Rising 3L Mike Villafranca, a Minnesota Law transfer student, recently answered a few questions about his journey to the Law School and how his experience has helped advance his academic, professional, and personal goals.

Why did you transfer to Minnesota Law?

My wife grew up in Minnesota, and we wanted our son to grow up near his grandparents. When we decided to move to Minnesota, I wanted to transfer to Minnesota Law because it has a reputation as the best law school in the Twin Cities.

Rising 2L Navin Ramalingam was born and raised in the city of Chennai in southern India. He currently serves on the Law School’s Wellness Initiative and is a student member of the Diversity Committee. Recently featured in Minnesota Law magazine, Navin sat down for a brief Q&A on his experience at the Law School.

Why did you choose to study at Minnesota Law?

John Yngve ’49, a lawyer, entrepreneur, lifelong public servant, and former member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, passed away May 21 at the age of 94.

Yngve grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, tending chickens on his parents’ property while they ran the family law firm, Yngve & Yngve. In 1943 he enlisted in the Army Air Force, and when the war was over he entered the Law School. During his early years of legal practice, he also followed his entrepreneurial bent, opening a drive-in restaurant which he helped operate for six years.

Rising 3L Olivia Leyrer, a Minnesota Law transfer student, recently answered a few questions about what drew her to the Law School and what unique experiences and opportunities she’s discovered so far.

Why did you transfer to Minnesota Law?

I liked that Minnesota Law had concentrations within the J.D. program. It made it easy to pinpoint what classes to focus on for certain subject areas like Business or International Law. It’s also nice to get an actual certificate in those concentrations to put on your resume, almost like a major in undergrad.

Karina Uribe Peña, LL.M. ’17, works as a legislative advisor for the National Congress of Chile. She also teaches at the Universidad de Valparaíso, including courses in International Law and Immigration Law. In addition, she teaches teaching Immigration Law at Universidad Andrés Bello. She has been invited to teach at the Judicial Academy and in a program called Ser Migrante as guest professor where, with some students, faculty give legal advice to civil society about immigration laws as well as migrant´s rights.

Donald M. Fraser ’48, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1963 to 1979 and as mayor of Minneapolis from 1980 to 1994, died at his Minneapolis home on June 2, aged 95. He was the son of Everett Fraser, the Law School’s third dean, and was a generous Law School benefactor throughout his life.

1Ls Noah Cozad and Jiatian Huang were among a select group of students from around the country that Latham & Watkins LLP hosted at its Technology Innovation Summit in New York City earlier this spring.