Minnesota Law | Spring 2022 by University of Minnesota Law School

SPRING 2022

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL MAGAZINE

+ ALUMNI PROFILE

Robert Anderson ’83 Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Minnesota Law to launch Racial Justice Law Clinic LAW STUDENTS

Kendra Saathoff, 3L, testifies on legislation she helped draft

Championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Alumni with DEI expertise offer insights into building a better workplace culture ANN ANAYA ’93 VP, CHIEF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION OFFICER AMERISOURCEBERGEN

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL MAGAZINE

DEAN Garry W. Jenkins

2021–22 BOARD OF ADVISORS

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Jeanette M. Bazis ’92, Chair Barbara Jean D’Aquila ’80, Chair-Elect Michelle A. Miller ’86, Immediate Past Chair

Mark A. Cohen

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Monica Wittstock

DIGITAL MARKETING AND DESIGN SPECIALIST Julie Longo

EVENT MANAGER Olivia Kurtz

WEB CONTENT SPECIALIST Riley Grittinger

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER David L. Jensen

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ANNUAL GIVING Lizzy Beghelli

COPY EDITORS Sandra Hoyt Kathy Graves

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kevin Coss Suzy Frisch Kathy Graves Ryan Greenwood Cathy Madison Todd Melby Todd Nelson

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jayme Halbritter Dan Heilman Hunter Johnson Jay Mallin Tony Nelson Cory Ryan

ILLUSTRATOR Robert Ball

DESIGNER

Erin Gibbons, Launch Lab Creative

Joseph M. Barbeau ’81 B. Andrew Bednark ’02 Brandon L. Blakely ’18 The Honorable Nancy E. Brasel ’96 Rachel S. Brass ’01 Rjay J. Brunkow ’04 Laura G. Coates ’05 Joshua L. Colburn ’07 Coré S. Cotton ’89 Timothy E. Grimsrud ’04 The Honorable Natalie E. Hudson ’82 Ronald E. Hunter ’78 Nora L. Klaphake ’94 Christopher K. Larus ’91 Juanita (Nita) Bolland Luis ’77 Greg J. Marita ’91 Catlan M. McCurdy ’11 Ambassador Tom McDonald ’79 Pamela F. Olson ’80 James W. Poradek ’98 Michael L. Skoglund ’01 James H. Snelson ’97 Michael P. Sullivan, Jr. ’96 Hema L. Viswanathan ’05 Renae L. Welder ’96 Emily M. Wessels ’14 Wanda Young Wilson ’79

Minnesota Law is a general interest magazine published in the fall and spring of the academic year for the University of Minnesota Law School community of alumni, friends, and supporters. Letters to the editor or any other communication regarding content should be sent to Mark Cohen (mcohen@umn.edu), Director of Communications, University of Minnesota Law School, 229 19th Avenue South, 421 Mondale Hall, Minneapolis, MN 55455. The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. © 2022 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

FROM THE DEAN

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Are Foundational to Our Mission

URING THE SUMMER OF 2020 I wrote to our Law School community that “broader justice for Black Americans, for all people of color, for other marginalized groups, for the America of our highest ideals, depends on all of us, working collaboratively, to change institutions and practices so that equity and equality are fully realized.” Since then, Minnesota Law, as a leading U.S. law school, has further strengthened its resolve to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning community and taken additional concrete steps to advance racial justice and opportunity. Diversity, equity, and belonging are foundational to our core mission of providing an exceptional legal education to tomorrow’s lawyer-leaders, supporting the pathbreaking scholarship of our worldclass faculty, and creating lasting impact through community outreach and connections. As you read in our fall 2021 issue, this academic year Minnesota Law welcomed our most diverse and our second-most academically accomplished class in our nearly 135-year history. While we won’t set new records every year, we hope this momentum enables us to continue to expand opportunity and access, and to recruit highly diverse and credentialed students for decades to come. We continue to prioritize enriching our curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, and other programming to prepare students to lead and make a difference in their communities. In this issue, you will read about our new Racial Justice Law Clinic, which will launch this fall. The clinic will be headed by newly appointed associate clinical professor of law Liliana Zaragoza, who joins us from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Through this exciting new venture, Minnesota Law students will tackle discriminatory practices and fight for individuals and communities facing race-based oppression, all while gaining valuable legal skills. As the cover story of this issue illustrates, many of our Minnesota Law alumni are leaders and experts across the nation in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts by organizations of all sizes and types. Their experience and expertise are inspirational and provide a valuable model for all of us. In fact, we are presently engaged in

a national search for Minnesota Law’s first assistant dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion, a position largely supported through philanthropy. I will ask the inaugural holder of this position to provide strategic leadership and alignment in our DEI efforts, as well as ensure that we offer outstanding guidance to every student, so that our community is truly inclusive of the broadest range of viewpoints, and that all members of our diverse community feel respected, supported, and empowered. I am grateful to our alumni and friends, along with our entire Minnesota Law community, for engaging in this critical dialogue and for providing essential resources to support this important work. While no single institution can solve injustice, we will continue to build, grow, develop, and partner in all ways consistent with our powerful mission.

Garry W. Jenkins Dean and William S. Pattee Professsor of Law

SPRING 2022

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SPRING 2022 CONTENTS

FEATURES 1

FROM THE DEAN Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Are Foundational to Our Mission

18 Championing Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Alumni with DEI expertise offer their insights into building a better workplace culture

4 FOR THE RECORD 4 5 6

In Brief Mondale Moments Seventh Annual MLK Convocation Focuses on Voting Rights Faculty & Staff Notes Minnesota Law to Launch Racial Justice Law Clinic Sports & NIL Clinic to Kick Off This Fall New Law Library Acquisitions

Impact of Giving

7 10 12

Letters of Clarence Darrow, legal icon

Matheson Lecture Series created through giving enriches business law instruction and leaves a lasting legacy

Diversity: By the Numbers

The Top Lawyer at the Interior

Robert Anderson ’83 contributes his expertise in natural resources and American Indian law as solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior

Spring Alumni Weekend

The Equal-Pay Advocate

Nicole Saharsky ’02 was lead appellate counsel for U.S. women’s national soccer team in landmark settlement

Theory at Work: The Bridge Builder

Professor Claire Hill finds connections between different disciplines and between theory and real-world practice

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34 FACULTY FOCUS 34 35 36

Faculty News, Awards & Grants Minnesota Law’s Poverty Law Course Marks 25th Year Author in Question

Human Rights Center Executive Director Amanda Lyons ’09 discusses a book she co-edited, COVID-19 and Human Rights

46 ALL RISE 46

Leading Questions

48 50

Student News Making the Case at the Capitol

Henrique Beux Nassif Azem, LL.M. ’22 Kendra Saathoff, 3L, helped draft and testified on a bill that provides a means for reducing sentences for crimes committed by abuse victims

TORT Presents:

“The Gunner’s New Groove”

Alumni Interrogatory

56 59 60

Alumni News Recent Gifts Profiles in Practice

62 66

Class Notes Mourning the Passing of a Human Rights Icon

A Natural Teacher and Scholar

Retiring professor Brad Karkkainen’s impact on the environmental and natural resources fields stretches far beyond the law

The Legal Empericist

Retiring professor Herbert Kritzer brought a political scientist’s perspective to studying the legal profession

Kristen Ludgate ’98, chief people officer at HP

Entertainment Industry

A beloved professor and staunch advocate, David Weissbrodt had a global impact in his 40+-year career

Pathbreaker and “Legendary Teacher”

69 71 72

From reproductive rights to wills and trusts, retiring professor Judith Younger illuminated tough legal concepts for legions of students

RAISING THE BAR

Tributes In Memoriam Why I Give

Julia Wolfe ’19

Big Picture

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Professor Meili Delivers Appointment Lecture Professor Steve Meili, James H. Michael Chair in International Human Rights Law, delivered his appointment lecture titled “The Constitutionalization of Human Rights Law and Its Impact on Asylum-Seekers” on April 14.

! Professor Steve Meili with Dean Garry W. Jenkins

In his talk, Meili analyzed how lawyers representing asylum-seekers in five countries—Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, Uganda, and the United States—have bridged the gap between lofty words on parchment and the protection of asylum-seekers on the ground. Meili has written a book on this topic that will be released soon. An audience question-and-answer session and a reception in Auerbach Commons followed the lecture.

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Photo: Tony Nelson

in BRIEF

Students, Faculty, and Staff Provide Legal Aid to Afghan Refugees Several Minnesota Law students joined faculty and staff from the James H. Binger Center for New Americans to provide legal support to Afghan refugees on the Fort McCoy military base in Wisconsin in January. The team helped the refugees understand the complex and often challenging U.S. immigration system, prepare their asylum or special immigrant visa applications, and get connected to a nationwide network of lawyers. Those helping included (in photo, from left to right) Ben Gleekel, 2L; Nicole Carter, 1L; Deepinder Mayell, executive director of the

Minnesota Law Ranked No. 1 Law School for Interdisciplinary Impact A Journal of Legal Education article ranked Minnesota Law the top law school in the nation for interdisciplinary impact. The article, “Total Scholarly Impact: Law Professor Citations in Non-Law Journals,” was written by Vanderbilt Law professors J.B. Ruhl and Michael P. Vandenbergh and lecturer in law Sarah E. Dunaway. According to the article, the top five schools in the country for interdisciplinary impact, in ranked order, are Minnesota Law, Stanford Law, Yale

Binger Center; Carli Cortina, 2L; and Mahmoud Ahmed, community outreach and program coordinator for the Binger Center. The group assisted an estimated 70 to 95 Afghan guests over three days. “It felt good to be productive and to help people get further along in the immigration process,” said Carter. “They have made a lot of sacrifices and deserve to be supported.” Carter, who chose Minnesota Law because of its strength in human rights and immigration programs, said the experience at Fort McCoy reaffirmed that choice and provided added motivation.

INTERDISCIPLINARY (IDR) IMPACT RANKINGS, WEIGHTED SCORES, AND SCALED SCORES IDR Weighted Score

1 Minnesota

100

2 Stanford 3 Yale

64 62

190

4 Duke 5 Cal-Irvine

IDR Scaled Score

58 50

141 121 117 110 100

150

Law, Duke Law, and the University of California, Irvine School of Law. Minnesota Law’s top five mostcited interdisciplinary scholars are professors Susan Wolf (who is No. 2 in the nation overall), William McGeveran, Michael Tonry, Paul Vaaler, and Francis Shen, the article said.

200

Photo: Tony Nelson

MondaleMoments

1 CNN Senior Legal Analyst Laura Coates ’05 visited the Law School in February to discuss her new book, Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness. 2 Shonice Pooniwala, 2L and Cizhu Feng, 3L, had fun in the Law Council’s student snowman-building challenge in February. 3 3L Avery Bennett and 2L Justin Oakland show their work at Law Council’s Mondale Paint Night in Sullivan Café in February. 4 3Ls Parth S. Deshmukh and Isaac S. Foote battle it out in the final match of the Student & Professor Ping Pong Association’s spring tournament in April. 5 3Ls and members of Women in Law School Association Sydney Goggins, Fabiola Gretzinger, and Ingrid Hofeldt celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.

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Seventh Annual MLK Convocation Focuses on Voting Rights Panel featured Harvard Law Professor Guy-Uriel Charles and ACLU-MN Policy Director Julie Decker ’14

WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO VOTE,

one has limited power. That is why Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pushed hard for voting rights throughout his career, urging Congress to guarantee the franchise to Black Americans. With voting rights again very much a topic of national debate, the theme of Minnesota Law’s seventh annual MLK Convocation focused on one of King’s most oft-cited quotes on the subject: “Voting is the foundation stone of political action.” The hourlong event, held virtually on Jan. 26, was sponsored by the Law School’s Diversity and Belonging Affinity Council. Garry W. Jenkins, dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law, began the discussion by reflecting on voting as a fundamental civil right. “Voting allows all people to add their voice, their direct action, to make political and transformational change as individual citizens,” he said. “Unfortunately, we know voting rights for many are under threat.” Gerrymandering, voter identification laws, voter registration restrictions, felony disenfranchisement, and voter purges are among the ways voting is being undermined in the United States, Jenkins noted. “Dr. King’s words call on us to think critically and take action on the limits and consequences of a democracy where voting is inhibited,” he said. Guy-Uriel E. Charles, Harvard Law professor and founding director of the Duke Law Center on Law, Race and Politics, noted how Shelby County v. Holder, a 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision, struck down a section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “That framework … really has eroded,” said Charles, who taught at Minnesota Law from 2000-09 and served as interim co-dean from

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Guy-Uriel E. Charles

Julie Decker ’14

2006-08. “We’re trying to figure out what’s next.” Julie Decker ’14, policy director of the ACLU of Minnesota, said the political battles over voting feels like an “inflection point.” Decker added, “It’s a reminder that our democracy, including voting rights and civil liberties, are an ongoing work-inprogress. We’re in the process of building an ideal system.” Justice Shannon, 2L, president of the Black Law Students Association, moderated the event. He asked the panelists about several voting-related issues, including perceptions of fraud, the safety of election officials, and what the legal community can do to improve democracy. The Brennan Center for Justice found voter fraud is rare, but many Americans don’t believe traditional institutions or the press. “The principle of critical examination and wariness is not inherently a bad one, especially in the day of social media, but it’s being taken to extremes,” Decker said. “It produces an antievidentiary situation.” Social media falsehoods about the veracity of the 2020 presidential election may also be a factor in how

Justice Shannon, 2L

election workers are feeling about their jobs. A 2021 survey by the nonpartisan Brennan Center found that one in three poll workers and election judges reported feeling unsafe and one in six said they’d been threatened. “How do we assure they have the support they need?” Charles asked. One possible solution is to provide federal funding to professionalize election workers and prosecute people who threaten those who safeguard elections, he said. Last January, the Justice Department’s Election Threat Task Force made its first arrest in the case of a Texas man who allegedly encouraged others to kill election officials. On the subject of improving voting rights, both Decker and Charles encouraged lawyers and law students to get involved at the state and local level. “Volunteer to become a poll worker,” Charles said. “Volunteer on campaigns to work on voter protection issues. Volunteer to support organizations working on democracy and voting rights.” By Todd Melby, a Twin Cities-based freelance writer

Faculty & Staff Notes Faculty Departures

News about Law School Hires and Moves

Litigation, Regulation, and Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Energy. Klass, who joined the Law School in 2006, teaches and writes in the areas of energy law, environmental law, and natural resources law. Following the conclusion of her public service, she will join the faculty at the University of Michigan Law School.

Ralph Hall, professor of practice, is retiring at the end of the academic year. Hall concentrated his teaching, research, and writing in the area of FDA regulation and health care.

Heidi Kitrosser, Robins Kaplan

Professor of Law, is departing the Law School at the end of the academic year to serve as a professor at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Kitrosser, who joined the faculty in 2006, focuses on the constitutional law of federal government secrecy and on separation of powers, as well as free speech law more broadly.

Jon J. Lee, professor of practice, is departing the Law School at the end of the academic year to serve as an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Lee, who joined the Law School in 2017, has research interests that include professional ethics and trademark law.

director of the James H. Binger Center for New Americans and taught the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic.

Francis Shen, professor of law and McKnight Presidential Fellow, is leaving the Law School at the end of the academic to join the faculty of Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts General Hospital and become an affiliate professor at Harvard Law School. Shen, who joined the Law School in 2012, conducts empirical and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of law and the brain sciences.

Maria Ponomarenko, associate

professor of law, is leaving the Law School to serve on the faculty of the University of Texas School of Law. Ponomarenko, who joined the Law School in 2019, focuses her work on policing agencies and administrative agencies. Alexandra Klass, Distinguished

McKnight University Professor, has left the Law School to join the Biden-Harris Administration as Deputy General Counsel for

Benjamin Casper Sanchez ’97, associate clinical professor of law, is departing the Law School this summer. Sanchez, who joined the faculty in 2013, served as faculty

Christopher Soper, clinical professor

of law and director of legal writing, is departing the Law School this summer. Soper, who joined the faculty in 2014, helped enhance the reputation of the Law School’s award-winning legal writing and moot court programs.

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CONT >

FOR THE RECORD

Staff Arrivals

< CONT

Abby Mengelkoch joined the

Elizabeth Beghelli returned to the

Law School as director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. Beghelli previously served as a major gifts officer for the American Red Cross. Prior to joining the Red Cross, she worked at the Law School for four years, first as class giving officer and then as assistant director of annual giving.

Law School as alumni relations and annual giving associate. Mengelkoch was previously research operations coordinator at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Jay Wong joined the Law School

Rob Borchardt joined the Law School Career Center as assistant director, Employer Relations. Borchardt previously served as director of student life and career services at Dunwoody College of Technology, where he chaired the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

as director of student affairs. Wong holds both a J.D. and an M.Ed in counselor education with an emphasis in student affairs. Most recently, he served as a Hennepin County public defender, representing adult and juvenile defendants.

School as assistant director of annual giving. Jacob previously served as donor relations and communications specialist at Regions Hospital Foundation.

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Wendy Griak was promoted to assistant director of counseling initiatives in the Law School’s Career Center. Griak previously served as career counselor and programming initiatives coordinator for about three years after starting at the Law School in 2018 as a career counselor.

Staff Promotions

Amanda Furst, chief of staff at Katie Jacob joined the Law

Robin Ingli was promoted to assistant dean of admissions at the Law School. Ingli previously served as director of admissions for six years after starting at the Law School in 2015 as an admissions consultant.

the Law School, was promoted to assistant dean. Furst served as the Law School’s chief of staff for three years and before that was director of public interest programs. She joined the Law School in 2012.

Claudia Melo was promoted to assistant dean of the Career Center at the Law School. Melo previously served as the director of the center for six years. Melo joined the Law School in 2012 as associate director of the Career Center.

Staff Departures

Emily Buchholz ’10, executive

director of the Corporate Institute, left the Law School to become the director of the Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Buccholz joined the Law School in 2018, and also served as a lecturer in law and led the Business Law Clinic.

Elissa Chaffee, director of alumni

relations and annual giving, left the Law School in February to become director of development for Every Meal, a Minnesota-based nonprofit focusing on child hunger and food insecurity. Chafee joined the Law School in 2017.

CLASS OF 1979 SCHOLARSHIP In 2009, when the Law School Class of 1979 came together for their 40th class reunion, they cemented a legacy of generosity by establishing the Class of 1979 Scholarship. Since then, their scholarship has helped six students attain J.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota Law School. The most recent Class of 1979 Scholarship recipient is Ben Cooper, 3L. Ben recently shared how philanthropy has made a big difference in his law school career. He explains, “Scholarship support was a significant factor in my decision about where to attend law school. Every dollar of a scholarship means I need to take out less money in loans. It allows me to make career decisions that are right for me without worrying as much about finances. Also, I know that many scholarships are funded through donations, so scholarship support serves as [an important] proxy for how engaged the law school’s alumni and donor community is.”

“Every dollar of a scholarship means I need to take out less money in loans. It allows me to make career decisions that are right for me.” —Ben Cooper, 3L

Deepinder Mayell, executive director of the James H. Binger Center for New Americans as well as director of the center’s education and outreach program, left the Law School in April to become executive director of the ACLU of Minnesota. Mayell, who joined the Law School in 2016, also served as a lecturer in law.

To learn more about the different ways you can support students like Ben, contact Katie Jacob, assistant director of annual giving at kldjacob@umn.edu or 612-624-0097.

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Minnesota Law To Launch Racial Justice Law Clinic Liliana Zaragoza, joining Minnesota Law as an associate professor this summer, will lead the new clinic THE EYES OF THE WORLD

are on Minnesota as a historic racial reckoning continues to unfold in the state. People and organizations continue to advocate for justice and change in Minnesota, confronting stark racial inequalities and persistent violence against communities of color. A new legal clinic at Minnesota Law aims to target deeply embedded, systemic racial inequalities and discrimination while training future lawyers to make an impact on this critical work. The Racial Justice Law Clinic will launch in fall 2022, serving as an avenue for Minnesota Law students and faculty to tackle discriminatory practices and fight for individuals and communities facing race-based oppression. The clinic will be headed by Liliana Zaragoza, a newly appointed associate clinical professor of law who most recently worked as an assistant counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). The clinic will aim to make a difference in numerous areas, including the criminal legal system, voting rights, education, employment, and housing. With a deep commitment to creating a more just society, the Law School and its new clinic will give students and faculty another vehicle for pursuing racial justice and equity, says Garry W. Jenkins, dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law. “I’m thrilled about the launch of our new Racial Justice Law Clinic,” says Jenkins. “The persistence of racial injustice has harmed communities for a long time. But this is a

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unique moment in our nation’s history and our city’s history where there is a lot of interest and momentum in looking for and adopting forward-looking solutions to address systemic injustices. This new clinic will deepen Minnesota Law’s important role in serving the state by bringing a high-impact, sophisticated legal entity solely devoted to racial equity and justice to Minneapolis.” Her Life’s Work Zaragoza calls it her life’s work to champion the rights of BIPOC individuals and their communities. The proud daughter of an immigrant, single-mother from Mexico, Zaragoza has devoted her career to battling injustice through the law. After law school at Columbia University, where she was the first Latinx editor-in-chief of the Columbia Law Review, Zaragoza was a Skadden Fellow who litigated and negotiated employment cases on behalf of domestic workers. At LDF, she worked cases from investigation through appeal, focusing on criminal justice, voting rights, and school desegregation. “I grew up very aware of the caste system in the United States.” says Zaragoza. “Having that personal experience really informs the work I do and the way I teach students, the way I interact with potential clients, and the way I view the law. I view the law as both a source of oppression and a way to combat that oppression.” Zaragoza is enthusiastic about training the next generation of civil rights and racial justice lawyers. The clinic’s racial justice seminar

and hands-on experience will give future lawyers the skills they need to advocate as lawyers to advance equity and justice. “The seminar will encourage them to view the law through the lens of critical race theory,” she says. “And through their casework, students will learn how to engage in client-centered and movement-led lawyering in service of racial justice, equity, and liberation for our communities.” The clinic is still taking shape, but Jenkins believes its broad-based approach—including litigation, strategy, and advocacy—will enable faculty and students to make a significant impact. Its work will involve meeting with community groups, community organizers, nonprofits, lawyers, and other leaders in the Twin Cities to learn about priority issues and work together to address them. Meeting Critical Needs Through this outreach, clinic faculty, law students, and community members will develop a strategic direction and a docket of cases to pursue—both direct-service matters and impact litigation. In addition, the new clinic will collaborate with the more than two dozen other law clinics, many of which have overlapping interests. Like Minnesota Law’s other clinics, the Racial Justice Law Clinic will provide students with opportunities for experiential learning and for putting newly mastered legal concepts into action, this time with a laser-sharp focus on racial discrimination, says Perry Moriearty,

Photo: Tony Nelson

“ This new clinic will deepen Minnesota Law’s important role in serving the state by bringing a high-impact, sophisticated legal entity solely devoted to racial equity and justice to Minneapolis.” —Associate Professor Liliana Zaragoza

associate professor of law and co-director of law clinics. “It shows students that law school isn’t just about supplying them with information about what is; it’s also about giving them an opportunity to determine and affect what should be,” Moriearty says. “As an institution, we routinely see unmet need and opportunities to make critical change in arenas that affect the rights and well-being of traditionally under-resourced people. In Minnesota, more often than not, we’re talking about BIPOC individuals and communities. Our disparities are among the worst in the nation in almost every measure of social welfare and social control.” Zaragoza and the clinic will have a vast playing field and remain nimble to adapt to emerging needs. For example, notwithstanding continued advocacy over the last two years, policing continues to be

an urgent issue in Minneapolis, as is evidenced by the recent police killing of Amir Locke. “There are myriad opportunities to make change in the criminal legal system, from policing to prosecution to defense to sentencing and corrections,” Moriearty says. “That’s what makes me the most excited about having someone like Liliana personally committed to racial justice and civil rights. We have the backing of our institution to create something that will make an enormous difference in our community and allow community members to have a voice and allow students to be on the cutting edge of meaningful change.” Students have been craving a way to engage more deeply on racial justice matters, and the clinic will provide that outlet, says Stephen Meili, James H. Michael Chair in International Human Rights Law,

who chaired the search committee that recommended Zaragoza to the faculty. The clinic will put students at the forefront of a movement to fight for and secure greater racial equity. “It also sends a message to the local community and beyond that the Law School takes these issues seriously and wants to do something about them,” he says. Meili believes the clinic will spur more conversations about racial injustice and systemic racism in the Law School, among students, faculty, administrators, and alumni. “That’s good for the entire community,” he says. “This is the moment when the Law School and the country need this kind of clinic to address the issue of systemic racism that has given rise to tragedies such as the murders of George Floyd and Amir Locke, among others.” By Suzy Frisch, a Twin Cities–based freelance writer

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Sports and NIL Clinic to Kick Off This Fall

MINNESOTA LAW WILL LAUNCH

a new clinic this fall to provide name, image, and likeness (NIL) legal assistance to students with NIL needs, including college athletes and social media influencers. Created in partnership with the law firm of Fredrikson & Byron, the Sports and NIL Clinic will help its student clients navigate the tricky legal waters of sponsorships, endorsement deals, and image licensing. “NIL is a rapidly evolving area of law, and students—especially those participating in athletics—may be able to profit on their NIL rights,” the recently approved clinic proposal states. “The clinic will represent students for whom paid representation is not feasible.” The clinic’s services will be available to any college student in the Upper Midwest region with NIL-related needs. The impetus for the creation of the clinic was a rule change by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which last June passed an interim regulation saying that college athletes may benefit from their name, image, and likeness. This NIL regulation opens up previously unavailable opportunities for studentathletes, as well as a wide range of social media influencers, to take advantage of their publicity rights by signing endorsement deals and gaining other means of income.

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The Sports and NIL Clinic was in part the brainchild of two 3Ls— Tarun Sharma and Colton Messer—the vice president and president of the Law School’s Sports Law Association, respectively. Emily Buchholz ’10, director of the Law School’s Business Law Clinic, offered advice and support. “We thought it would be good to have more of these experiential opportunities,” explains Sharma. “The school offers a lot of clinics, but we wanted to create even more opportunities for transactional learning.” Professor Bob Stein ’61 served as a source of inspiration when he spoke to law students about his work on the Uniform Law Commission to draft an NIL policy for states to adopt. “We talked amongst ourselves and with Mike Fadden, 1L, and thought, why not try to make this a reality?” Sharma says. How the Clinic Will Work The new clinic will be headed by Fredrikson shareholder Chris Pham, who will run it as an adjunct professor. Pham co-chairs Fredrikson’s sports and entertainment group. In his practice, he has represented NBA players, recording artists, sports merchandising companies, and professional athlete and entertainment management companies, among others. Pham, who got to know Sharma

Photo: Tony Nelson Photo: Tony Nelson

Student attorneys will handle the name, image, and likeness needs of college athletes, influencers, and others

while Sharma was as a summer associate at Fredrikson, worked closely with the students on the proposal and sees the clinic as an important educational tool. “There’s a significant shift with this change in the [NCAA] rule,” he says. “Because it’s so fluid and so new, it’s an opportunity for us to get in front of these students and help teach them what the rules are and what the opportunities look like.” Students who participate in the year-long clinic will learn about the growth of college sports in the United States and about the court decisions that led to student-athletes gaining NIL-related rights. Professor Prentiss Cox ’90, co-director of law clinics at Minnesota Law, says the Sports and NIL Clinic

! Tarun Sharma, 3L, Fredrikson & Byron attorney Chris Pham, and Colton Messer, 3L, at Huntington Bank Stadium

will let students participate in a transactional representation setting. “We hope it will help make our law school a destination for students interested in sports law and a law practice working with clients who seek legal help with name-image-likeness market opportunities,” he says. Evolving Laws, Changing Policies Nearly 30 states have passed laws regulating image and likeness rights, but so far Minnesota isn’t one of them. The lack of a specific law does not mean that Minnesotans don’t have NIL rights—and athletes and others are entitled to take advantage of those rights.

“The Big 10 and specifically the University of Minnesota, among other institutions, have policies that student-athletes have to abide by in making any sort of endorsement,” says Sharma. “The clinic is about helping students take advantage of the rights they currently have.” Student-athletes have used the new NCAA rule not only as a source of income, but in other ways as well. Players from the University of South Florida, for example, used NIL funds to sponsor a youth football camp. University of Iowa football center Tyler Linderbaum donated $30,000 in NIL earnings to the school’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital. One of the goals of the clinic is to give students, including student-ath-

letes from throughout the region, the chance to make the dedication to their respective sports or influencer work pay dividends, either for themselves or for others. But the main idea is to give law students the tools they need to help students with NIL interests reach their goals. “We hope the students enrolled in the course will learn about the client representation process,” says Cox. Messer says he could not be happier to see the clinic approved after all the collaborative work with Pham and law faculty to take the proposal through the necessary steps. “To finally be at this point is pretty wonderful.” By Dan Heilman, a Twin Cities–based freelance writer

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New Law Library Acquisitions Letters of Clarence Darrow, Legal Icon A LEGEND IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION, Clarence Darrow

(1857–1938) is considered America’s greatest trial lawyer and a symbol of consummate courtroom skill. In a career spanning 60 years, Darrow built his legacy on an unmatched record in capital cases and on daring heroics during several “trials of the century,” most notably the Leopold and Loeb murder trial (1924) and the Scopes “Monkey” trial (1925). Darrow’s down-to-earth manner belied a brilliant legal mind and peerless oratory in the courtroom. A bare-knuckles labor lawyer in his early career, he often defended controversial figures, earning him many friends and foes. In his later career, Darrow became the country’s foremost criminal defense attorney, aiding otherwise hopeless clients in the face of the longest odds. When involved in a case at the trial stage, Darrow never lost a client to the death penalty. As a public intellectual during the Roaring Twenties, Darrow challenged popular assumptions and taboos with his iconoclastic views, which greatly contributed to his fame. His fascinating career and trials have been the subject of numerous novels, biographies, and movies. Few lawyers have captured the public imagination in America or elsewhere as much as Darrow. The University of Minnesota Law Library is proud to hold the premier collection of letters to and from Clarence Darrow. The majority of the collection was acquired in 2004, representing the Law Library’s millionth-volume milestone, under the guidance of Joan S. Howland, the Roger F. Noreen Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Information & Technology. The Darrow collection, housed in the Library’s Riesenfeld Rare Books Center, continues to grow. Today it includes more than 1,000 letters, as well as books,

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speeches, debates, trial briefs and transcripts, and other material by and about Darrow. The extraordinary research collection has been enhanced by recent acquisitions that shed additional light on Darrow’s life and career. A series of 15 letters from Darrow to Charles J. Dutton (1888– 1964), a mystery writer and Unitarian minister, documents a previously unknown friendship that led Darrow to frequent Dutton’s congregation in Des Moines, Iowa, where he spoke on crime and capital punishment. In a letter to Forrest Black, a law professor at the University of Kentucky, Darrow comments favorably on arguments in Black’s book manuscript, Ill-Starred Prohibition Cases: A Study in Judicial Pathology (1931), for which Darrow wrote a preface. Another newly acquired letter was sent by Darrow to his co-counsel, John Wourms, as Darrow argued before the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of habeas corpus in Pettibone v. Nichols (1906). The petition sought the release of murder suspects kidnapped and transported across state lines to face indictment in a notorious case. The Library also recently received Darrow’s signed and witnessed will from 1911. The will was generously donated by Henry Mangels, a nephew of the pathbreaking lawyer Nellie Carlin (1869–1948). Carlin worked in Darrow’s office and later became the second president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and assistant Cook County State’s Attorney. These and several other acquisitions will enrich our knowledge of Darrow’s career, causes, and associates, and provide valuable new resources for students, faculty, and other researchers. By Ryan Greenwood, Law Library faculty member and curator of rare books and special collections

New Digital Site: Walter F. Mondale ’56 Commemorative Exhibit The Law Library and Riesenfeld Center have recently released a new digital exhibit commemorating the extraordinary life and career of Walter F. Mondale (1928–2021). The exhibit preserves the Riesenfeld Center’s fall 2021 commemorative exhibit and provides an overview of Vice President Mondale’s career, from his formative years in Minnesota to his achievements as an esteemed global statesman. It also touches on his enduring relationship with the Law School whose building bears his name.

1 Letter of Darrow to Charles J. Dutton, c. 1930. 2 Dust jacket of a 1924 book on the "Leopold and Loeb" murder case. 3. Memorial card for Clarence Darrow, 1938. 4 Lithograph of Darrow by Mike Hagel, c. 1985. 5 Letter of Darrow to Charles J. Dutton, 1929. 6 Caricature of Darrow by Henry Major, 1925. 7 Clarence Darrow’s will, 1911. 8 Prosecution arguments in Leopold and Loeb trial, signed by Robert Crowe. 9 Letter of Darrow to Forrest Black, c. 1930.

For more than 60 years, Walter Mondale’s deep commitment to the Law School added another bright flame to his legacy. As an adviser to the Law School and a frequent speaker and lecturer, he cherished his ties to students, faculty, and alumni. As Mondale himself said when the Law School was rededicated in his honor in 2001, “What I learned at the University of Minnesota Law School opened my door to the world.” Mondale’s legacy remains a beacon at the Law School and far beyond. The digital exhibit is accessible at http://moses.law.umn.edu/ mondale-legacy

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IMPACT of GIVING Matheson Lecture Series Created through Giving Enriches Business Law Instruction and Leaves a Lasting Legacy

would shape his career—merging his competing interests in business and legal education into a single law degree. He also decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, Professor John Matheson, a corporate and business law faculty member of 40 years who directs the Corporate Institute. So, when Dean and Diana Matheson, who live in southern California, decided to make a gift to Minnesota Law and establish an annual lecture to enrich the student experience, they named it in honor of John’s commitment to his role as a professor. “My dad has been at Minnesota Law for a long time,” Dean says. “He’s very passionate about what he does.” The annual Matheson Lecture in Corporate Governance, established last year within the Corporate Institute, hosts a speaker with expertise on a major corporate or legal topic that is either professionally important or relevant to major events of the time. The inaugural lecture in this series, which took place in October, featured Peter Carter ’91, executive vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary of Delta Air Lines. Carter spoke about a very timely topic: navigating Delta through the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic. “He gave a lot of insight into some of the real-world implications of the pandemic and the decisions that he and the company had to make to

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Photo: Tony Nelson

WHILE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL, Dean Matheson ’08 made a crucial decision that

Diana and Dean ’08 Matheson

navigate through something that none of us had ever experienced before,” Dean says. “We’re looking forward to having more speakers in similar positions to talk about their day-to-day work or a topic important

to them or a prominent in the country at this time.” Dean, who is now vice president and chief legal officer at the electronics manufacturing company Multek, recalls his time in law school fondly,

legal department to experience in-house legal counsel work. The opportunity to represent business clients helps students prepare for a career in corporate law. Dean counts himself lucky to have had a lawyer in his family. While many of his classmates took for granted the idea that a legal education must lead to a career in litigation, Dean had the opportunity to see how business law provided another option for leveraging his law degree. For most students, the Corporate Institute serves as the first introduction to another path forward. “One of the important roles that the institute played is it gave some of my fellow colleagues an opportunity to see what other avenues there were for students who were getting a law degree,” he says. “It really opened up

Photo: Tony Nelson

especially his interactions with the faculty and his fellow students. He appreciated his professors’ instruction but also their influence outside of the law school, serving as experts in their field. On two occasions, Dean even had his father as a professor. An atmosphere of friendly competition surrounded him and his fellow students. They all got along well, he recalls, and would push each other to learn more and perform better— an encouraging dynamic that is not represented in every law school. He keeps in touch with many of them today. Diana, who grew up in New Mexico, also pursued a corporate and business law focus during her studies at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. The law program had a strong emphasis on civic duty and offered many clinics designed to give law students real-world experience while providing a service to the community. She most recently practiced real estate law, before turning her attention a few years ago to raising their children. Diana was enthusiastic to support Minnesota Law through giving because she saw how Dean’s experience there resonated with what she found meaningful during her time at UC Hastings. “I also had a couple of influential professors who supported and guided me through my path at law school,” she says. “So, I was especially excited to get involved with Minnesota Law and have an opportunity to expand students’ corporate law education there.” Beyond simply supporting the Law School, Dean and Diana wanted to highlight the work of the Corporate Institute, which offers a range of opportunities that prepare students for successful careers and leadership roles in business. Its Business Law Clinic, for example, gives students a chance to work with startup companies and entrepreneurs, while the corporate externship program places students in a local company’s

some of their eyes to the idea that litigation wasn’t the only option.” Today, in addition to maintaining his personal connections and the faculty role his father continues to hold, Dean remains connected to the Minnesota Law community through giving. He and Diana both believe that organizations with a culture of giving benefit the people who are part of the organization in many ways. “We both believe it’s important to give back, either in resources or in time, where possible,” he says. “For me, being an alum, it’s important to help Minnesota Law continue to provide students with a top-notch legal education and help ensure Minnesota remains one of the leading law schools in the country.” By Kevin Coss, a Twin Cities-based freelance writer.

Dean Garry W. Jenkins, Professor John Matheson, and Peter Carter ’91 (executive vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary for Delta Airlines), at the inaugural Matheson Lecture in Corporate Governance.

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CHAMPIONING

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Alumni with DEI expertise offer insights into building a better workplace culture

TODD NELSON

s the nation has grown more diverse, the legal profession has lagged in representation. The racial and social justice movements arising after George Floyd’s killing, however, are having a major impact on the legal profession, including law firms, corporations, and public sector organizations. From corporate legal departments to private law firms and consulting roles, Minnesota Law alumni are striving to advance principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) where they work, with their clients and in the profession. Building relationships is key to helping diverse attorneys succeed, says Roshan Rajkumar ’00, co-managing partner of the Minneapolis office

of Bowman and Brooke, co-chair of the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee, and an adjunct professor at Minnesota Law. It’s also critical to the health of law firms and the profession. Rajkumar’s way to “radically support” the success of people at all levels of his firm is to let them know who he is, often inviting them to his home for a meal. At Bowman and Brooke, associates can have a diverse partner in another office who serves as their affinity mentor in addition to an in-office mentor, Rajkumar says. “How do you convince an associate, in particular diverse associates who are highly coveted in the legal market and not just in the Twin Cities, CONT >

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Photo: Jayme Halbritter

“You need to realize from the first year of law school going forward, every relationship will matter in some way.” Roshan Rajkumar ’00 Co-managing partner, Minneapolis office of Bowman and Brooke

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to come to Bowman and Brooke?” Rajkumar asks. “I can offer you my mentoring, coaching, opportunities for substantive work, chances to run cases, and I will always have your back. I’m not just going to know you at the office. We are going to play tennis, I’m going to invite you to a concert, I will get to know your family, you’ll get to know mine.” Rajkumar implores others to do the same, “to be open to relationships with people who may not look like you or have a background like you have.” He has similar advice for students he mentors and new attorneys. “You need to realize from the first year of law school going forward, every relationship will matter in some way.” With the challenging state of diversity in the Twin Cities legal community—where racial and ethnic minorities in 2020 represented 10 percent of attorneys at big firms, compared to 18 percent nationally, according to a Minnesota Coalition of Bar Associations of Color report— Rajkumar recommends that law students and lawyers explore affinity bar associations “to see people who may look like you.” “I have to remind people all the time that DEI is about all of us,” Rajkumar says. “It’s not just up to the Brown and Black attorneys or the diverse attorneys to keep things going. It’s all about everyone feeling like they’re part of something, that their voice matters and they have the opportunity to be successful.”

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CREATING A CULTURE SHIFT Ra’Shya Ghee ’13, an adjunct professor at Minnesota Law and a racial equity educator and consultant, helps organizations create a cognitive infrastructure and shared language to support employees in practicing racial equity goals. She focuses on anti-racism because diversity efforts typically are ahistorical. “It starts with what we want to do, not why we need to do it,” she says. To make progress in racial equity, organizations need to shift from addressing “historically underrepresented” people to those “historically excluded,” Ghee says. That acknowledges the intention that created racial inequities and the intention to undo them. As part of a culture shift emphasizing new norms, organizations also need to cultivate space, in the office or on digital platforms, for racial equity work. Employees need opportunities to report incidents of racial insensitivity or racial hostility, perhaps an anonymous system that’s rehabilitative rather than punitive. Racial-equity efforts should begin with an assessment or audit to establish a baseline. Organizations should measure progress regularly, adjust when necessary, “and calibrate those adjustments based on impact on those most burdened by the dynamics you’re seeking to migrate,” says Ghee. Organizations should incentivize participation rather than mandate it, but employees and applicants should know that racial equity skills and knowledge are a consideration in hiring and advancement.

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“I’m really invested in doing it in a way that is collaborative and engaging and meaningful. If people of color could solve these issues on our own, they’d be solved,” Ghee says. “We need everybody. We can’t leave anybody behind.”

DEI AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE The way companies address diversity, equity, and inclusion has evolved—as have opportunities for lawyers to contribute, says Ann Anaya ’93, who joined AmerisourceBergen as senior vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer in January. She previously served as chief diversity officer and vice president of global inclusion at 3M. Diversity efforts initially were a part of human resources and largely focused on representation, Anaya says. As this work matured and became a higher priority among corporations, 3M, for example, embedded inclusion as a culture pillar, a first step toward accountability for employees contributing to an inclusive culture. The approach to DEI advanced again after the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd, which sparked civil rights and social justice movements around the world. “Companies that didn’t already have fully dedicated chief diversity officers hired them,” Anaya says. “They had a broader discussion about corporate citizenship, social justice, and the role corporations play in addressing disparities and inequities.” Anaya says her legal background, including serving as a federal prosecutor before joining 3M, was essential in advocating for expanding DEI efforts and spurring supporters to take action. She helped bring together members of 3M’s employee resources networks who wanted to be part of the change. The company created a CEO Inclusion Council so resource network members could advise on what was working and what wasn’t. Those were among efforts that contributed to an increase in the share of employees who felt included from 71 percent to 76 percent from 2017 to 2020 in 3M’s global inclusion index, Anaya says. Anaya sees this year as a pivotal time for advancing DEI. Companies like AmerisourceBergen have made commitments to social justice and civil rights by endorsing the United Nations sustainable development goals for environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). The hope is that pursuing ESG goals will embed DEI into enterprise strategy. Says Anaya, “The strategic question to pose is, where are we uniquely positioned to advance equity in systems, cultures, and communities?” She hopes lawyers and law firms will take notice. “As lawyers, we should think about the oath we take and the purpose of our profession—justice and outcomes related to equity,” Anaya says. “How are we being intentional about where we can make a difference with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our profession and in the system of justice that we support?”

“If people of color could solve these issues on our own, they’d be solved. We need everybody. We can’t leave anybody behind.” Ra’Shya Ghee ’13 Adjunct professor, Minnesota Law, and racial equity educator and consultant

MONITORING COMPLIANCE Bryan Browning ’08, assistant general counsel, Ra’Shya Ghee ’13

Photo: Cory Ryan

head of global disputes for Michigan-based Whirlpool Corporation, says the lack of diversity in the legal profession is striking. Browning is also the general counsel of the Hispanic National Bar Association and a former president of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association. Nearly 88 percent of the nation’s lawyers are white, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2021. Blacks accounted for 5.4 percent, Asians 4.7 percent, and Hispanic and Latinos 6.9 percent. Women made up about 38 percent of attorneys. “In a job that is focused on the fair administration of law and justice, it is completely disproportionate that in a country where we are so diverse and becoming increasingly more so, there is this stunning lack of it in the legal profession,” says Browning. Corporate legal departments can make a difference, Browning says. For one, they can incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into outside counsel guidelines and requests for proposals. From there, companies can pursue many different strategies for effecting change, such as requiring the law firms they work with to have both a relationship and successor partner, one of whom must be diverse. This strategy creates a pipeline of diverse partner talent that provides great substantive results for the company, Browning says, and addresses the severe lack of diversity in law firms’ equity partnership ranks. In addition, corporate legal departments should collect and track the time diverse attorneys spend working on their matters, ensuring that teams doing that work reflect the company’s goals, Browning says. Legal departments also should consider the strategies for ensuring compliance that work best for them–the proverbial carrot or stick approaches. For instance, a legal department might award a “success bonus” of 1 to 5 percent of receipts for the year to a firm that surpasses the company’s diversity metrics, Browning says. In contrast, a legal department may have provisions for withholding a percentage of fees for non-compliance with those metrics. And for continuing non-compliance, a firm may be removed from a panel counsel program or have individual matters pulled in favor of a firm and team that consistently meet the company’s diversity goals. These are not foreign concepts to the profession, Browning says, and numerous resources available can help

Ann Anaya ’93

Bryan Browning ’08

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both law firms and corporate legal departments develop robust diversity policies. Local and national affinity bar associations warmly welcome the opportunity to work with firms and legal departments on recruiting, retaining, and advancing diverse attorneys. “There is all this attention, all this effort, and all this visibility being brought on DEI in law firms and corporations,” Browning says. While year-over-year progress has seemed slow, Browning is hopeful there is a growing appreciation that being intentional about DEI issues is not only in everyone’s financial interests, but also is the right thing to do.

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“You can have the most comprehensive policy, but if you don’t put it in practice and have analysis and evaluation, it’s useless.” Myrna Maysonet ’96 Partner and chief diversity officer, Greenspoon Marder

EVOLVING EDUCATION AT LAW FIRMS Myrna Maysonet ’96, partner and chief diversity officer

at Greenspoon Marder, oversees diversity initiatives for the firm, which has 200 lawyers and 24 offices around the country. Greenspoon Marder’s goal is to be as diverse and inclusive as possible, says Maysonet, who works in the firm’s Orlando, Florida, office. Measures include evaluating and re-evaluating hiring partners to make sure they’re offering diverse candidates. Anti-bias training has been effective in hiring and in the disciplinary process. With lawyers ranging from baby boomers to Generation Z, the firm offers diversity and other content in multiple formats, including blogs, webinars, and small-group meetings, Maysonet says. After George Floyd’s killing, the firm had Black members discuss their experiences as African Americans and hosted an educational session featuring a well-known African American author and activist who described encountering and overcoming discrimination in the early 1960s. Gender and gender identity, transgender rights, and gay equality are other subjects of the firm’s educational efforts, Maysonet says. Such issues have been a particular focus because of the 2016 mass shooting that killed 49 people and wounded 53 at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando. Greenspoon Marder’s DEI policies and the numbers and roles of diverse attorneys on potential work are part of pitching and negotiating business with corporate clients.

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“Any law firm that’s not doing that is behind the eight ball now,” says Maysonet, a labor and employment attorney who advises clients on their policies. “You can have the most comprehensive policy, but if you don’t put it in practice and have analysis and evaluation, it’s useless.” To help retain attorneys, the firm offers flexibility in work-life balance and practice areas, Maysonet says. Not everyone wants to be a partner, and someone who started out in litigation might be more successful in a transactional practice. “We can’t treat lawyers as one size fits all,” Maysonet says. “We need to offer the path from associate to partner, but not everybody in that group is going to stay there, so we have to be willing to work with people. Those days of just being a lawyer and billing 1,000 hours are gone.”

PARTNERSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT Rich Nymoen ’95, diversity, equity, and inclusion

director for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, says advancing DEI requires policies against discrimination and sexual harassment and systems for receiving and investigating complaints. It also requires partnerships internally with management, human resources, and communications, as well as with external stakeholders such as ethnic professional groups. A health care organization where Nymoen worked would invite such groups to hear presentations on areas of interest and do informational interviews with organizational leaders, who would collect resumes for future consideration as jobs opened up. Nymoen would like other employers to adopt the state’s policy on non-affirmative hires. The policy requires a hiring manager to submit a written justification for hiring a non-underrepresented person. “We all have unconscious biases that you don’t realize are operating when we’re making major decisions like this,” Nymoen says. “Requiring people to put in writing why they made the decision can help confront those biases. I think we’ve really seen an increase in diversity hiring because of that.” Having diverse candidate pools and interview panels also are among practices that can help counter such biases and support hiring of underrepresented people, Nymoen says. Employers need to change approaches if their DEI policies and practices aren’t producing diverse applicants and hires. “It’s important to monitor what you’re doing, and if what you’re doing isn’t working to try something else,” Nymoen says. “Don’t just go through the motions.” Another pitfall is doing nothing with a DEI plan, which Nymoen encountered previously when he audited contractor compliance with diversity hiring goals. “They would just put the plan in a drawer and wouldn’t put it into effect,” Nymoen says. “You have to plan your work and work your plan so that you’re actually making efforts to make your workplace more diverse and equitable.”

PUTTING DEI INTO PRACTICE Wendy Moore ’05 focuses on the intersection of race, law, and legal institutions as an associate professor in the department of sociology at Texas A&M University. She analyzed racial dynamics in top law schools through a critical race theory lens in her book Reproducing Racism: White Space, Elite Law Schools, and Racial Inequality. Structural racial hierarchy influences the experiences of people of color in law schools, firms, and other organizations, Moore says. Acknowledging that and committing to creating a climate that values racial equity are foundational steps. Creating that climate requires buy-in from those advancing racial equity efforts, Moore says. They are “the folks who are going to do the work to educate themselves, to listen to what BIPOC or LGBTQ+ lawyers are telling them, and to meaningfully make changes,” Moore says. Organizations further should “materially value and reward” that work, including recruiting and retention efforts. “It guarantees that you’re going to get people who are innovative and thoughtful and want to do the work, and can give you all of their energy in that area,” Moore says. “It signals to folks that this is very important to this organization.” Diverse attorneys should have a space where they can discuss incidents of racism or racial inequity. Trust them, rather than commissioning another diversity study. “If you want to alienate BIPOC folks in your organization, tell them that you’re going to do a study about it,” Moore says. “If a person of color is saying this was the issue here, we don’t need to study it. We’re going to believe them. Let’s take action.” Moore says firms could consider adopting her practice of speaking honestly about past problems. When she is recruiting students of color, she openly discusses past racist incidents on campus but also explains how the school has taken such incidents seriously, supported students subject to them, and connected them with other students of color. While visiting elite law schools for her book, Moore saw huge oil paintings of old alumni lawyers and judges—all white. Any pictures of Blacks showed them protesting as part of the Civil Rights movement. “Those things send signals about whose space it is,” Moore says. “Law firms, corporations, and schools spend a lot on their built environment. If they get artwork featuring people of color or by BIPOC artists, that shows the firm or the company’s values. Research shows that it makes a difference in terms of climate.”

Myrna Maysonet ’96

Rich Nymoen ’95

Todd Nelson is a freelance writer based in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

Wendy Moore ’05

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By the Numbers

DIVERSITY

By the Numbers is a new occasional feature in Minnesota Law magazine where we explore some key metrics relating to the Law School. In this edition, we look at the growing diversity of the Law School’s student body.

ENTERING 1L J.D. CLASS

CLASS OF 2024

(excluding international students) 70 60

52%

WOMEN

48% MEN

30 20 10 0 2016

2017

2+ Remaining

2018

Black

2019

Latinx

2020

Native American

2021

Asian

26% LGBTQ+

2021 TOP THIRD AMONG MIDWESTERN PEER LAW SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR. UP FROM BOTTOM THIRD.

2016

#1 IN PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS OF COLOR AMONG MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOLS. UP FROM #3.

16%

First Generation Students

700%

INCREASE

STUDENTS OF COLOR IN THE ENTERING CLASS

in Black Law Students (2016 to 2021)

2016 14% 2021 25.5% 0

156%

INCREASE

in Latinx Law Students (2016 to 2021)

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25.5% Students of Color

JOIN!THE!CLUB"! MAKE!A!DIFFERENCE" The Lockhart Club is Minnesota Law’s leadership annual giving society. With five different giving levels, the Lockhart Club brings together generations of alumni and friends who generously express their support with annual gifts of $2,000 or more, or as part of Lockhart GOLD for recent graduates. The loyal generosity of our Lockhart Club members helps us to recruit and retain world-class faculty, attract promising and diverse students, and create transformational programs that train our students and benefit our communities. Now is the perfect time to join an esteemed group of fellow alumni and friends of the Law School who are making a difference in the lives of tomorrow’s lawyer-leaders. Make your gift and join today at z.umn.edu/lawlockhartclub

For questions or for information about joining the Lockhart Club, please contact Katie Jacob, assistant director of annual giving, at kldjacob@umn.edu or call 612-624-0097.

SAVE THE DATE! 2022 Lockhart Club Dinner October 11, 2022 McNamara Alumni Center

GIVING!LEVELS BINGER CIRCLE $25,000+ FRASER SOCIETY $10,000-$24,999 DEAN’S CIRCLE $5,000-$9,999 MURPHY SOCIETY $2,000-$4,999 LOCKHART GOLD Graduates of the Last Decade

As a member of the Lockhart Club, you can look forward to a host of benefits that include: •

Invitation to the annual Lockhart Club Celebration

•

Recognition in the Law School’s annual Impact of Giving Report and online donor listings

•

Your name appearing on the Law School’s donor recognition wall displayed in the Dorsey & Whitney Foyer

•

A unique Lockhart Club lapel pin

•

Special recognition at Law School events

•

Insider updates from the desk of Dean Garry W. Jenkins

•

Invitations to exclusive events

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THE TOP LAWYER AT THE INTERIOR Robert Anderson ’83 contributes his expertise in natural resources and American Indian law as solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior BY

SUZY FRISCH

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he list of contentious issues and legal questions on Robert Anderson’s docket is long and high-profile, and the decisions he makes are bound to anger someone. As the top lawyer for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Anderson often finds himself on the hot seat, and he’s okay with that. As solicitor, Anderson ’83 is right where he wants to be—helping determine the policies and legal strategies that ultimately shape the environmental and land-use agenda of President Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. It’s the culmination of Anderson’s long career focused on American Indian law, and environmental, water, and natural resources law, spanning the realms of advocacy, academia, and public service.

and championing renewable energy, all with a lens on environmental justice and protecting the sovereign rights of Indian nations. “It’s a wonderful experience,” Anderson says. “It’s very fast-paced, and I’m really enjoying it. I feel like I owe a lot of my success to the University of Minnesota Law School. The great education I got there set me on my path.” A member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Anderson grew up in Ely, Minnesota. He started his legal career at the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) after completing a summer clerkship with the Colorado nonprofit. Next, he and another lawyer opened NARF’s Anchorage, Alaska, office, where Anderson tackled litigation in state and federal courts, including a landmark case about water, land, and fishing rights that eventually was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. At NARF, Anderson developed significant expertise in public land law, American Indian law, and water rights. He put that knowledge to use when he was invited to join Interior’s legal team I feel like I owe a lot of my success during the Clinton administration. to the University of Minnesota For two years, Anderson served as associate solicitor for Indian Affairs Law School. The great education and then was called up to work in Secretary Bruce Babbitt’s front office. I got there set me on my path. He got involved with numerous initiatives related to national parks, national —Robert Anderson ’83 monuments, water rights, and much more. Seeking a new opportunity, Anderson became a law professor at the University of Washington. For 20 years he headed the Native American Law Center and Anderson joined the Department of the Interior as taught federal Indian law, water and natural resources principal deputy solicitor in January 2021. Biden formally law, and property law. Eventually, Harvard came calling, nominated him for solicitor in April, and the Senate and Anderson spent a decade teaching there, one semester confirmed him in September. From day one, Anderson has each year. been engaged in a broad swath of legal issues, such as oil Anderson thoroughly enjoyed teaching and advising and gas leasing policies, endangered species, water rights, students, telling them to always be nice to coworkers American Indian land and treaty rights, and mining on because you just might work with them again. That public lands. became true for Anderson when he joined transition His responsibilities are just as varied. Anderson teams for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, regularly gets into the weeds on legal decisions, consults and Biden, and when he returned to the Interior. with Haaland and other executive branch officials, and Today, Anderson’s job unites all of his professional partners with the department’s 430 lawyers spread over experience with the bonus of returning to public service. 16 field offices. Interior also has jurisdiction over the “I feel so fortunate to be in this position. Every day I think U.S. territories. about what I can do to help accomplish the Secretary’s Anderson manages Interior’s legal team and works on goals and the President’s goals,” he says. “I always told litigation strategies, including about a thousand cases people this was the job I wanted since I worked in the pending in federal court. He helps develop legal positions department in the ’90s. I am extremely happy to be able on a host of controversial issues and serves as the chief to advocate for the environment and tribal nations as ethics officer. In addition, Anderson is a key ally of a public servant.” Haaland and her work to implement Biden’s climate Suzy Frisch is a Twin Cities–based freelance writer. policy goals. Priorities include reducing greenhouse gases

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Minnesota Law held a week-long series of special events that included lectures, alumni panels, and CLES from April 25 through May 1, 2022. Class reunion receptions were the highlight of the week, allowing alumni to connect with their classmates. Congratulations to all reunion alumni who celebrated and honored a milestone reunion with Minnesota Law this year!

1 Dean Garry W. Jenkins and Hon. James Rosenbaum ’69 at this year’s Golden Society Brunch. 2 Members of the the Class of 1967 celebrates their 55th reunion and their victory of this year’s reunion Attendance Cup trophy. 3 Members of the the Class of 1997 celebrate their 25th reunion. 4 Naomi Williamson ’82, Sandra Ferrian ’82, Shannon O’Toole ’82, and Kathleen Marron ’82. 5 Members of the Class of 1972 alumni reminisce about their time at Law School. 6 Fred Morrison, Professor of Law Emeritus and Popham, Haik, Schnobrich/Lindquist & Vennum Professor of Law, addresses the Class of 1972 at its 50th reunion.

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FEATURES

“The women have been the best in the world for years. ... There was no rational justification for denying them equal pay any longer.” —Nicole Saharsky ’02

THE EQUAL-PAY ADVOCATE Nicole Saharsky ’02 was lead appellate counsel for the U.S. women’s national soccer team in a case that resulted in landmark $24M settlement

SUZY FRISCH

Nicole Saharsky ’02 has argued 30 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the third most of any woman in the court’s history.

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Appellate Law Pathway Since law school, Saharsky has advocated for clients on appeal. She confirmed her interest in appellate law during a Bristow Fellowship in the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Solicitor General. Seeking to gain more appellate experience, Saharsky entered private practice before returning to Justice in 2007 as an assistant to the Solicitor General. She spent a decade handling a diverse array of appeals and legal issues, from securities and national security to criminal and environmental law. Saharsky achieved a lifelong goal to appear before the Supreme Court when she argued a case in 2008 on the interpretation of a federal drug statute. She invested enormous amounts of time briefing the case, preparing, and practicing her arguments. But the matter was so straightforward that her presentation lasted seven minutes instead of the allotted 30 because the justices had few questions. No matter the case and the number of times Saharsky has appeared before the Supreme Court, she prepares to that level and more. It still can be intimidating. “Everyone gets nervous before each Supreme Court argument, even

Photo: Getty Images

hen the U.S. women’s national soccer team lost its federal equal pay lawsuit on summary judgement in 2020, it was a shocking blow. After all, the U.S. Soccer Federation’s president, the U.S. men’s national soccer team, members of Congress, sponsors, and many others had previously acknowledged that the women were not receiving equal pay. When the time came to appeal, the women turned to Nicole Saharsky ’02 to champion their cause. A veteran appellate lawyer who has argued 30 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Saharsky and her team at Mayer Brown took up the appeal pro bono. Crafting a compelling argument that the ruling was legally wrong and “defies reality,” they pointed out that the women would have earned an additional $64 million over five years if they had been paid under the same compensation structure as the men. The legal team bolstered their case with numerous amicus briefs, including those from the U.S. Men’s National Team and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A couple weeks before oral arguments, U.S. Soccer agreed to a settlement of $24 million in back pay and equal pay for all games going forward. The case was straightforward, not some abstract question of equal pay, Saharsky says. “The women have been the best in the world for years, and they’ve won four World Cups and four Olympic gold medals. U.S. Soccer markets them as one of the best sports teams ever. It resulted in the team bringing in very significant revenue for U.S. Soccer—even more revenue than the men,” she says. “There was no rational justification for denying them equal pay any longer.” It was a sweet victory for all involved. “The players have been fighting for this for years and they were overjoyed to get the settlement approved and so favorably,” Saharsky says. “When you can get what your clients want, that makes you happy.”

! The players will receive tens of millions of dollars in back pay as a result of the historic settlement.

people who have done it lots and lots of times,” Saharsky says. “You just have to take a breath and center yourself because it is inherently a little nerve-wracking. Then you start talking and have a conversation with the justices and it becomes more natural.” In one of her early appearances, Saharsky even shared a bit of knowledge she gleaned during law school. She used the term romanette—the small roman numerals like ii used in a list— eliciting a question from Chief Justice John Roberts on the meaning of the word. Saharsky learned it in Professor John Matheson’s corporate law class and was happy to teach the court about romanettes. It was just a small part of the practical and well-rounded education she says she received from Minnesota Law.

A ‘Formidable Advocate’ Saharsky joined Mayer Brown in 2018 as co-head of the firm’s Supreme Court and Appellate Practice. She appreciates that her appellate work today is just as varied, and she continues to represent clients before the Supreme Court. With hundreds of cases briefed and 30 cases argued, Saharsky is the second most active female attorney to regularly appear before the justices. She has won the majority of her Supreme Court cases, garnering ranking and attention from Chambers USA as a “formidable advocate.” Finding appellate work an interesting challenge, Saharsky believes she has honed a successful approach that explains legal issues in a straightforward, common-sense way, backed by well-reasoned arguments. It’s been a rewarding career so far, with much more to come, Saharsky says. “I have had a number of cases where I think the decisions in our favor made people safer or better off,” she says. “The women’s national team case falls into that category—cases that have clear outcomes that make people’s lives better. It’s a nice feeling to know that you did that, and you can see that it really makes a difference.” Suzy Frisch is Twin Cities-based freelance writer.

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FEATURES

THEORY at WORK

THE BRIDGE BUILDER Professor Claire Hill finds connections between different disciplines and between theory and real-world practice BY

CATHY MADISON

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Illustration: Robert Ball

laire Hill, who joined the Law School in 2006, has distinguished herself as a professor, author, and researcher, but what may best describe her is an attribute not listed on her resume. She is a builder of bridges, not only between law and other disciplines such as psychology, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, and economics, but also between academic theory and real-world practice. “What interests me is what makes people tick— what we have laws about, and why those laws should work,” says Hill, James L. Krusemark Chair in Law. Hill served as an associate reporter on the American Law Institute’s Principles of Compliance and Enforcement for Organizations, which received final approval last May. She had primary responsibility for the chapter on compliance risk management. Compliance has become a “very hot topic” in recent years, she says. Traditionally, compliance was within the legal ambit, whereas risk management was more concerned with financial risk. But as our world has gotten riskier, it has become clear that the two should not be dealt with in isolation. “Compliance risk needs to be managed as part of a company’s overall risk management,” Hill explains, hence the need for ALI principles, which are expected to be influential and useful to companies, regulators, and lawyers, among others. “The ALI is a prominent organization, and these principles will likely be taken very seriously,” says Professor Brett McDonnell, a colleague and frequent co-author who lauds Hill’s exploration of rationality and behavioral psychology. “She challenges prevailing ideas in the law and economics fields we both work in,” he says. While economists may attribute certain behaviors to bias or dumb mistakes, for example, that is not her way. “She always has these sorts of unique, different twists in the way she thinks,” he says, noting that she is also engaging, easy to talk with, a magnet for intellectual discourse among a wide circle of friends and colleagues, and “a great cook.”

Toward a Better Bank Culture Co-author with Professor Richard Painter of Better Bankers, Better Banks (University of Chicago Press, 2015), Hill has applied her fascination with how people think about banking culture here and abroad. She taught for a semester at University College Dublin’s Sutherland School of Law and is currently a non-resident visiting professor there. She has worked with U.S. and Irish regulators on issues relating to bank culture, with psychological literature on individual characteristics and cognition as well as group dynamics informing her approach. To change behavior, she argues, the complex determinants of motivation and mindset must be understood. This perspective applies to mergers and acquisitions as well. Hill co-authored a leading textbook titled Mergers and Acquisitions: Law, Theory and Practice (West Academic, 2d edition, 2019) with Brian J.M. Quinn and Steven Davidoff Solomon. Learning how to be a transactional lawyer requires more than just studying statutes and cases, she points out. Theory can be marshaled to help students make analogies between experiences in their own lives and those in the world of big business. By understanding the concerns of the parties to a transaction, students will become better at figuring out what contractual mechanisms exist to address them. Hill is, not surprisingly, a prolific organizer of conferences. In February 2020, she co-hosted “Regulating Bank Culture,” a conference at University College Dublin that assembled an international array of regulators and bank CEOs as well as legal and other academics, with a few cognitive scientists in the mix. As well as more traditional conferences on tax shelters, corporate governance, finance, and contract theory, she is also known for organizing legal conferences with an interdisciplinary bent, such as “Philosophical, Psychological, Economic, and Biological Perspectives on Legal Scholarship,” “Self and Other: Cognitive Perspectives on Trust, Empathy, and the Self,” “Meeting of the Minds: Right Meets Left,” and “Ferguson: A Case Study in Persuasion.” Future conferences will focus on such topics as individualism versus collectivism and interdisciplinary perspectives on stakeholder interests in corporate governance, among others. Clearly, her efforts to bring people with myriad interests together to help them understand and bridge their differences show no signs of abating, much to the benefit of all involved. Cathy Madison is a Twin Cities-based freelance writer

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Faculty News, Awards & Grants

Professor Murray Honored with NACDL Champion of Legal Justice Award Professor JaneAnne Murray received the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Champion of Justice Legal Award on February 26 during the Association’s Midwinter Meeting in Austin, Texas. Champion of Justice Awards are bestowed upon those individuals who—through legislative, journalistic, philanthropic, or humanitarian pursuits—have staunchly preserved or defended the constitutional rights of American citizens and have endeavored to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime.

Professor Gross Appointed Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Professor Oren Gross was named associate dean of academic affairs, starting this summer. Gross, the Irving Younger Professor of Law, is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of international law and national security law. He is also an expert

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on the Middle East and the ArabIsraeli conflict. Gross was a member of the faculty of the Tel Aviv University Law School in Israel from 1996 to 2002. He has taught and held visiting positions at Harvard Law School; Princeton University; Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; The Max Planck Institute for International Law and Comparative Public Law in Heidelberg, Germany; the Transitional Justice Institute in Belfast (while a British Academy visiting professor); Queen’s University in Belfast; the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain); and Brandeis University. Gross has received numerous academic awards and scholarships, including a Fulbright scholarship and British Academy and British Council awards.

Professors Meili and Zamoff Appointed to Named Professorships Professors Steve Meili and Mitch Zamoff were appointed to named professorships. Meili has been appointed to a newly created professorship, the James H. Michael Chair in International Human Rights Law; Zamoff, a clinical professor of law, has been named the J. Stewart and Mario Thomas McClendon Professor in Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The James H. Michael Chair in International Human Rights Law, created to support “a clinical professorship in international human rights,” was endowed as a memorial legacy to Jim Michael ’47. Meili joined the Law School in 2008, became a tenured associate professor in 2018. He previously held the James H. Binger Professorship in Clinical Law (awarded in 2019). He writes and teaches about the rights of noncitizens, particularly those seeking asylum. He is also director of the Law School’s Immigration and Human Rights Clinic. Meili was also recently named director of Law Clinics for the Law School. Zamoff joined Minnesota Law’s faculty in 2017, and was promoted to clinical professor in 2021. He serves as director of the law school’s litigation program, chair of the civil litigation concentration, and co-director of the law in practice program. He teaches and writes in the areas of alternative dispute resolution, civil procedure, evidence, evidence drafting, and law in practice. He is a two-time recipient of the Stanley V. Kinyon Teacher of the Year Award (2016 & 2021). Professors Murray and Moriearty Recognized with ‘Attorneys of the Year’ Awards The clinical work of Professors JaneAnne Murray and Perry Moriearty was recognized by Minnesota Lawyer at its annual Attorneys of the Year awards event. In 2021, the Clemency project helped effectuate two sentence commutations on the state level and more than a dozen pardons on the federal level. In bestowing the award, Minnesota Lawyer cited the out-

standing work of the project and Murray as its director. Moriearty, along with Dan Guerrero ’89 of Meshbesher & Spence, was recognized for effectuating the release of Myon Burrell after 18 years in prison in a case that made headlines throughout the country. Burrell had been a juvenile when he was incarcerated with a lengthy sentence. The work was done through Minnesota Law’s Child Advocacy and Juvenile Justice Clinic.

Prof. June Carbone Elected to ALI Membership Professor June Carbone, the Robina Chair in Law, Science and Technology, was elected to membership in the American Law Institute. ALI is the leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize, and otherwise improve the law. The ALI drafts, discusses, revises, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Model Codes, and Principles of Law that are enormously influential in the courts and legislatures, as well as in legal scholarship and education. Carbone joins more than 20 current faculty members who have been elected to ALI membership.

Professors Larry McDonough and Monica Bogucki

Minnesota Law’s Poverty Law Course Marks 25th Year THERE IS A WAITING LIST TO enroll in Minnesota Law’s Poverty Law

class, currently celebrating its 25th year at the Law School. The fact that students are still literally lining up for the long-offered course is a testament to the staying power of interest in learning about the many legal and social areas that the course covers. Throughout its quarter century run, the class has been taught by the same two adjunct professors—Monica Bogucki and Larry McDonough. But this year, the class’s silver anniversary, will be Bogucki’s last. She plans to retire at the end of the semester. Reflecting on the popularity of the class, McDonough said that students are hungry for social justice content. They get it through the class’s curriculum, which approaches the social topics with a legal perspective. Bogucki and McDonough were both legal aid lawyers when they proposed the class 25 years ago. Since then, they have shared their collective years of experience with generations of appreciative students, many of whom have gone on to careers in public service. One of those students was Julia Zwak ’15. “I came to law school knowing I wanted to work in civil legal services, and this class helped me to gain exposure to different areas of law in this sector,” she recalled. “I now practice as a housing staff attorney at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid in Minneapolis, building on knowledge I gained in Poverty Law, as well as the Housing Law Clinic.” (McDonough also founded the Housing Law Clinic 25 years ago when he was a visiting clinical professor.) Zwak said that practicing lawyers she encountered through the class, including Bogucki and McDonough, offered her “invaluable career advice” in thinking about and charting her own professional path. Next fall, Meghan Scully, a staff attorney at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, will co-teach the class with McDonough. Bogucki, who has put her heart and soul into the course for 25 years, will be missed. “It’s been an incredible journey,” she said. Barbara L. Jones (A longer version of this story is available online at z.umn.edu/povertylaw)

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AUTHOR in QUESTION Amanda Lyons ’09 Executive Director, Human Rights Center, and Lecturer in Law

COVID-19 and Human Rights This timely collection explores the COVID-19 pandemic and its wide-ranging effects on human rights. The book was co-edited by Amanda Lyons, executive director of the Law School’s Human Rights Center, with two co-editors, Morten Kjaerum, director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Sweden, and Professor Martha F. Davis of Northeastern University School of Law. What inspired you to put together a book on this topic? Martha Davis, Morten Kjaerum, and I were wrapping up nearly two years of joint work on a book called COVID-19 and Human Rights when the pandemic hit. We each began to track different dimensions of the pandemic from our respective research centers. Morten suggested that we could continue our partnership across institutions and fast-track a unique and accessible compilation of diverse human rights analyses and proposals.

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What are some of the issues the book delves into? The first section covers the history, trends, and relevant principles of human rights in health crises. The second section on inequality looks at systemic racism, gender-based violence, disability, prisons, and the rights of migrants. The third part focuses on social cohesion, discussing the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, food, water, land, global supply chains, vaccines, and climate change. The conclusion offers ideas for a post-crisis human rights agenda. What differentiates this book from other works on this topic? This is one of the first books on human rights in the pandemic. The book stands out for the diversity of expertise of the 23 contributing authors—academic researchers, U.N. experts, and advocates from leading human rights organizations. Together the chapters cover an impressive range of issues, perspectives, and proposals, including global assessments and region-specific reflections from the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. What are a few key takeaways from the book? Olivier de Schutter, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, summarizes a major takeaway of the book in the foreword: human rights can and ought to serve several roles during the crisis, namely to shield against state overreaches and abuses, to guide just and effective

recovery efforts, and to catalyze new forms of international cooperation. The contributions to the book show that in addition to imposing limits to state action, as human rights are traditionally conceived, human rights also require intensified state action in other areas, tailored to address immediate needs as well as systemic inequality and vulnerability. Who is the target audience for the book? Our aim is to contribute to human rights classes, policy debates, and research agendas. Around the launch of the book, we organized a series of six webinars with authors and other leading experts to debate the book’s core themes and to deepen our reflections as the pandemic has played out. It has been great to hear from instructors who are incorporating the book and webinar recordings into their classes. What is something you were surprised to discover in preparing this book? For the research for my own chapter on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and the role of the private sector, I was struck by how universal the call for transformative recovery is. Virtually no conversation about COVID-19 recovery focuses on returning to the status quo. Although there is an ambiguous consensus that the pandemic is an opportunity to course-correct—a fork in the road, a defining moment—behind that there are of course drastically divergent ideas of what needs correcting.

“

This book is a useful jumping-off point to explore the many human rights dimensions of the protracted COVID-19 pandemic and new, transformative agendas as we emerge from it.” —Amanda Lyons ’09

What do you hope to accomplish with this book? Impress my grandma (check), make it into the faculty lobby bookcase (check), and take my (pre-taxes) 40-cent royalty on every book sold all the way to the bank. What is your best pitch for why someone should pick up this book? The COVID-19 pandemic is already a defining moment for human rights. For anyone interested in how human rights do and can relate to efforts to respond effectively and justly to this and other related global crises, this book offers a wide range of perspectives, expertise, and proposals with important examples. It is a valuable jumping-off point to explore the many human rights dimensions of the protracted COVID-19 pandemic and new agendas as we emerge from it. Anything else to share? We turned in the manuscript on December 31, 2020. I was surprised how meaningful it felt to close out that impossible year by delivering this collective project. In the blur of fear, loss, and lockdown with small kids, it was a huge privilege to be able to spend those months reflecting with Martha and Morten, and with the great group of researchers and activists who came together for this book. I was especially grateful to count on the exceptional support of Human Rights Center student researchers Cooper Christiancy ’21, Kristin Trapp ’21, and Verónica Cadavid González, MHR ’22.

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Retirement Salute

A Natural Teacher and Scholar Retiring professor Brad Karkkainen’s impact on the environmental and natural resources fields stretches far beyond the law GROWING UP IN THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN, Brad Karkkainen had a front-row

seat to Lake Superior. Unfortunately, he also had a clear view of how such a pristine natural resource can be abused. “I’ve always loved the outdoors and nature,” says Karkkainen. “I felt a kinship with the Great Lakes, especially Lake Superior.” That kinship turned into a career in the wake of the Reserve Mining Company dispute. That case, decided in 1976 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, determined that Reserve Mining was responsible for amphibole asbestos fibers found in the public drinking water of Duluth and other North Shore communities. Recognizing the fragility of such a powerful body of water spurred Karkkainen toward environmental advocacy and, eventually, a career in law. “Reserve Mining was dumping thousands of tons of untreated mine tailings that were similar to asbestos directly into Lake Superior, and it was threatening the public water supply in Duluth,” Karkkainen recalls. “It concerned me not only that there was this public health problem in Duluth, but also that this beautiful, otherwise pristine natural resource was being threatened.” Karkkainen, Henry J. Fletcher Professor of Law, is retiring after 17 years on the faculty of Minnesota Law. He taught courses in environmental law, international environmental law, natural resources law, water law, land use, property, administrative law, and regulatory theory. He has written scores of monographs, book chapters, and

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articles in various legal and social science journals. “Professor Karkkainen’s contributions have been integral to the success and prominence of the Law School’s environmental & energy law program,” says Garry W. Jenkins, dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law. “Brad is a nationally recognized authority in the fields of environmental and natural resources law, and his robust scholarship and teaching skills have greatly benefitted our students and grown that pivotal field of law. He will always be a part of the Minnesota Law community, and I congratulate him on this career milestone.” Highly Regarded, Well Cited Prior to joining Minnesota Law’s faculty, Karkkainen held a visiting appointment at the University of California–Berkeley and was associate professor at Columbia Law School in New York City from 1995 to 2003. He earned his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1994. Throughout his career, his research has centered on strategies for environmental regulation and natural resources management, with an emphasis on mechanisms that promote continuous adaptive learning, flexibility, transparency, and policy integration. “I’m proud to say that my work has been cited hundreds, possibly thousands of times in academic literature—and not just in law,” he says. “Brad’s work on the disclosure of environmental risks, the role of the National Environmental Policy Act in federal agency decision-making, and the governance of water resources in the Great Lakes was pathbreaking,” says Professor Alexandra Klass, who chairs the

Law School’s Environmental & Energy Law Concentration. “His body of scholarly work is regularly cited in environmental law textbooks and scholarship across the country and internationally, and it will continue to have a lasting impact on the environmental law field.” Karkkainen’s scholarship has been based on the simple principle that people have a right to know about the environmental risks they’re facing and the types of pollutants they’re exposed to. One of the first major law review articles Karkkainen wrote after becoming an academic focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory, a research resource that didn’t set new regulatory standards but took a different approach to environmental protection. “It put pressure on companies to clean up their act,” he says. “Many boards and CEOs said they had no idea what they were putting into the environment until they were asked.” Looking Ahead Karkkainen, 69, says his decision to step down was primarily motivated by two things—his health and a new granddaughter who lives near him and his wife in St. Paul, Minnesota. “My doctors advised me to take it easy and spend my days in a lowstress environment, and teaching is terribly high-stress,” he says. “Plus, I get to babysit for a full day once a week.” Karkkainen says he is open to returning to the classroom on a limited basis. “I’m not sure I want to give up teaching entirely.” By Dan Heilman, a freelance writer based in St. Paul

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Retirement Salute

The Legal Empiricist Retiring professor Herbert Kritzer brought a political scientist’s perspective to studying the legal profession HERBERT “BERT” KRITZER WAS AN UNUSUAL HIRE

for the University of Minnesota Law School. A political scientist, he was close to retirement age when he joined the faculty in 2009 after a career spent researching the legal profession, civil litigation, and judicial selection. But Kritzer overturned any skepticism through his influential and wide-ranging scholarship about the practice of law over the last 13 years. The Marvin J. Sonosky Chair of Law and Public Policy, Kritzer brought a political scientist’s vantage to studying how lawyers work. He delved into the ins and outs of legal practice and assessed changes in state judicial elections. Kritzer calls his time at Minnesota Law the “most productive part” of his career, during which he engaged in meaty research, taught numerous law classes, and served in leadership roles. Though it wasn’t necessarily his intention at the start of his political science career, Kritzer made significant contributions to understanding many aspects of practicing law. He brought a social-science approach to researching civil litigation, legal malpractice, legal advocacy, and contingency fees, to name a few areas, resulting in 10 books and more than 100 journal articles and book chapters. “My main goal has been revealing how things work in practice, both to my academic colleagues and potential policy makers,” Kritzer says. “And there is a lot to talk about with how much judicial elections have changed over time, whether that is changes in how judges are

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being selected and whether elections have become more partisan and more competitive.” Garry W. Jenkins, dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law, says Kritzer made a lasting impact on Minnesota Law and the legal profession. “Professor Kritzer’s empirical, data-driven approach and scholarship have truly transformed the interdisciplinary approach of our faculty and law school,” Jenkins says. “Bert has had a remarkable career—as a pioneering political scientist for 35 years who moved from studying lawyers to teaching lawyers for the past 13 years—with a huge impact on socio-legal studies and our understanding of the work of lawyers,” Jenkins adds. “I extend my sincerest congratulations and thanks to him. We will miss his warmth and sharp intellect, and we will also see far fewer giraffe ties in Mondale Hall with his retirement.” (Kritzer wore a different giraffe tie each day and always incorporated a giraffe into his torts exams.) A Political Science Pathway Before joining Minnesota Law, Kritzer taught political science for 30 years at the University of Wisconsin– Madison. He got his start teaching research methods and the judicial process, thanks to his dissertation about judges. That, along with a large grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to study civil litigation, set Kritzer on a path to researching how lawyers practice law, the profession in action, and judicial selection. After commuting for years between Madison and the Twin Cities, Kritzer

joined William Mitchell College of Law in 2007 as a law professor. He joined Minnesota Law soon after. In addition to his scholarship, he was tasked with teaching one traditional law course. Kritzer picked torts, eventually adding courses in law and politics, statistics for lawyers, and empirical perspectives on law. Teaching torts was very different from other courses he had taught in the past, “and it was energizing,” Kritzer says. “I really enjoyed the style of teaching. You can really see, in a clear way, the students’ development.” Charles Geyh, distinguished professor of law at Indiana University, works in similar academic circles as Kritzer and has informally collaborated with him on judicial selection research. Calling Kritzer “an academic’s academic,” Geyh says he learned much from Kritzer, including his use of data to power conclusions, his interdisciplinary approach, and his willingness to immerse himself in the profession as an outsider. “I can’t think of another scholar who has one foot in a different discipline but has succeeded in integrating himself with lawyers in a way that aided him in making a major impact on both political science and law,” Geyh says. “An outstanding scholar is someone who makes a mark in multiple areas, and Bert has done that over the course of his career. He really is an expert in a range of fields in American government. That is the mark of an agile mind and one of the titans in the field.” By Suzy Frisch, a Twin Cities-based freelance writer.

Photo: Tony Nelson

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Retirement Salute

Pathbreaker and “Legendary Teacher” From reproductive rights to wills and trusts, retiring professor Judith Younger illuminated tough legal concepts for legions of students WHEN JUDITH T. YOUNGER

came to the University of Minnesota as a law professor in 1984, she brought rich experience from working as a litigator in private practice, as an assistant New York attorney general, and as a law professor and dean. She was far from done. In nearly 40 years at Minnesota Law, Younger left her mark as an engaging professor who brought bread-and-butter legal topics to life for students. Known as a warm but tough professor, Younger taught property law, wills and trusts, and remedies. She would put students at ease by asking them what movies they had seen, breaking the ice and drawing them in to the subject matter while emphasizing how the law affects people’s lives, says William McGeveran, associate dean for academic affairs and the Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett Professor of Law. Younger, the Joseph E. Wargo Anoka County Bar Association Professor of Family Law, was named the Stanley V. Kinyon Chaired Teacher of the Year from 2009–10. She was the kind of professor who opened her home to students on weekends to develop a course in the law of reproductive rights. Thanks to Younger’s guidance and insight— and enthusiasm to teach the pioneering course starting in 2008—Minnesota Law became one of the first schools in the country to offer such a class. “I like everything I teach,” Younger says. “I’m proud of the law of reproductive rights class that students

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created with me. It was very exciting. I wanted to introduce them to the idea that choice is not always free and to teach about reproductive justice.” In addition to teaching, she contributed a significant body of research and writing on a wide array of topics, from marital property division to legal education and family law issues like surrogacy. Garry W. Jenkins, dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law, notes the impact Younger made on students. “Professor Younger has been a legendary classroom teacher and patient mentor for generations of Minnesota Law students,” he says. “She came to us from a distinguished career that took her from a Wall Street law firm to the deanship of a law school and made Minnesota her new home. She created a pathbreaking course in the law of reproductive rights and taught it each year, alongside fundamental subjects like property, wills and trusts, and remedies. “Judith’s wisdom and experience— not to mention her reliably stealing the show at each year’s TORT performance—have enriched the law school community and will be sorely missed as she moves into retirement.” ‘Happy Accidents’ At the outset of her career, Younger had not charted a specific course for herself. She calls her various work experiences happy accidents that she truly enjoyed. She is grateful for the practical experience she amassed as a working lawyer, which she applied regularly to teach legal concepts.

“I like to teach, and I like the students. They are young and vigorous and most of them are open-minded and prepared to learn new things,” Younger says. “I’ve learned a great deal more from them than they have learned from me.” Younger also has been a leader among her peers, says Susan Wolf, Regents Professor and McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine & Public Policy. “Judith has been a guiding star for the faculty throughout my time at the University of Minnesota Law School. I think of her at meetings often listening quietly and carefully at first, and then speaking up with crucial insight,” Wolf says. “She has a deep and unerring sense of fairness, process, and what’s right. She has a profound wisdom married to empathy that’s very unique.” McGeveran, a fellow New Yorker who appreciates Younger’s forthrightness, admires her enthusiasm for teaching and ability to bring sometimes esoteric legal topics to life. “We are all going to miss her personality, faculty and students alike, even when that personality was giving us the what-for,” McGeveran says. “I think she is the kind of professor who many graduates will look back on as being a really important part of their 1L experience—a really memorable professor who cared about her students.” By Suzy Frisch, a Twin Cities-based freelance writer.

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Big Picture

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SUPREME ADVOCACY

Photo: Hunter Johnson

Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, faculty director of the Human Rights Center (HRC), recently traveled to Washington D.C. where she appeared as witness before Congress at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing. She also had several meetings at the U.S. State Department and submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in an important case involving the human rights of a Guantanamo Bay detainee. In this photo, Ní Aoláin, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, is flanked by two of her advisors, Alyssa Yamamoto, a visiting fellow at the HRC, and Megan L. Manion ’16, on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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" LEADING QUESTIONS

Henrique Beux Nassif Azem, LL.M. ’22 A federal attorney for Brazil, he holds a Master in Law degree from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and understands five languages DESCRIBE YOUR WORK AS A FEDERAL ATTORNEY IN BRAZIL. I work as a civil litigation attorney for the federal agencies in Brazil, a job that deals with a broad array of subjects, from the rights of indigenous people to environmental law, securities, aerospace, and social security law. In brief, it’s about filing complaints and handling appeals for lawsuits opened against or by the federal government of Brazil and its agencies. IN WHAT LANGUAGES ARE YOU CONVERSANT? Portuguese is my mother tongue. I can speak English, Spanish, Italian, and German. I read in French, but I am not able to speak or write it yet. WHY DID YOU SELECT MINNESOTA LAW? The program suited my expectations, since I could take any courses that fit my interests. It also helps you to build a strong basis in American law due to the Introduction to American Law and Legal Writing mandatory courses. Also, it is located in the Twin Cities, a big hub for all parts of the country. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE LL.M. PROGRAM SO FAR? I like to spend time at the Law Library, which has pretty much

all the resources I could ask for. The comraderie with American students is also amazing, not to mention the discussions with faculty. WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH YOUR LL.M. DEGREE? The program will certainly help me pursue higher steps in my academic career and will help me with my doctorate thesis in Brazil, which focuses on the influence of American law in judicial review in Brazil. It will help me in my daily activities at work as well, as I got broader perspectives of what law is and what solutions we can get from it in a different legal system. ARE THERE ANY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MINNESOTA THAT YOUR TIME HERE HAS DISPELLED? Everyone says this part of the country is cold, with a lot of snow. It is true, but it is not bad at all. You can enjoy the time here, doing stuff you never get to do if you live in a warmer country. WHAT DOES BEING A LAWYERLEADER MEAN TO YOU? In the end it is about trying to do the best you can, to try to achieve justice and rightness in every case you deal with and treat all people fairly. It also means to give something back to the community and/or society that you are part of.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR FREE TIME? I like to play and watch tennis, watch my soccer team (Grêmio) on TV, swim, and read about law, history, politics, philosophy, and biographies in general. WHAT IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU OTHERS MIGHT FIND SURPRISING? I like heavy metal music! Iron Maiden is my favorite band. And I like to go to bed early— like 8:30 to 9 p.m. ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? Minnesota Law is an excellent school, the academic environment is superb, the interaction with professors, other students and staff is life changing. If I can give a piece of advice, it is to find an activity that pleases you—a study group, or a student organization where you can make friends, or people with whom you share some interests—so you can have a bit of your own life experience here. Take advantage of being in the United States, in one of the top schools and in a big metropolis like the Twin Cities.

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Student News Minnesota Law Wins Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition for First Time in History Two teams of Minnesota Law students performed exceptionally well at the 2021-22 Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition in March. Both teams advanced to the quarterfinal rounds and one team won the national competition for the first time in Law School history. The competition is organized by the Federal Bar Association. It is a national competition of 40 teams from law schools from around the country.

! (Left to right) Hannah McDonald, 2L, Joe Hamaker 3L, Kylee Evans, 2L, and Hannah Fereshtehkhou, 3L # (Left to right) Lauren O’Donnell, 3L, Tim Miles, 3L, Erik Thorsheim, 2L, Paige Haller, 3L, Edmund Pine 3L, and Mia Branca, 3L

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The team advancing to the quarterfinals was composed of Kylee Evans, 2L and Joe Hamaker, 3L. Evans had a strong showing in the Clary Cup oral argument tournament as a 1L. Hamaker competed on the team for the second consecutive year, advanced to the quarterfinals for the second year, and also served as both a managing and student director for Civil Rights Civil Liberties Moot Court. The team that prevailed in the final round was composed of Hannah McDonald, 2L, and Hannah Fereshtehkhou, 3L. McDonald won best oralist for the final round and was the runner-up in last year’s Clary Cup. Fereshtehkhou won the best oralist in last year’s Civil Rights Civil Liberties oral argument tournament and served as a student director this year. The students were coached by two Minnesota alums. Sara Gurwitch, ’95, competed on the team as a student. Connor Shaull, ’20, was a member of the National Moot Court Competition Team.

Minnesota Law Teams Do Well in William E. McGee Civil Rights Moot Court Competition Two teams of Law School students performed exceptionally well at the 2022-23 William E. McGee Civil Rights Moot Court Competition for the second consecutive year. One team advanced to the quarterfinals, one team won best brief, and an individual student won best oralist in the through the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. The team advancing to the quarterfinals was composed of Tim Miles, 3L, Lauren O’Donnell, 3L and Edmund Pine, 3L. Miles won best oral advocate through quarterfinals round for the second consecutive year. O’Donnell is a student director in Civil Rights Civil Liberties Moot Court and was nominated to the 2020-21 Best Brief competition. Pine is also a veteran of Civil Rights Civil Liberties Moot Court. The team that won best brief was composed of Mia Branca, 3L, Paige Haller, 3L, and Erik Thorsheim, 2L. Minnesota Law Students Help Immigration Client Prevail in 6th Circuit Case Minnesota Law students working through the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic (FILC) helped win a decisive second victory allowing a man to reunite with family in the United States and potentially sparing others from unlawful repeated removal actions in a key procedural ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The Sixth Circuit’s opinion in Jasso Arangure v. Garland serves as a significant check on federal prosecutorial power in administrative immigration proceedings, according to assistant visiting professor of clinical law Nadia Anguiano-Wehde ’17.

$ (Left to right) Jesse Calo, 3L, Ashley Meeder, 3L, assistant visiting professor of clinical law Nadia Anguiano-Wehde ’17, and Paul Dimick ’19

! (Left to right) Yemaya Hanna, 3L, Jennifer Melton, 2L, and Hanna Stenersen, 2L # 2L Samia Osman

The decision significantly affects the ability of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “to unlawfully institute removal proceeding after removal proceeding against noncitizens,” Anguiano-Wehde said. The decision should allow Jasso to rejoin his family in this country and help others avoid repeated removal efforts. “Beyond the impact to our client, which is paramount, this case is ultimately so meaningful to me because it involves so many generations of clinic students,” Anguiano-Wehde said. “It brings to the fore how much of a family FILC creates and the impact that it has in training new generations of lawyers to do this very impactful work.” Students who worked on the case included Jesse Calo, 3L, Ashley Meeder, 3L, Paul Dimick ’19, and Seiko Shastri ’21. 2L Samia Osman Undertakes Humanitarian Relief Effort in Somalia When Samia Osman, 2L, became aware of the impact of a severe drought on her native land of Somalia, she felt motivated to take action. With two friends, she formed a relief effort, raising more than $6,000 and partnering with international nonprofit Humanitarian African Relief Organization. Over her winter break, Osman

returned to Somalia, a country she left as a refugee when she was 8-years-old, to coordinate the humanitarian effort. She also met with several high-level government officials, grilling them on human rights concerns Although Osman found the trip physically and emotionally exhausting, she said that the reaction of the people she was able to help made it all worthwhile. “[W]hen we were done giving out the food and water, all I heard were prayers and blessings from all those around us. The laughter of the children I was playing with and the smiles of the elders erased every hardship it took to get to that moment.” Students Working in Immigration and Human Rights Clinic Help Guinean Woman Win Asylum The Law School’s Immigration and Human Rights Clinic recently helped a Guinean woman who faced persecution in her native country because of her religious beliefs, women’s rights advocacy, and public health work win asylum in the United States. U.S. law requires that asylumseekers apply for asylum within one year of arriving in the United States. However, there is an exception to this rule for “extraordinary circumstances” that delayed the timeliness of the application. The clinic argued

that its client was entitled to asylum, notwithstanding the fact that she did not meet this one-year filing deadline, because of the persecution that she had experienced in Guinea and because the abuse she suffered once inside the United State met the standard for extraordinary circumstances. The case moved remarkably fast, and the clinic team had limited time to prepare. Within 30 days, they were able to draft and submit a 500-page filing supporting her application. The application was ultimately successful, and their client was granted asylum just eight months after it was filed. Today, the woman is a caseworker with the International Institute of Minnesota. She is helping Afghani refugees resettle in the U.S. and is eager to use her experiences as an asylum seeker to assist migrants. She is also studying both English and Spanish. Students Jennifer Melton, 2L, Yemaya Hanna, 3L, and Hanna Stenersen, 2L worked closely with Professor Steve Meili on the case.

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Photo: Tony Nelson

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Making the Case at the Capitol Kendra Saathoff, 3L, helped draft and testified on a bill that provides a means for reducing sentences for crimes committed by abuse victims KENDRA SAATHOFF, 3L, has

dedicated herself to supporting survivors of domestic violence. She’s now asking Minnesota lawmakers to join her by passing a bill that could reduce the sentences of victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault or sex trafficking who commit crimes because of their abuse. Saathoff, a student director of the Law School’s Clemency Clinic, has spent the last year working with Professor JaneAnne Murray, who oversees the clinic, to draft the Survivors’ Justice Act. Saathoff and Murray recently testified in favor of the bill during

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a virtual hearing before the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Committee of the state House of Representatives. Under the bill, sponsored by Rep. Athena Hollins, DFL-St. Paul, judges could impose shorter sentences for the offenses abuse victims commit. Another provision would enable those previously convicted to petition for resentencing. “At the heart of this bill is the understanding that experiences of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and sex trafficking can result in criminal conduct by victims,” Saathoff told committee members, who referred the

bill, HF3856, to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. Seeking support and input from community leaders, public defenders, and county attorneys among others has “really challenged me to get outside my comfort zone” of the classroom and the nonprofit organizations where she has worked, Saathoff said. “It’s reinforced my commitment to serving survivors of domestic violence, listening to their stories, and understanding how deeply our criminal legal system impacts certain people disproportionately,” Saathoff said in an interview. “It’s been really

helpful in forcing me to be a strong advocate for people who I know are incarcerated for reasons that stem from their status as a survivor.” Saathoff, who is from Seattle, majored in sociology and Hispanic studies at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. She volunteered to support survivors of domestic violence through her undergraduate years and worked at a nonprofit for survivors for a couple of years before beginning classes at the Law School. As a 2L, Saathoff interned at Tubman, a Minneapolis nonprofit that helps people who have experienced relationship violence, sexual assault, and other trauma. To prepare for her testimony, Saathoff drew from a report that she and Murray wrote about the bill. “Kendra’s dogged and intelligent embrace of this initiative was impressive,” Murray said. “She spent countless hours not just honing the bill’s language but identifying stakeholders across the state to create a coalition to support it and convening dozens of meetings with our coalition partners.” Katie Kramer, policy director of Violence Free Minnesota, representing more than 90 programs advocating on behalf of domestic and sexual abuse victims statewide, said Saathoff has been instrumental in getting the bill off the ground. “She’s really led the drafting of the bill and the building of the coalition around the state of folks who are involved and are contributing their expertise to making sure it’s something that we can all get behind,” said Kramer, who also testified in support of the act. “We’re grateful for all the incredible work that Kendra has put into making this bill something tangible and hopefully something that will pass in our state.” HF3856 is similar to a New York, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, adopted in 2019. Saathoff researched the New York law and wrote a note about it for the Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality, where she is an editorial board member.

Modeled on a New York Law HF3856 is similar to a New York law, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, adopted in 2019. Saathoff researched the New York law and wrote a note about it for the Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality, where she is an editorial board member. Saathoff said Murray, her faculty advisor, read the note and “recognized a great nexus between my research, the New York bill, and her client,” Samantha Heiges. A Clemency Clinic client, Heiges was serving a guideline sentence of 25 years for drowning her newborn baby, fearing that if she didn’t her abusive boyfriend would act on his threats to kill them both. “The New York Act became the impetus to implement a similar and even better remedy here in Minnesota,” Murray said. The Minnesota Board of Pardons granted Heiges clemency in December, freeing her after she had served about half of her sentence. Heiges, who also testified in favor of the bill, said she would have been in prison for another four years without the board’s action. “There are others just like me who committed crimes in the context of and as a result of their experience of an abusive relationship, so I ask you to pass this bill because it will give second chances to so many more like me,” Heiges testified. ‘A Great Step in the Right Direction’ The bill aligns with Violence Free Minnesota’s goal of supporting justice-involved victim-survivors who also are defendants or who become involved in the criminal legal system, Kramer said. Up to 94% of incarcerated women have experienced domestic and sexual violence before going to prison. “We think this legislation is a great step in the right direction, to ensure that we have a traumainformed and compassionate

“ We’re grateful for all the incredible work that Kendra has put into making this bill something tangible and hopefully something that will pass in our state.” —Katie Kramer, policy director of Violence Free Minnesota

response to justice-involved survivors whose involvement in the criminal legal system often is directly or indirectly tied to the abuse that they have experienced,” Kramer said. Saathoff told committee members that the most innovative element of the bill was its resentencing provision. It’s likely to raise concerns for some but it also makes the act equitable. Minnesota was the first state to adopt guidelines to ensure uniform and proportionate sentences, Saathoff testified, and the state’s incarceration rates are consistently among the country’s lowest. “This bill is another opportunity for Minnesota to demonstrate leadership and humanity in the area of sentencing reform, a cause that has support among diverse stakeholders and across party lines,” Saathoff said in concluding her testimony. Saathoff has family from Minnesota and appreciated the Law School’s focus on public interest law. Now interning for a Seattle nonprofit, she hopes to pursue her passion for working with survivors of domestic abuse professionally after graduation. “The Law School really helps public interest students know that their work is just as important and makes sure that we feel supported,” Saathoff said. By Todd Nelson, a freelance writer based in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

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Photos: Tony Nelson

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TORT PRESENTS: THE GUNNER’S NEW GROOVE The Theater of the Relatively Talentless (TORT) was pleased to present its annual show for the Minnesota Law community. The Gunner’s New Groove was performed on March 25 and 26 at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Student Center.

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ALUMNI Interrogatory Kristen Ludgate ’98 Chief People Officer, HP Last year, Kristen Ludgate ’98 became chief people officer for Palo Alto, California– based HP, which boasts a global workforce of more than 50,000. Previously, she worked at 3M for more than 12 years, including as the Minnesota-based company’s chief human resources officer

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“

Creating workplace environments where people from different backgrounds can thrive is a top focus— this means working on diversity, inclusion, transparency, trust, resilience, and wellness.” —Kristen Ludgate ’98

What is your day-to-day like as chief people officer at HP? I split my time between working in person in Palo Alto and working remotely from home in St. Paul. Sometimes I’m in all-day meetings with HP’s people team, the executive leadership team (ELT), or the board. On other days, I’m on Zoom from morning to night, on many different topics with people all over the world. I try to balance spending time with my team, engaging with employee groups, networking externally, working with my ELT colleagues and our CEO, and staying current on business trends inside and outside the company. I look forward to traveling more when the pandemic allows. What inspired you to move from corporate counsel roles to HR leadership? It was an evolution. 3M offered me an opportunity to take a role in HR to gain different experience. After several months, I moved to lead corporate communications and enterprise services, my first role reporting to the CEO. I landed back in HR as CHRO in 2018. I love the scope of HR leadership roles: the opportunity to work with all aspects of the organization, advocate for employees, and impact many different business priorities. Now I am learning a new industry, experiencing Silicon Valley, and leading a talent, culture, and change agenda, which is very energizing. So while I did not really plan to move to HR, it has been a great career decision for me.

How do you think your legal background connects to leading an HR department?

Why did you originally decide to go to law school—and why Minnesota Law?

I actually gained a lot of HR experience as a lawyer and was on the HR leadership team when I was 3M’s chief employment counsel. I use my legal background all the time at HP—to understand global regulatory environments, anticipate risks, provide advice, assess business opportunities, and work on environmenal, social, and governance topics.

I’d been working in higher education for 10 years and knew I needed an advanced degree. I chose law school because it offered so many different career options. Once I was there, I loved it, and it turned out I loved being a lawyer. I chose Minnesota Law because it was a top-tier law school with a great reputation, and I didn’t need to relocate to attend. We are lucky to have such a great law school here in the Twin Cities. It was an easy choice.

What are a few trends in HR? There are so many! We are in an era of unprecedented talent mobility and facing a shortage of critical skills. This leads to a big focus on talent acquisition, upskilling current teams, and creating compelling career experiences. The future of work is another priority, given the pace of digitalization. Creating workplace environments where people from different backgrounds can thrive is a top focus. This means working on diversity, inclusion, transparency, trust, resilience, and wellness. What are a couple of memorable experiences you had at Minnesota Law? The faculty was fantastic. Two great examples are Professors Steve Befort and Laura Cooper, who sparked my interest in employment law. Professor Cooper’s conflict of law final exam was probably the toughest test I have ever taken in any setting. I also learned a lot by writing a law review article, though I am happy to leave all those footnotes behind.

What have you learned in your career path that you would like to share with newer lawyers and law students? Stay flexible and be open to different kinds of opportunities. Be both broad and deep—you need subject matter expertise, but you also need wide perspective to give the best advice, relate to different clients, and adapt to change. Finally, careers are marathons, and you get to set the pace. I navigated my career in the way that worked for my family, which meant turning down career opportunities that came at the wrong time. There are always other opportunities. You can wait for what’s right for you. What do you do to maintain wellness? I try to keep to the basics: eat well, exercise, spend time with friends and family, get outside, and sleep. Also, take a walk if the stress is piling up. This always works for me as a quick reset.

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Alumni News

Nicole Johnson-Hoffman ’98 Becomes CEO of Future Meat Technologies Nicole Johnson-Hoffman ’98

Nicole Johnson-Hoffman ’98

was named chief executive officer at Future Meat Technologies, an Israeli company developing technology to produce cultivated meat. Johnson-Hoffman has more than 25 years of experience across the agriculture, food manufacturing, food service, and meat production industries. She most recently was managing director of further processed foods for OSI Europe. She jointly served as senior vice president, leading the company’s global operations for McDonald’s, and chief sustainability officer, setting the strategic direction for OSI’s approach to sustainability and corporate responsibility. “It’s an honor to serve as the CEO of Future Meat Technologies,” says Johnson-Hoffman. “Not only has the company made meaningful progress in developing the technology to achieve widespread adoption, but it is driven by a desire to support

Tonia Teasley ’83

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the entire meat industry’s shift to more sustainable practices, a cause I have championed throughout my career. I’m pleased to join the company at this pivotal moment as we prepare to commence cultivated meat production in the U.S.” Prior to joining OSI, JohnsonHoffman was in-house counsel for 19 years at Cargill, where she held leadership roles in financial services and beef plant operations. Red Cross Names Tonia Teasley ’83 CEO for Minnesota and Dakotas Region The American Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas Region has named Tonia Teasley ’83 as its CEO. Teasley came to the Red Cross from Untangle the Knot, a Minneapolisbased nonprofit she founded to simplify access to services for people with disabilities. Prior to that, she spent seven years as a senior executive at Capella University. She has also been an attorney and a leader at law firms in Minnesota and California. Beyond her professional experience, Teasley serves as a board member for Beyond Walls Urban Squash Twin Cities, a nonprofit focused on building academic excellence, character, and well-being for youth in under-resourced communities. Andrea Walsh ’88 Among 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare HealthPartners President and CEO Andrea Walsh ’88 was named one of Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare. She’s among a prestigious group of the nation’s top health care leaders who’ve made major contributions to the industry this year.

Liwanag Ojala ’98

Andrea Walsh ’88 Judge Joan Ericksen ’81

Notable accomplishments cited include: • Leading HealthPartners and the community through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on vaccine equity, continued testing, research and education, and access to timely, affordable care. • Building a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by working to eliminate health care disparities, hosting colleague forums, addressing unconscious bias, and co-leading the HealthPartners equity, inclusion, and anti-racism cabinet. • Shaping health policy at the local and national levels through efforts focused on setting new safety standards for health care workers, improving access to mental health care, supporting maternal and child health, and making health care simpler and more affordable for patients and members. “This is really a recognition of our team of 26,000,” Walsh says. “It’s an honor to work with colleagues and partners who focus on the health and well-being of our patients, members, and communities every day.”

Liwanag Ojala ’98 Named Chief Transformation Officer of American Public Media Group American Public Media Group has appointed Liwanag Ojala ’98 as senior vice president and chief transformation officer. In this new role, Ojala is responsible for mobilizing the organization’s digital transformation and guiding cross-functional initiatives to accelerate new revenue growth, audience growth, and impact. From 2016 through 2020, Ojala served as CEO of CaringBridge, a global nonprofit social network dedicated to connecting friends and families facing challenging health journeys. Prior to CaringBridge, she served as vice president of E-commerce for Meijer Inc., a Midwest-based supercenter chain, where she championed and led its multichannel grocery strategy. She also previously held senior leadership positions at Pear Tree Greetings and CobornsDelivers. com and practiced law at Briggs & Morgan and SpartanNash. Ojala was the 2021 commencement speaker at Minnesota Law.

Courthouse Portrait Unveiled of U.S. District Court Judge Joan Ericksen ’81 The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota unveiled the official portrait of Judge Joan Ericksen ’81 at a ceremony at the Diana E. Murphy U.S. Courthouse last December. The portrait was done by artist Burton Silverman of New York, who joined the ceremony via Zoom. Ericksen began her legal career working in private practice. She went on to serve as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, as a judge on the Fourth Judicial District Court in Minnesota, and as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. She was nominated to the U.S. District Court by President George W. Bush in 2002.

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Planned Giving for future generations of Lawyer-Leaders. We thank those who have supported future lawyer-leaders by creating a lasting legacy through a planned gift to Minnesota Law! Donors who have chosen to make a planned gift receive a host of benefits ranging from inclusion in the Law School’s 1888 Society, invitation to the annual Lockhart Club Celebration and Heritage Society Dinner, recognition in the Law School’s Annual Report, special recognition at events, and quarterly insider newsletters.

“It feels good to be leaving a legacy after I’m gone that will support a faculty position in an area that was important to me.” —Tim Dordell ’87

If you’ve ever thought about joining your fellow visionaries by documenting a bequest to the Law School, know there are many ways to benefit both you and your alma mater: · Name the Law School as a beneficiary · Make a gift and receive income · Give appreciated assets Donors make planned gifts for many reasons: to give back to the institution that opened doors to new and brilliant opportunities, to support hard-working students looking to make a difference in their communities and the world, to accomplish their philanthropic goals, maximize tax benefits, and so many more. Whatever their reason, we thank them. For more information on making a planned gift and how you can help us to secure the future of the Law School for generations to come, visit law.umn.edu/give/planned-giving or contact David L. Jensen, Chief Advancement Officer at dljensen@umn.edu or 612-625-2060.

To give today, visit law.umn.edu/give/planned-giving

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Recent Gifts GIFTS OF $100,000+ William Cumming ’86 made a generous pledge to establish and endow the William A. Cumming Scholarship at the law school. Bill has a longstanding commitment to education and an understanding of its significant cost. He has endowed this scholarship to provide future law students with the same opportunities he had.

Robert Guzy ’58 made a generous gift to strengthen the Joseph E. Wargo Anoka County Bar Association Professorship in Law currently held by longtime Professor Judith Younger. Mr. Guzy gave in memory of his friend and former colleague, Joseph E. Wargo, a leader in family law advocacy.

The Fredrikson & Byron Foundation established the Fredrikson & Byron Summer Public Interest Fellowship

Martha ’78 and David Kadue ’78 made gifts to the Law School Scholarship Fund and the Section B Scholarship, a fund they established to support

at Minnesota Law. The fund will support a ten-week summer fellowship at a nonprofit organization, government agency, or judges’ chambers for five students each year for five years. These fellowships will serve the local Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota communities.

Minnesota Law students who were similarly assigned to the Section B study group in their 1L years.

GIFTS OF $25,000–$99,999 Justice Paul H. ’68 and Janice Anderson made a pledge to establish and endow the Justice Paul H. and Janice M. Anderson Scholarship to support the next generation of outstanding Minnesota Law lawyer-leaders. Kristine S. ’72 and Ronald A. ’60 Erickson pledged in support of The Ronald and Kristine Erickson Fund at the Law School. The Erickson Fund is used to support the Legal History Fellows Program each summer. Ronald ’78 and Renee Hunter made a generous commitment to establish the Ronald E. Hunter Third World Caucus Fund, a scholarship fund to honor a former collective of Law School students that served as a voice for underrepresented students, offered a supportive academic and social environment for its members, and provided opportunities for its members to work closely with practicing attorneys and other legal professionals. John ’82 and Veronica Lang pledged in support of the Law School Scholarship Fund in honor of John’s 40th

class reunion for which he is a reunion committee member. This gift also leveraged the Law School Scholarship Match.

Allen ’56 and Linda Saeks pledged in support of the Allen and Linda Saeks Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program. The program has made it possible for public interest-focused students to gain credit while working for local non-profit organizations. Ruth Sorenson made an outright gift in support of the Mary S. Ranum Scholarship established by Ruth and her

late husband and Law School alumnus, Arne Sorenson ’83, in honor of Arne’s sister, Mary Ranum ’83. Mary is a partner at Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. Joseph P. ’67 and Carol Sullivan made an outright gift in support of the new Joseph P. and Carol Z. Sullivan Health Law Moot Court Team at Minnesota Law. The team of health law-focused students competed in their first competition in the spring of 2022. William ’68 and Carol Tempest made a gift to benefit the William and Carol Tempest Scholarship. In appreciation for the opportunities Bill’s Law School education provided them, Bill and Carol established this scholarship fund in 2018 to make such opportunities available to current and future students.

Bruce ’80 and Tracy Mooty continue to generously support the Bruce and Tracy Mooty Scholarship Fund. Created in 2008, their scholarship has benefited 13 different law students as they train to become exemplary lawyer-leaders.

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PROFILES IN PRACTICE

Entertainment Industry ROBBERT J.F. de KLERK ’01 CEO, Humphrey Bogart Estate, Los Angeles HOW I GOT THE JOB:

I developed a friendship with the son of Audrey Hepburn through my law practice, and he introduced me to the son and daughter of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. They needed help managing the intellectual property rights of their iconic father, and over time my role grew from advising them to leaving my firm to become the CEO of the Humphrey Bogart Estate. A TYPICAL WORKDAY:

I source, negotiate, and oversee licensing deals with companies that want to use Bogart’s image to promote or brand their products. One of the best parts of my job is that on any given day I deal with a variety of industries, such as the gaming industry, the apparel industry, the spirits industry, and the entertainment industry. AN INTERESTING PROJECT I WORKED ON:

This unique job continues to bring me exciting experiences. I recently negotiated a clip rights deal for a Super Bowl ad with Google, closed an apparel deal with Gucci, and signed an agreement with a large studio for a film about Bogart’s life. We are also developing an animated series. There is almost always some kind of fascinating project on my desk.

LINDA BENJAMIN ’90 Senior Vice President, Entertainment Business Affairs and Operations IMAX Corporation, Los Angeles HOW I GOT THE JOB:

I represented a client in a difficult and sensitive negotiation with IMAX. When that deal successfully closed, IMAX asked me to join their team and lead their entertainment business affairs. I am incredibly honored to be part of the IMAX family with its groundbreaking work and strong legacy. A TYPICAL WORKDAY:

The variety in my day is one of the things I love most. My role spans business development and strategy, entertainment content production and distribution, finance, and legal. There is always an interesting mix of meetings with creative talent and my colleagues, lots of deal structuring and negotiation, problem solving, and optimization of operations. AN INTERESTING PROJECT I WORKED ON:

We are bringing amazing live events to audiences by broadcasting in IMAX theaters. We recently teamed up with Kanye West for his concert with Drake and beamed the show in real time to thousands of fans watching in IMAX theaters across the country. To see audiences having such a great time, immersed in the show thanks to our technology, makes all of the hard work really worthwhile.

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RON WHEELER ’84 Managing Director, ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA); Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs and Head of Worldwide Studio Relations for Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC), Los Angeles HOW I GOT THE JOB:

Having spent 24 plus years doing transactions, anti-piracy, and technologyrelated work at 20th Century Fox, and the final six months of my Fox career representing Fox on the A3SA initiative, I was lucky enough to be offered the part-time position as MD of A3SA when I left Fox in 2019, shortly after it was acquired by Disney. Three months later, I was approached by the CEO of MPLC, who I knew well while at Fox, and asked to join MPLC part-time in a studio relations role. A TYPICAL WORKDAY:

A3SA has been a virtual company from its founding the year before the pandemic, so has always included regularly scheduled and impromptu Zoom calls, many of which I lead as managing director. MPLC started as an in-person position but has been mostly virtual for the duration of the pandemic. The only thing that is typical about my workdays is juggling the competing demands on my time. AN INTERESTING PROJECT I WORKED ON:

The A3SA initiative seeks to benefit content providers, broadcasters, device manufacturers, and consumers by enabling the protection of next-generation over-the-air free TV signals—and their viewers—from cybersecurity attacks, identity theft, and piracy. Precisely because it’s all new, it’s extremely exciting as well as challenging.

RASHMI GUPTA ’01 Business Affairs Lead, Target, Minneapolis HOW I GOT THE JOB:

I gained significant experience in TV and entertainment after working for seven years as a production attorney for MTV in New York. I got that job by networking and doing some transactional work in entertainment to learn about the industry. A TYPICAL WORKDAY:

One day I am on a call with Alicia Keys discussing an upcoming performance for employees, another day I am negotiating with Hollywood agents for talent appearances by Russell Wilson, Padma Lakshmi, or Coldplay, for example. I may review the latest social media app and its FTC disclosures or review scripts/content for IP issues. I frequently negotiate with record labels and review music licenses for the hottest new tracks. AN INTERESTING PROJECT I WORKED ON:

While on set for a movie trailer, I found myself in a legal debate with actor/ producer Seth Rogen about why we had to revise his script. Luckily, my prior litigation experience and participation in the Socratic method in law school prepared me to think on my feet, and I proposed a solution that he agreed to on the spot!

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Class Notes

Joseph Dixon, Jr. was named

a 2021 Minnesota Icon honoree by Minnesota Lawyer. Dixon practices in the areas of commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution at Henson Efron in Minneapolis. He previously served as firm president for 25 years.

J. Patrick Plunkett was

named a 2021 Minnesota Icon honoree by Minnesota Lawyer. Plunkett is a shareholder at Larkin Hoffman in Minneapolis. He provides counsel to family-owned and closely held businesses, as well as nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations.

Fred Krohn

published a memoir titled Standing in the Wings: My Life On (and Mostly Just Off) Stage. A pioneering promoter, Krohn revisits how he made Minneapolis a destination for Broadway, concerts, and celebrities. Alan I. Silver was named a 2021 Minnesota Icon honoree by Minnesota Lawyer. Silver is a shareholder at Bassford Remele in Minneapolis, where he practices in the commercial and trust group and estates litigation group.

John M. Mulligan

published his third novel, Exemption. The dark comedy is set on the University of Minnesota campus, primarily within Fraser Hall, during the

MINNESOTA LAW

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NEWS ABOUT YOUR CLASSMATES AND COLLEAGUES

1960s. The novel follows a law student who marries an acquaintance to obtain an exemption from the draft.

Richard Ostlund,

partner at Anthony Ostlund Louwagie Dressen & Boylan in Minneapolis, was the lead author of the fiduciary claims section of the fifth edition of Thompson Reuters’ Business and Commercial Litigation in the Federal Courts.

Timothy Marx joined

Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis as counsel in the firm’s real estate finance/ affordable housing, regulatory and government relations, and nonprofit corporation practices. Previously, Marx was the president and chief executive officer of Catholic Charities. Robert K. Ranum

published his memoir, Clinical Trial: An ALS Memoir of Science, Hope, and Love, in December 2021. The book details his personal journey battling ALS, as well as a breakthrough in science inspired by his wife Laura’s decades of research. Tonia Teasley was named the Minnesota and Dakotas regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross. Teasley has extensive experience working in the business world and is passionate about nonprofit management.

Kathryn Graves

was named one of the 2022 Notable Women in Law by Twin Cities Business. The award recognizes exemplary professionals who handle complex transactions and use their expertise to guide a variety of clients. Graves is a shareholder at Henson Efron in Minneapolis.

John P. Boyle

was re-elected to a three-year term on Moss & Barnett’s board of directors. Boyle is a member of the Minneapolis firm’s litigation, employment law, and financial services teams.

Mark Gergen

was made chief executive officer of Poseida Therapeutics, a clinicalstage biopharmaceutical company using proprietary genetic engineering platform technologies to create cell and gene therapeutics. Previously, he served as president and chief business officer. Andrea Walsh was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare. Walsh is president and chief executive officer of HealthPartners. She was chosen for her leadership in the health care industry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stephen O. Plunkett was

named the 2021 recipient of the Defense Research

Institute’s Tom Segalla Excellence in Education Award. Plunkett was also elected to a three-year term as a national director to DRI’s board. Plunkett is a shareholder at Bassford Remele’s Minneapolis office.

Richard J. Anderson

joined Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks in Boston as chief operating officer. Anderson focuses his practice on intellectual property law. Previously, he co-founded the Minneapolis office of Fish & Richardson, acting as the firm’s chief operating officer. Chad Baruch was named among the Top 100 in Texas by Texas Super Lawyer. Baruch practices at Johnston Tobey Baruch in Dallas and is an appellate specialist. Jack Luellen published a true crime suspense novel, Someone Had to Die, which follows a fictional lawyer as he digs into the true story of Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena’s abduction and murder in 1985. It includes interviews and facts never before published.

Noemi Donovan

joined Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice in Kansas City, Missouri. Donovan focuses on surety bond litigation matters, debtor-creditor rights, premises liability, and general business and civil litigation.

James K. Lee was elected to the board of trustees at the University of Minnesota Foundation. Lee is a partner at Arnold & Porter and focuses his practice on commercial litigation. He is based in Seoul, South Korea.

Ann Anaya

was appointed senior vice president at AmerisourceBergen. In addition, she accepted the role of chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. Jill Prohofsky was appointed child support magistrate manager at the Minnesota State Court Administrator’s Office. Prohofsky will oversee and manage Minnesota’s IV-D program. She will continue to serve as a child support magistrate and hear cases in all 10 Minnesota judicial districts.

Daniel G. Lugo

was recognized as a Most Admired CEO honoree by Charlotte Business Journal. Lugo has been the president of Queens University of Charlotte since 2019.

Willow Anderson was

named a 2021 Minnesota Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer alongside colleague Jack Rice ’97. Their work on Minnesota v. Michael Forcia took a restorative approach to justice that demonstrated a commitment to healing the Twin Cities community. Keiko Sugisaka was elected chair of the 2022 governance committee at Maslon. Sugisaka is a partner in the Minneapolis firm’s litigation group as well as former co-chair

FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TOM McDONALD ’79 JOINS BOARDS OF TWO NONPROFITS McDonald was appointed to the boards of Pathways to Success and Muslims for Progressive Values. A partner in the Vorys, Sater LLP office in Washington, D.C., McDonald served as U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe from 1997 to 2001. McDonald is also a member of the Law School’s Board of Advisors.

of its tort and product liability group.

Jack Rice was

named a 2021 Minnesota Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer alongside colleague Willow Anderson ’96. Their work on Minnesota v. Michael Forcia took a restorative approach to justice that demonstrated a commitment to healing the Twin Cities community. Stephen Tight joined Quarles & Brady as a partner in their Minneapolis office and will practice in the firm’s business law group. Tight specializes in corporate transactions.

Nicole JohnsonHoffman was

named chief executive officer at Future Meat Technologies, an Israel-

based company developing technology to produce cultivated meat. Previously, she was managing director of further processed foods for OSI Europe. David J. Koob was appointed to the Minnesota Racing Commission by Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Koob is an attorney at Donna Law Firm in Minneapolis, where he specializes in general liability, employment law, and corporate counsel. Liwanag Ojala assumed the role of senior vice president and chief transformation officer at American Public Media Group. In this new position, Ojala mobilizes and oversees the organization’s digital transformation and implements initiatives to accelerate the growth of new revenue sources, audiences, and public influence.

CONT >

NIEL WILLARDSON ’87 HONORED BY WITH IN-HOUSE COUNSEL AWARD BY MINNESOTA LAWYER Willardson has served in the legal department of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank for 31 years, including 17 years as senior vice president and general counsel. He plans to retire this July. In honoring Willardson, Minnesota Lawyer referred to him as one of the Minneapolis Fed’s “most valuable, longtime leaders.”

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Roshan Rajkumar was promoted to managing partner at Bowman and Brooke’s Minneapolis office. Rajkumar defends corporations against commercial, product liability, toxic tort, and warranty matters in state and federal courts. He continues in his nationwide role as chair of the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee.

< CONT

Court J. Anderson was named a 2021 Minnesota Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer alongside colleague Benjamin Hamborg ’13. They successfully represented two minority shareholders in a dispute resulting in one of the largest SEC whistleblower awards in Minnesota state history. Cherée Haswell Johnson was appointed senior vice president, chief legal officer, and general counsel at Charlotte-based Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies.

Chloe Thompson Villagomez was

promoted to principal at Foster Garvey in Seattle. Thompson Villagomez focuses on federal Indian law and tribal law and has more than 16 years of experience representing tribes and tribal entities on a broad range of governmental and business matters.

Kristy Peters was

appointed to office managing shareholder at Littler Mendelson in Phoenix. She represents employers in claims involving discrimination and harassment, unfair competition and trade secrets, and wrongful termination. Jessica Hutson Polakowski was recognized as a 2021 Super Lawyer. Polakowski is a shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren in Madison, Wisconsin, where she practices in the firm’s intellectual property litigation and litigation practice groups.

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Sarah G. Odegaard was

promoted to counsel at Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix. Odegaard focuses on product liability litigation, defending companies in complex negligence, and product liability cases involving catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful death.

Alexander Baggio was elected to partnership at Hinshaw & Culbertson in Minneapolis. Baggio represents businesses in commercial litigation and labor and employment disputes, as well as ERISA and non-ERISA life, health, and disability matters. Josh Feneis joined Lommen Abdo in Minneapolis as a shareholder. Feneis represents clients in a variety of cases, including family, real estate, and corporate law. Lucas Tomsich was promoted to counsel at Faegre Drinker. Working in Silicon Valley, Tomsich defends clients in intellectual property litigation and complex patent cases.

Joseph C. Hansen was

promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins in San Francisco. Hansen is a member of the connectivity, privacy, and information practice in the department of litigation and trial. He focuses on data privacy class-action litigation and compliance counseling. Anthony Todero joined Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis as counsel in the commercial lending practice. Todero represents global, national, regional, and community banks, life insurance companies, and other institutional lenders in a variety of financial transactions.

Jim Morrissey was promoted to partner at Pilgrim Christakis in Chicago. His clients include financial institutions and related service providers who need counsel in protection cases, class actions, and government investigations. Cary Snyder was promoted to shareholder at Babst Calland in Cleveland, Ohio. Snyder is a member of the firm’s litigation group and

primarily focuses on areas of complex commercial litigation and appellate practice. Maya S. Zahn Rhine, a shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren in Madison, Wisconsin, was named one of Madison’s 40 Under 40 by In Business Magazine. Zahn Rhine assists commercial real estate companies with leasing, acquisition, and disposition matters.

Lauren Beach was named

the 2021 Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Friend of Nursing. The award recognizes significant local and national contributions to the profession of nursing from an individual who is not a nurse or VUSN graduate. Beach has provided lectures for VUSN students on issues relating to LGBTQIA+ health research and advocacy.

Peter Doely was elected to serve on the board of directors of the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota. The organization provides free representation to children within the legal system and advocates for vulnerable youth throughout Minnesota. Doely is an attorney at Maslon in Minneapolis. Benjamin J. Hamborg was named a 2021 Minnesota Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer alongside colleague Court J. Anderson ’03. They successfully represented two minority shareholders in a dispute resulting in one of the largest SEC whistleblower awards in Minnesota state history. Jason Reed was elected to partnership at Maslon in Minneapolis. Reed is a member of the financial services group and focuses on corporate trustee representation, issues relating to corporate trust litigation, and bankruptcy. Aalok Sharma was elected to partnership at Stinson in Minneapolis. Sharma is an entertainment and sports lawyer with experience in business, construction, and product liability litigation.

Katherine G. Bills was

recognized as a 2021 Super Lawyer and was promoted to shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren in Madison, Wisconsin. Bills is based in the firm’s Chicago office and practices auto dealership and commercial real estate law. Sarah J. Hewitt joined Henson Efron in Minneapolis and will practice in the family law group. Previously, Hewitt clerked for two judges in Hennepin County Family Court. Matt Little announced his candidacy for Dakota County attorney. Little is a former Minnesota state senator and is also a practicing attorney and owner of Little Law in Farmington, Minnesota. Quin C. Seiler was promoted to shareholder at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis. Seiler is a commercial litigator who represents financial institutions and other commercial enterprises in business disputes.

Robin Lehninger joined

Dykema at their new Milwaukee office. Lehninger works in the health care practice group and guides clients on compliance, including state licensing matters, health care fraud, and data privacy. Peter McElligott, attorney at Anthony Ostlund Louwagie Dressen & Boylan in Minneapolis, contributed to the fiduciary claims section of the fifth edition of Thompson Reuters’ Business and Commercial Litigation in the Federal Courts.

Aaron C. Abelleira

joined Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala in its Minneapolis office. Abelleira specializes in construction law and has a deep understanding of the field, having spent 10 years as a commercial roofer. Nikesh J. Patel joined Ball Janik’s Portland, Oregon, office as a land use and development associate. Patel assists the firm with affordable housing, mixed-use, commercial, and community development cases.

Eric Zumbach joined Bassford Remele in Minneapolis. Zumbach practices in the areas of bankruptcy/ creditors’ remedies and commercial litigation.

Joe Janochoski, attorney

at Anthony Ostlund Louwagie Dressen & Boylan in Minneapolis, contributed to the fiduciary claims section of the fifth edition of Thompson Reuters’ Business and Commercial Litigation in the Federal Courts.

Sara E. Filo joined

Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis. She is a member of the firm’s litigation, construction law, and accountant law teams, assisting businesses and individuals as they navigate commercial disputes. Alexander “Zander” Tibor joined Meagher & Geer in its Minneapolis office. Tibor practices in the firm’s insurance and professional liability groups. Josiah D. Young joined Faegre Drinker as an associate in the firm’s Minneapolis office. Young advises clients on litigation and dispute resolution.

Kaitie A. Eke joined

Fredrikson & Byron as an associate in the firm’s Minneapolis office. Eke focuses her practice on trust and estate planning and administration. Jacob Hauschild joined Faegre Drinker as an associate in the firm’s Minneapolis office. Hauschild supports health care stakeholders as they seek solutions in a variety of legal matters. Katherine J. Marshall joined Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis. She is a member of the firm’s energy and public utilities team, focusing on representing utility service providers in regulatory proceedings before local, state, and federal regulatory bodies. Lexi J. Pitz joined Faegre Drinker as an associate in the firm’s Minneapolis office. Pitz advises clients on federal and state laws and regulations impacting public and

private companies and their daily operations. Lauren Russ joined Bowman and Brooke as an associate in the firm’s Minneapolis office. She advises clients in warranty and product liability cases. Sicheng Shen joined Moss & Barnett in its Minneapolis office as a member of its business law team, assisting clients with corporate and financial transactions. Prior to practicing law, Shen worked for accounting and venture capital firms. Mitchell Stauch joined Fredrikson & Byron as an associate in its Minneapolis office. Stauch practices in the firm’s mergers and acquisitions group. Jeremy M. Walls joined Moss & Barnett in its Minneapolis office as a member of the business law team. Walls focuses on mergers and acquisitions, contract drafting, and entity formation. Alina Yasis joined Maslon in its Minneapolis office. Yasis focuses on general corporate law, contracts, and mergers and acquisitions in the firm’s corporate and securities group. Aidan Zielske joined HAWS-KM in St. Paul, Minnesota. Zielske practices in the areas of product liability defense, transportation litigation, commercial litigation, and toxic torts.

KEEP YOUR CLASSMATES POSTED! To be included in class notes, send us your news at lawalum@umn.edu or Office of Advancement, Suite 321, University of Minnesota Law School, 229 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455.

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MINNESOTA LAW

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REMEMBERING PROFESSOR DAVID WEISSBRODT 1944–2021

Mourning the Passing of a Human Rights Icon A beloved professor and staunch advocate, David Weissbrodt had a global impact in his 40+-year career DAVID WEISSBRODT, a world-

renowned international human rights advocate and scholar who established the Law School’s Human Rights Center and served on the faculty for more than four decades, passed away peacefully on Nov. 11 at the age of 77. “David was a beloved teacher and mentor to generations of Minnesota Law graduates,” said Garry W. Jenkins, dean & William S. Pattee Professor of Law. “He will be sorely missed by his faculty colleagues, former students, and by numerous human rights professionals and scholars across the globe.” Weissbrodt joined the Law School faculty in 1975, founding the Human Rights Center in 1988. In 2005, he was appointed a Regents Professor, the University of Minnesota’s highest honor awarded to a faculty member. Weissbrodt was extraordinarily active in promoting human rights worldwide throughout his career. He served as a member of the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and was appointed the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the rights of non-citizens. He was also elected as a member of the board of trustees of the U.N. Trust Fund for Contemporary Forms of Slavery. In addition, he was an active leader with several other influential NGOs, including The Advocates for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Center for Victims of Torture. Weissbrodt retired and took emeritus status in 2018. He was

active in helping the Law School establish the Weissbrodt Human Rights Fund to support the continuing work of the Human Rights Center. Reflecting back on his storied human rights career in the Star Tribune’s “Inspired” column in 2019, Weissbrodt observed, “[T]his work is not just theoretical. We need to train lawyers to practice it. It doesn’t make sense to identify the problem and not do anything about it.” ‘A Human Rights Giant’ The human rights community response to Weissbrodt’s passing was full of gratitude for the enormous contributions that he made to his field and to the lives of the many people he helped and guided. “David Weissbrodt was a human rights giant—a steely, passionate, humble & determined optimist who made all our lives better,” said Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, faculty director of the Human Rights Center and U.N. Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. Robin Phillips, executive director of The Advocates for Human Rights, said, “David Weissbrodt was a founder, leader, mentor, and steadfast friend to The Advocates. His work, from the protection of the rights of non-citizens to using U.N. mechanisms to foster accountability, continues in our programming today. His vision that each of us can and

should be an advocate for human rights remains our mission. David’s work and vision transformed— and will continue to transform— thousands of individual lives.” In a statement, the Center for Victims of Torture said, “We are deeply saddened at the loss of David Weissbrodt, whose vision and commitment to human rights created change and progress both here in Minnesota and around the world. David’s role with CVT was profound, as one of our original founders and a member of our very first board of directors—a role he held for 22 years. Throughout CVT’s history, David has been an advisor, a leader, a thinker, and someone who repeatedly rolled up his sleeves and took action to move our organization, and the field of human rights, forward.” The Law School has established a tribute board at z.umn.edu/ DavidW for those wishing to share their reflections on and memories of Professor Weissbrodt.

Professor David Weissbrodt’s legacy is honored with the Weissbrodt Human Rights Fund, an initiative that was near and dear to him. For more information about this fund, go to: z.umn.edu/ weissbrodt

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Law School Annual Fund

Your gift makes an impact at Minnesota Law and beyond.

Generous gifts to the Annual Fund from alumni and friends enable students and faculty to affect change in human rights law and policy, aid community members in need of legal counsel, and become distinguished world leaders. Give now and make your impact today.

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To make a gift, visit give.umn.edu/law or contact Katie Jacob, assistant director of annual giving, at kldjacob@umn.edu or 612-624-0097.

Tributes RAYMOND BOGUCKI ’52, LONGTIME PATENT ATTORNEY

Patent attorney Raymond Bogucki ’52 died on January 4, 2022, at the age of 99. Bogucki’s first job as an attorney was in the patent department at RCA in New Jersey. In 1956, he moved to Los Angeles to become senior patent attorney at Hughes Aircraft. In 1958, he co-founded the firm of Fraser and Bogucki, later joining Merchant & Gould to establish its Los Angeles office. He eventually established a solo practice and worked until his semi-retirement in 2015, at the age of 93.

Law Clinic and the IP and Entrepreneurial Clinic. She served as an editor on the Minnesota Journal of International Law and worked as judicial extern for Chief Judge John R. Tunheim ’80 at the U.S. District Court for the District Court of Minnesota. After graduating from Minnesota Law, Graff joined the Chicago office of McGuireWoods, where she had worked as a paralegal before law school and where she had spent her first- and second-year summers.

as a JAG officer. Duffy retired from the U.S. Army Reserves in 2004 after attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. For the last 11 years, Duffy was a shareholder and, more recently, counsel at Monroe Moxness Berg in Bloomington, Minnesota.

GALE MELLUM ’68, CORPORATE LAWYER

LAUREN GRAFF ’19, ATTORNEY

Gale Mellum ’68 died on September

GERALD S. “GERRY” DUFFY ’69, ATTORNEY AND FORMER JAG RESERVIST Gerald S. “Gerry” Duffy ’69

died on January 29, 2022, at the age of 77. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Duffy served on active duty in the U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, after graduating from the Law School. He was stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas. After active duty, he returned to Minnesota, where he entered the private practice of law and continued his military service in the reserves

Lauren Graff ’19 died on October 30, 2021, at the age of 32, after suffering a pulmonary embolism while pregnant. Prior to her passing, she delivered a healthy baby boy, James. Her surviving spouse is Mitchell Ness ’18. During law school, Graff was a student attorney with the Business

18, 2021, at the age of 79. Mellum practiced in Faegre & Benson’s corporate group for more than 30 years. He concentrated his practice in the representation of developing businesses, including general corporate counseling, various types of debt financings, private and public securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. He later formed his own law firm, Mellum & Welsh, with his daughter, Wendy Welsh ’96. In 2002, Mellum established a scholarship fund in his name at the Law School. The fund has made 18 awards and supported 10 different students since its creation.

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RAISING THE BAR

JOSEPH O’NEILL ’56, FORMER LEGISLATOR, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE

< CONT

Shavers was the Cline Williams Professor of Citizenship Law and associate dean for diversity and inclusion at University of Nebraska College of Law, where she has served on the faculty for 33 years. During her distinguished tenure, she served at various points as the school’s acting dean, interim dean, and associate dean for diversity. Her primary area of interest was in immigration and its intersection with gender issues.

RODGER D. YOUNG ’72, LITIGATOR

Joseph O’Neill ’56, a St. Paul

attorney, legislator, and community leader and advocate, died on January 24, 2022, at the age of 91. O’Neill served as legal counsel in the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1959 in the Azores, then served in the reserves until 1972. He practiced law in St. Paul for more than 50 years. He taught at Minnesota Law from 2004 to 2013 and served in the Minnesota Legislature from 1966 to 1976, first in the house and then the senate. Throughout his life, O’Neill maintained a high level of civic engagement, including serving as the chairman of the St. Paul Civic Center Authority. He helped secure funding for the Xcel Energy Center and the NHL expansion of the Minnesota Wild in 2000.

foodborne illness and fire and explosion cases. His trial verdict on behalf of a child with E. coli poisoning is the largest foodborne illness settlement of any kind in American history. Pritzker’s work was recognized nationally, and he was a three-time recipient of Minnesota Lawyer’s Attorney of the Year award.

ANNA SHAVERS ’79, LAW PROFESSOR

Rodger D. Young ’72 of Bloomfield

FRED PRITZKER ’75, INNOVATOR IN FOODBORNE ILLNESS CASES Minneapolis attorney Fred Pritzker ’75, founding partner of Pritzker Hageman, died on January 10, 2022, at the age of 71. Pritzker had a national reputation for handling complex civil cases, including his pioneering work in

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University of Nebraska College of Law Professor Anna Shavers ’79, who began her academic career at Minnesota Law in 1986 and established the Law School’s first immigration law clinic, died on January 22 at the age of 75.

Hills, Michigan, died on September 30, 2021, at the age of 75. Young started his career at Moll, Desenberg & Bayer, Detroit’s oldest firm, and went on to become its youngest partner in 60 years. In 1991, he founded the civil litigation boutique of Young & Associates. He also served on the State Bar Board of Commissioners and the Michigan Bar Foundation. Young was a generous supporter of the Law School, starting the Brig. Gen. Rodger D. Young and Dorothy L. Young Scholarship Fund, which has provided support to nine students since its inception.

In Memoriam CLASS OF 1949

CLASS OF 1961

David A. Shulman

CLASS OF 1979

Dean K. Johnson

Paul O. Johnson

Boyd A. Beccue

December 11, 2021 Red Wing, Minnesota

September 25, 2021 Lilydale, Minnesota

February 11, 2022 Rochester, Minnesota

Norman Perl

CLASS OF 1962

Gerald S. Duffy

Logan N. Foreman III

November 29, 2021 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Keith F. Hughes

January 29, 2022 Saint Paul, Minnesota

February 20, 2022 Minneapolis, Minnesota

September 11, 2021 Monticello, Minnesota

CLASS OF 1969 September 21, 2021 Saint Cloud, Minnesota

CLASS OF 1950

CLASS OF 1970

Anna W. Shavers

Eugene L. Grimm Sr.

CLASS OF 1964

Melvin R. Schaupp

July 26, 2021 Wilmington, Delaware

Harvey L. Anderson

January 5, 2022 Mora, Minnesota

January 22, 2022 Lincoln, Nebraska

December 2, 2021 Short Hills, New Jersey

CLASS OF 1951

CLASS OF 1982 CLASS OF 1971

Dr. Priscilla J. Herbison January 28, 2022 St. Paul, Minnesota

Curtis C. Gilmore

CLASS OF 1965

Robert L. Grossman

February 15, 2022 Edina, Minnesota

Thomas R. King

August 19, 2021 Oro Valley, Arizona

February 18, 2022 North Oak, Minnesota

CLASS OF 1952

CLASS OF 1988 Michael P. Paquette

Hoang K. Tran December 30, 2021 Lilburn, Georgia

Raymond A. Bogucki

CLASS OF 1966

January 4, 2022 Oakland, California

William B. Brown

December 29, 2021 Waite Park, Minnesota

November 29, 2021 Excelsior, Minnesota

CLASS OF 1972

CLASS OF 1989

Rodger D. Young

Jama M. Kriz

September 30, 2021 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

February 19, 2022 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Douglas W. Cann January 12, 2022 Bemidji, Minnesota

Robert J. Welter September 22, 2021 Denver, Colorado

CLASS OF 1974

CLASS OF 2005

Mark E. Wilson

Steven S. Fuller

Audrey J. Babcock

November 24, 2020 Spokane, Washington

November 4, 2021 Rochester, Minnesota

September 11, 2021 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Edward J. Schwartzbauer

CLASS OF 1967

CLASS OF 1976

CLASS OF 2014

October 7, 2021 Edina, Minnesota

Jeffrey S. Halpern

Frederic W. Bursch

Anna E. Kramer

October 22, 2021 Rancho Mirage, California

December 23, 2021 Alexandria, Minnesota

December 27, 2021 Rochester, Minnesota

Joseph T. O’Neill

John J. Horvei

Fred H. Pritzker

CLASS OF 2019

January 25, 2022 Saint Paul, Minnesota

December 2, 2021 Shoreview, Minnesota

January 10, 2022 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Lauren M. Graff

CLASS OF 1958

CLASS OF 1968

Charles W. Schiesser

Dennis R. Homerin

November 14, 2021 Austin, Texas

August 27, 2021 Los Angeles, California

CLASS OF 1959

Gale R. Mellum

Correction

Dale A. Simonson

September 18, 2021 Duluth, Minnesota

Tom Leach ’01 was incorrectly listed in the “In Memoriam”

Bonnie L. Kirchner December 24, 2021 Edina, Minnesota

CLASS OF 1954

CLASS OF 1956

July 7, 2020 Minneapolis, Minnesota

October 30, 2021 Chicago, Illinois

in the fall 2021 edition of Minnesota Law. Mr. Leach is alive and well, and practicing at the Minneapolis law firm of Merchant & Gould, where he specializes in all aspects of intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark, trade secret, and copyright litigation. We regret the error.

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WHY I GIVE

or Julia Wolfe ’19, clerking for a state district court in Rochester, Minnesota, added to the depth and breadth of the legal education she received at Minnesota Law. “I clerked for a year and a half in state district court,” says Wolfe. “This was a great experience because, outside the Twin Cities, state district court judges don’t specialize in an area, so my judge handled everything: criminal, civil, probate and family law. I worked on multiple jury trials too.” These experiences led Wolfe to her current role at Stinson, where she practices estate planning. “The intellectual challenges of my practice and working with individuals and families on such personal issues are very rewarding.” Maintaining her connections to Minnesota Law are also important to Wolfe. She says she supports the Law School because “I had such a great law school experience and want to maintain a connection and support an institution that was so important to my professional and personal development.” When it comes to influencing change in the legal profession, Wolfe says that “as a young lawyer, myself, I’m staying open to ideas and experiences and listening closely to people with different perspectives and using that to continually learn.” She believes that being a lawyerleader is more than just being a subject-matter expert but should also include “being

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SPRING 2022

Julia Wolfe ’19

someone that your friends, colleagues and acquaintances turn to for more than your substantive legal knowledge,” she says. “Be the person who shows up and listens,” she advises, “whether it’s venting about a work or personal issue, asking for referrals, or just wanting to talk. To me, a lawyerleader goes beyond legal expertise.” HOMETOWN: Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, grew up in Roseville, Minnesota GIVING LEVEL: Lockhart GOLD WHAT IS ONE THING WE WON’T WE FIND ON YOUR RESUME? I love to cook and bake. Tackling big kitchen projects is always fun and therapeutic. WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENTS? Take advantage of all the opportunities to do legal work outside the classroom in a variety of settings. Judicial externships, internships, law school clinics, provide a well-rounded look at what the legal profession is like.

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE 421 MONDALE HALL 229 19TH AVENUE SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455 ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

In April, Minnesota Law alumni gathered to renew ties with classmates and celebrate the Minnesota Law community during Spring Alumni Week 2022.

SAVE THE DATE! SPRING ALUMNI WEEK 2023 APRIL 10-16, 2023, WITH MILESTONE REUNION EVENTS APRIL 14-16. Watch for more details about reunion events and activities!

PAID TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 90155

Minnesota Law | Spring 2022

Articles inside

Why I Give

Mourning the Passing of a Human Rights Icon

Tributes

Class Notes

Recent Gifts

Profiles in Practice

Alumni News

Alumni Interrogatory

TORT Presents

Making the Case at the Capitol

Student News

Leading Questions

Pathbreaker and “Legendary Teacher”

The Legal Empericist

A Natural Teacher and Scholar

Big Picture

Author in Question

Faculty News, Awards & Grants

Minnesota Law to Launch Racial Justice Law Clinic

New Law Library Acquisitions

Faculty & Staff Notes

Seventh Annual MLK Convocation Focuses on Voting Rights

Minnesota Law’s Poverty Law Course Marks 25th Year

Sports & NIL Clinic to Kick Off This Fall

In Brief