-law, Phyllis Nelson and nephew, Douglas Biteler. Survived by wife, Phyllis; sons, Jeff (Michelle) and Steve (Kristin); daughter, Pamela; brother, Dewey; and grandchildren Janna Lundein, Bethany Hanson, Mackenzie Nelson, Connor Hanson, Arianna Nelson, Fiona Nelson, Julian Nelson, and Alijah Nelson; and cousins, nieces, and nephews.

1966

Joseph E. Flynn, 74, April 1, 2011. Practiced labor, employment, and education law representing Minnesota school districts and the Minnesota School Boards Association. Served for over 30 years as chief labor relations counsel for the Iowa State Board of Regents.

Survived by wife, Valerie; children, Tracy (Jack) Flynn Bowe, Kate (Ellen Jahnke) Flynn, Christopher (Collette), Meg (Shawn Petersen) Flynn; stepdaughter, Brianne (Mitch) Oachs; sister, Dorothy Tacheny; brother, Patrick (Diane) Flynn; sister-in-law, Jeanette Flynn; and grandchildren, Erin, Joseph, Sarah, Megan, Kevin, Cady, Cullen, Christopher, and Anne.

Winter 2012

1970

John H. McLoone IV, 71, April 2, 2011.

Served as city attorney for Waseca, Minn., and was legal counsel for Steele-Waseca Electric Cooperative. Survived by children, Keather, Anchorage, and Cathleen; grandchildren, Cassia, Danielle (John) Theis, Christopher, Hunter, Meaghan, John, and Mary Kathleen; brothers and sisters, Jerry (Ann), Mary Kaye (Don Nelson) Perrin, Mike (Nancy), Margo, Annie McLoone, Tom Moncrieff, Patricia, Steve; and many nieces and nephews.

1972

Peter E. Wandmacher, 72, April 22, 2011. Survived by children, Mark (Barbara), Julie (Steve) Solensten, Michael (Leslie); grandchildren, Christina, Allie, Angela, and Leslie; sister, Janice (Bill); brother, Jim (Annie); and aunts, Margaret and Bonnie.

1980

Glenda Potter, 56, Jan. 3, 2011. An immigration attorney who, since the 1980s, helped immigrants and refugees start new lives in Minnesota. Survived by sister, Jo; brothers, Warren and Gary; and parents, Newton and Wanita.

1986

Bruce L. Meyer, 57, June 29, 2011.

Survived by his mother; brothers, Bradley and Brian; sister, Bonnie; and numerous nieces and nephews.

1995

M.J. Patrick, 53, March 27, 2011.

Survived by sons, Jarod and Joshua, and step-daughter, Kathryn Leet.

Friends of the college Kenneth Wayne Saffold, 58, Oct. 11, 2010. Survived by wife, Rev. Stephanie Burroughs-Saffold; children, Kenneth Wesley (Akilah), Keary Wayne (Shimeca), and Kathryn Elizabeth Saffold; grandchildren, KyLan Wayne Saffold, Kamren Ahmad Saffold, and Kenneth James Saffold; mother, Charlie Mae Saffold; and sisters, Sheryl S. Ortiz and Cheryl S. Agee (Kelvin).

Lucille Maun, 101, Nov. 1, 2010. Preceded in death by husband, Joseph; parents, Julia and John McDermott; brother, Bernard McDermott; sisters, Irene Layton and Helen Proebstle; sons-in-law, Douglas Gordon and James Voight. Survived by children, Lawrence (Sandy) Maun, Sheila Maun (Gene Scharenbroich), Janis (Ted) Mackie, Jeanne Voight, Thomas (Christine) Maun, and James; 14 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; and brothers, John (Fran) McDermott and William McDermott.

Mitchell on Law

35

To the Point from the chairperson of the william mitchell board of trustees

why mitchell is different

Not too long ago, I had the good fortune of traveling to Ethiopia. I had planned to spend time volunteering at a children’s orphanage and school. But when my host learned I was a lawyer they asked whether I would be willing to instead consult with their local law school, Mekelle University.

They were curious about my knowledge of clinical programs instituted by U.S. law schools as they had hoped to institute neighborhood legal aidtype clinics staffed by their students.

Obviously, William Mitchell College of Law’s model of clinical education provided me much information to share with the professors at Mekelle.

Imagine my surprise when I was provided with the table of contents from the textbook Trial, authored by Mitchell Professors Roger Haydock and John Sonsteng.

I became an instant hero when the professors and students learned the text they were using was written by the professors who had taught me trial advocacy.

Mitchell indeed has influenced the world through the work accomplished by its professors, students, and alumni.

Kathleen Flynn Peterson ’81 Chair, William Mitchell Board of Trustees

36

Read the magazine online @ wmitchell.edu/alumni

Mitchell on Law

Photo by Steve Niedorf

I also learned that they had recently decided to offer a trial advocacy course to their students. Upon learning I was a trial lawyer they asked whether I might be interested in giving the first lectures for this course.

I inquired as to their syllabus or course materials.

Sa ve the da te Wednesday, April 18, 2012 CLE 3:30-5 pm | Tea 5-7 pm Learn more at

wmitchell.edu/tea

>>

Don’t Miss these Alumni Association events

al ent u n am n A urn h t lf To 9 3 Go ni m Alu

North Oaks Golf Club Designed by Minnesota native Tom Lehman

Monday, May 21, 2012 10

Learn more atMitchell wmitchell.edu/golf on Law

875 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105-3076

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID St. Paul, Twin Cities,MN MN Permit No. 1300

At William Mitchell,

Knowledge. Skills.

Experience.

law school with realistic expectations

Professor Eileen Roberts ’80

about their futures. They know that it

is a director of the new Center

will take grit and determination to earn

for Law and Business. This fall,

their J.D.s. And thanks to Mitchell’s

the center offered its first class,

commitment to providing better

helping Mitchell students and

information to prospective students,

others gain the knowledge, skills,

they also know that there are many

and experience needed

opportunities for successful careers.

students from all walks of life enter

to succeed where law and business intersect.

Mitchell recently increased the amount of employment data it makes available on its website to include detailed, multi-year data on employment settings, trends, and salary ranges.

Learn more at wmitchell.edu/data