2023 Viewbook

MINNESOTA LAW

University of Minnesota Law School

to Your Transformative

A preeminent law school with more than 135 years of history in the vibrant Twin Cities, Minnesota Law is an exceptional community that includes talented students training to become lawyers who make a difference in their communities, across the nation, and around the world. With highly influential professors, scholars, and practitioners, one of the nation’s most distinguished clinical education programs, and a culture of collaboration and respect across disciplines, the University of Minnesota Law School is waiting for you.

Walter F. Mondale Hall is named for one of our most distinguished graduates. The late Walter F. Mondale ’56 was the 42nd Vice President of the United States. He leaves a legacy of furthering international diplomacy, advocating for civil rights, and supporting the Law School and its students.

Contents

2 Learn from World-Class Faculty

4 Focus on Life-Changing Learning

6 Engage with our Collegial Community

8 Connect with the Dynamic Twin Cities

10 Aspire to Launch a Fulfilling Legal Career

12 Explore where a Minnesota Law Degree Can Take You

14Belong to a Diverse & Talented Student Body

16

#MinnesotaLaw Connect With Us!

Find out more about Minnesota Law

William McGeveran, Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett Professor of Law, is serving as interim dean for academic year 2023–24. He has been on the faculty for 17 years and is passionate about the Law School. This year there will be a national search for Minnesota Law’s next permanent dean.

Here you will

from World-Class Faculty Learn

8:1 STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO

63% OF FACULTY HAVE RECEIVED TEACHING-RELATED AWARDS

#1 IN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

(2021 Journal of Legal Education)

Professor Daniel Schwarcz is the Fredrickson & Byron Professor of Law. An award-winning teacher and scholar, his research focuses on insurance law and regulation, spanning a broad range of issues such as systemic risk, regulatory federalism, health insurance, and coverage litigation. He also researches the impact of Artificial Intelligence on legal education, the practice of law, and consumer protection. He has received numerous awards and accolades including the American Law Institute’s highly selective Early Career Scholars Medal and the Liberty Mutual Prize for penning an outstanding insurance law article. He also has been recognized as one of the most cited legal scholars writing on tort or insurance topics. In 2023 he received the Stanley V. Kinyon Teacher of the Year Award.

Advance your future when you learn from influential faculty who bring real-world experience and leading research into the classroom.

Our faculty are some of the most accomplished scholars in the world, as well as active mentors dedicated to your success. Imagine learning directly from faculty who have spearheaded national legislative and judicial reforms, founded programs that provide free legal services to underserved individuals and communities, advised U.S. presidents and Congress, and led governmental bodies, businesses, and major nonprofit organizations.

These esteemed professors will become your lifelong mentors as they bring their real-world experiences and perspectives into the classroom. Through our uniquely collaborative approach, you will work shoulder-to-shoulder with faculty to co-author scholarly articles, represent clients in our law clinics, and develop your lawyering and leadership skills.

joined the faculty last year and specializes in labor law, employment law, and constitutional law. Her interests include the intersection of workers’ rights and the Constitution, and how law supports or undermines worker voice and power. She is active in national policy efforts to strengthen workers’ rights, including the Economic Policy Institute’s Unequal Power Project, an interdisciplinary initiative to reexamine the foundational assumptions about the balance of power in labor market relationships.

Professor JaneAnne Murray (center) and Minnesota Law’s Clemency Clinic students visited Oslo, Norway, over spring break to learn about alternative models of prison policy. They visited Halden Prison, frequently referred to as “the most humane prison in the world.” Students also met with prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, ex-inmates, and members of parliament.

Prof. Charlotte Garden is the Julius E. Davis Professor of Law. She

This year, Minnesota Law welcomed five new faculty members:

Nadia Anguiano ’17 Associate Clinical Professor of Law

Nicholas Bednar ’16 Associate Professor of Law

Alexander Boni-Saenz Professor of Law

Sapna Kumar Henry J. Fletcher Professor of Law

Jack Whiteley Associate Professor of Law

Focus Transformational Programs on Life-Changing Learning

CLINICS

24+ EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COURSES

Simon Earle, 3L, and Dominik Ruch, 3L, argued before Justice G. Barry Anderson ’79, Justice Natalie Hudson ’82, and Justice Gordon Moore of the Minnesota Supreme Court in the final round of the 2023 Maynard Pirsig Moot Court Honors Tournament. Earle won the closely contested argument, with both students receiving tremendous praise for their skills. Earle called the tournament “an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Minnesota Law students put their passions into practice while earning a transformative legal education.

HOURS OF FREE LEGAL SERVICES provided to the public by Minnesota Law students last year.

Students in Minnesota Law’s Immigration and Human Rights Clinic helped their client Rachell, a 27-year-old trans woman from Honduras, get asylum in the United States. Rachell, who escaped from abuse and the threat of gang violence in her native country, now has a permanent home in the U.S.

Pictured above: Srishtee Dear ’23, Hannah McDonald ’23, Professor Steve Meili, Rachell (the clinic’s client), Eura Chang ’22, and Alena Carl ’22

As one of the nation’s premier public law schools, Minnesota Law offers you a stellar academic experience. You will choose from a robust selection of courses on cutting-edge topics such as bioethics, smart growth, and data privacy. You may also decide to gain a competitive edge by focusing your studies through one of our 11 concentrations, such as Business Law, Environmental & Energy Law, Health Law & Bioethics, and Human Rights Law.

With more than 25 diverse clinics, our nationally ranked clinical training program allows you to hone your practical legal skills while working with actual clients in a supportive setting. You will gain hands-on professional experience through public and private externships, public service fellowships, and pro bono opportunities. You will also develop written and oral advocacy skills through our nationally and internationally competitive moot court and mock trial programs.

Minnesota Law’s signature Law in Practice (LiP) program, which provides 1Ls with the opportunity to develop real-world practice skills, was recently recognized by Bloomberg Law as a national leader in innovation in the field of experiential education.

Pictured above: Jack Tate, 3L, a Law in Practice student director, Assistant Dean of Experiental Education Mitch Zamoff, Suzanne Mead, 3L, a Law in Practice student director, and Prof. Randall Ryder ’09, director of Law in Practice.

as an immigration legal intern for the Urban Justice Center’s Sex Workers Project in New York City. This fall, she will serve as a staff member of the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology and as the executive treasurer of the Minnesota chapter of If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Rights.

Engage

45 STATES + WASHINGTON, D.C. REPRESENTED IN THE STUDENT BODY

in Your Shared Journey

250+ UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED IN THE STUDENT BODY

Congratulations to the Class of 2023, which celebrated the University of Minnesota Law School’s 135th Commencement at Northrop this year.

Minnesota Law is distinguished by a collegial culture that attracts talented and diverse students from every part of the United States and numerous countries around the world.

At Minnesota Law, you will join a welcoming student community of hard workers, team players, and creative thinkers. Our collaborative and collegial culture helps foster personal growth in problem solving, leadership, and persuasion—skills that you’ll find essential in law school and beyond. Outside the classroom walls, you will form friendships that will last a lifetime. From creating informal study groups to connecting with upper-level mentors, you will learn as a team and encourage each other to succeed. Our active student community hosts guest speakers, and lively debatesdebates. With dozens of student organizations, you’ll have plenty of ways to pursue your passions.

part of Minnesota Law’s Study Abroad Program.

This year, he worked as a summer associate at Dorsey & Whitney, a large law firm in Minneapolis. Philip is the incoming editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Law Review He is also a member of OutLaw and the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. Last year, Philip was a student attorney in the Civil Rights Appellate Clinic, a member of the Gender and Sexuality Moot Court Competition Team, and a Legal Research and Writing student instructor.

Shelby Lauzon ’23, Annie Brooking, 3L, and Liz Bovell ’23 traveled together in Norway last fall. They spent time in Oslo and hiked in the fjords. Shelby was enrolled at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden, for the semester, and Liz was enrolled at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, as

Local Community, Global Impact

the Dynamic Twin Cities

Selma El-Badawi, 3L, is from Downers Grove, Illinois. This summer, she worked as a law clerk for Trader Joe’s United and Amazon Labor Union. As a 2L she participated in the Employment Law Clinic, was a student instructor for Minnesota Law’s Race Informed Study Experience (RISE), and served as a research assistant to Professor Matthew Bodie. She currently serves as the vice president of the Student Employment and Labor Law Association (SELLA) and is a a member of several student organizations, including OutLaw, the Muslim Law Student Association (MLSA), the Women’s Law Student Association (WLSA), the Minnesota Justice Foundation (MJF), and the National Lawyer’s Guild (NLG), as well as an online editor for the Journal of Law & Inequality

While you’re here, the Twin Cities offers many opportunities for school-year and summer positions, clerkships, and the chance to connect with the local legal community.

The Twin Cities is one of the most energetic, livable, and highly educated communities in the country. Here, you will enjoy our incredible park systems with hundreds of miles of trails and an amazing chain of lakes, the second largest theater community in the country, and an internationally renowned music scene. Add to that distinctive neighborhoods, seven professional sports teams, and a modern light rail system just steps from the Law School’s front door, and you’ll see why so many people who come to the area choose to stay.

Our prime location affords you ready access to state and federal courts, the state capitol, and the thriving Twin Cities legal and corporate world. As one of the nation’s top law schools, Minnesota Law is perfectly positioned to connect you with our engaged network of area alumni, local legal and business leaders, and professional opportunities in the Twin Cities and beyond.

Haley Wallace ’23 is from Lowell, Massachusetts. She recently received the Federal Bar Association Judge Edward Devitt award for excellence in the study of federal law and practice. After taking the bar exam, she will clerk for the Honorable Eric C. Tostrud of the United States District Court, District of Minnesota. While in law school, she served as a student director for the Detainee Rights Clinic, as a lead editor for the Minnesota Law Review, an admissions ambassador and orientation leader, and as a legal writing instructor.

Reauna Stiff, 2L, is from Mulberry Grove, Illinois. This year, she was a summer associate at Robins Kaplan in Minneapolis. She will serve as a student attorney in the Innocence Clinic, helping review convictions of those who maintain their innocence after criminal proceedings. She will also be a student instructor for the newly combined RISE/ REJ milestone program, helping students navigate conversations about race and class, and serve as the president of BLSA (Black Law Student Association).

Watch a video: Meet the Twin Cities

Katheryn Furlong, 3L, is from Chanhassen, Minnesota. This year, she worked as a summer associate at Fredrikson & Byron, a large firm in Minneapolis. This fall, she will be an extern at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the fall and for a federal magistrate judge in the spring. She will also be an editor on the Minnesota Law Review.

Aspire Expand The Possibilities

54 2022 grads were selected for JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS

to Launch a Fulfilling Legal Career

97% BAR PASSAGE RATE

(First-time test takers MN July 2022)

Minnesota Law students Lea Chapoton, 2L, Lucy Dougherty, 3L, Samuel Ferguson, 3L, and Natalie Wendland, 3L, worked as summer associates for Jones Day, a large international law firm, in Minneapolis this year. The students traveled to the firm’s Washington, D.C., location this summer to attend panels and workshops on the practice of law and meet their future colleagues, while learning more about the firm and connecting with partners and associates from other Jones Day locations. The Career Center at Minnesota Law partners with law firms in the Twin Cities and across the country to offer students opportunities to gain professional experience in the law.

At Minnesota Law, we not only help you define your career path, we help you achieve it.

97% EMPLOYMENT RATE

AT 10 MONTHS (2022 GRADS: FT/LT JD REQ’D/ JD ADV)

Our highly experienced Career Center team will work closely with you from the very beginning to help you achieve your career goals and ensure you are empowered for lifelong career success. Career counselors help you identify the professional development you need to prepare for a wide range of career paths.

In addition to one-to-one guidance, the team provides access to networking events, hosts career fairs, offers workshops and training opportunities, assists in the judicial clerkship application process, helps with resumes, and much more.

Local, regional, and national employers, including law firms, government entities, and public interest organizations, recruit students and graduates through on campus interviews (OCI), job fairs, and online postings throughout the year.

This year, Minnesota Law’s Career Center hosted Meet the Bar and Meet the Market, two events that connect students with a wide range of legal employers. Students were able to network and learn more about employers in the region.

Evan Dale, 3L, is from Golden Valley, Minnesota. This year, he worked as a summer associate with Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C. He is currently the Lead Note & Comment Editor of Minnesota Law Review, research assistant to Professor Prentiss Cox, and a Structured Study Group (SSG) student instructor. He will also serve as a student director for the Racial Justice Law Clinic this fall.

Meet our Career Center team

Ruth Isaacson, assistant director of public interest careers in Minnesota Law’s Career Center, advises students who are interested in exploring careers in nonprofit and government organizations.

With more than 14,000 alumni worldwide, Minnesota Law is making a profound impact in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 70 countries.

After graduation, you will become part of a network of alumni already working in large coastal law firms, global corporations, international NGOs, state and federal courts, government agencies, and more. These valuable connections help you gain leverage throughout your career as a lifelong member of this vibrant community of Minnesota Law graduates.

Alumni are invited to annual regional alumni receptions in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Minneapolis, New York, and other cities. Special alumni events, such as our annual Fall Social, alumni-sponsored CLEs, and class reunions, help you remain connected throughout your career.

Job Okeri, 3L, is originally from Kenya and came to Minnesota when he was in high school. He spent this summer as a legal clerk for the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., working with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar. Job served as vice president of Law Council last year and was elected as its president for 2023–24. He is also an orientation leader, a member of the Black Law Student Association, and will be on the Law School’s ABA moot court competition team.

Cromwell in its New York office. Marina will spend fall semester studying as an exchange student at University College Dublin Sutherland School of Law. She will also work as a legal writing student instructor and as a managing editor for Minnesota Law Review

A degree from Minnesota Law will take you wherever you want to go—locally, nationally, or around the world.

“Congratulations to the Class of 2023. May we grow, and rest, and inspire, and thrive in our respective jurisdictions. And know that wherever you go, whatever you do, you’ll always have community in Minnesota.”

Mica Standing Soldier ’23 Attorney,Legal Rights Center, Saeks Public Interest Residency Program

98% of law students were employed across the U.S. during summer 2022.

Belong

10+ PROFESSIONAL AFFINITY GROUPS IN THE TWIN CITIES

to a Diverse and Talented Student Body

35+ STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS WERE ACTIVE IN 2022–23.

Law students in TORT (Theatre of the Relatively Talentless) write and produce an annual spring musical that affectionately parodies law student life. The 2023 TORT production of TORTanic was performed at the University of Minnesota’s Ted Mann Concert Hall.

A rich variety of student activities, organizations, and leadership opportunities enhance the classroom experience.

The University of Minnesota Law School values each student’s contribution to our unique and welcoming community.

By fostering a collegial environment that strives to be equitable and inclusive, Minnesota Law welcomes students from across the U.S. and around the world who represent diverse cultural, professional, and educational backgrounds. Student-led initiatives, robust academics, and a wide range of programs examine issues at the intersection of law and society. Our collegial culture emphasizes teamwork, problem solving, leadership and persuasion. Minnesota Law is a great place to be a student. You’ll learn from some of the best faculty in the world, build your networks, and create life-long connections with your colleagues.

Last winter, Minnesota Law students participated in “Raise the Bar,” the Law School’s annual day of service in the community. 2Ls Sam Black, Frank De Jong, Callan Showers, Brit Stocks, and Dawson Weathers helped to rehab a house with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

Works Rural Summer Legal Corps Student Fellow. Chad is an admissions ambassador and sits on the board of the Asylum Law Project. This fall, he will serve as a student instructor for Legal Research and Writing, as a staff member on Minnesota Law Review, and as a judicial extern at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota.

Learn more about student life at Minnesota Law

Goldy Gopher joined Minnesota Law admissions ambassadors to welcome prospective students to Minnesota Law during the 2023 Campus Preview Weekend

#MinnesotaLaw

The Class of 2025 takes the Law School Oath at orientation last fall.

celebrated Halloween in costume.

Admissions Ambassadors celebrate Campus Preview Weekend with University of Minnesota mascot Goldy Gopher.

Dean Garry W. Jenkins and student honorees the 135th Commencement.

Civil rights activist and attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and assistant dean of diversity, equity & inclusion Ra’Shya Ghee ’13, at the 8th Annual MLK Convocation.

out in the final round of the annual student and professor spring ping pong tournament.

There was fierce competition during the bean bag toss at Minnesota Law’s Annual Alumni-Student Gopher Football tailgating event.

Financial Information

Minnesota Law has nonresident and resident (reciprocity) tuition rates. Students from SD, WI, and Manitoba qualify for resident tuition.

Merit scholarships are awarded to highly qualified candidates at the time of admission and range from $5,000 to full tuition. No separate application is required.

Application deadlines:

Early decision (binding) December 31

Priority consideration for scholarship February 1

Final day to submit .

SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING:

• Completed application with $60 fee

• Personal statement

• Resume

• Optional supplemental statement

.June 1

Summer funding and/or fellowships are available to students through the Human Rights Center Fellowship, Robina Public Interest Scholars Program, and the Career Center.

Many student paid positions exist at the Law School for law students, including research assistant, structured study group leader, library assistant, and orientation leader.

Travel reimbursement funds are available for students to attend 20+ national diversity, practice area, and law school-hosted job fairs.

• Completed CAS report (includes LSAT, transcripts, one letter of recommendation)

• Optional video interview (details provided after application is submitted)

Apply to Minnesota Law Today

Our Admissions Committee looks forward to reviewing your application and conducting a holistic review of the materials you submit. We consider many factors in our decision, such as student engagement and leadership, professional experience, writing ability, community service, academic achievements, and references.

Schedule a Virtual Appointment

For more details on the application process at Minnesota Law, please visit LAW.UMN.EDU/JDADMISSIONS

University of Minnesota Law School Admissions

N130 Mondale Hall

229 19th Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55455

jdadmissions@umn.edu

Connect with Admissions staff and current students: law.umn.edu/connect

Virtual info sessions: law.umn.edu/infosessions

law.umn.edu

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.

All statistics herein are correct as of September 1, 2023. Visit our website to review the ABA required disclosures. © 2023 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.