The University of Minnesota Law School is proud to welcome the Class of 2026! Comprising a diverse and talented group of 218 individuals, the incoming class promises to continue the Law School's tradition of producing exceptional lawyers who make a difference in their communities, the nation, and the world.
Professor Jane Kirtley was quoted by KSTP on an article covering a probe launched by the Minneapolis city attorney to investigate KSTP source in a story covering complaints filed against Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara. Prior the the airing of the story, KSTP received a message from the city of Minneapolis which referenced laws around personal data becoming public. After reviewing the message sent to KSTP by the City of Minneapolis, Professor Kirtley commented, “I have to assume that government attorney is trying to send you a warning. It’s a threat.
Professor Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin was recently elected to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) for a 5 year term. Established in 1952, the Commission plays a unique and prominent role in defending human rights and the rule of law worldwide. Served by a full-time staff with offices in every region of the world, ICJ is founded on the appointment by ballot of a fixed number of 60 eminent global jurists.
Professor Smith was interviewed by TaxNotes and quoted on a story about how low-income taxpayers may have been adversely affected by the IRS destroying millions of Form 1099 "Information Returns." The story details how the destruction of this information, coupled with IRS audit selection and audit method may have led to particularly bad outcomes for low-income taxpayers.
Dana Mitchell '97 has been appointed Deputy Attorney General of Minnesota by State Attorney General Keith Ellison '90.
Mitchell will step into the role left by Deputy Attorney General Luz María Frías, who is retiring on September 29 after a 30-year career in the law, public service, and community service, including the last three years with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Mitchell will oversee the Government Support Section of the Office, which provides legal support to a wide range of State of Minnesota agencies, boards, and commissions.
Minnesota Law alum the Honorable Natalie Hudson '82 has been appointed chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court by Governor Tim Walz. Hudson will be the first chief justice of color and the first Democratic-appointed judicial branch leader in 25 years.
Governor Walz told Minnesota Public Radio, “I know that she will use her decades of judicial experience and deep understanding of our justice system to lead the Judicial Branch with a steady hand and strong conviction.”
After years of work, the Binger Center for New Americans has achieved key objectives to protect the rights of noncitizens subject to immigration custody. The Binger Center’s work—spearheaded by the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic (FILC), the Detainee Rights Clinic (DRC), and some of the Center’s nonprofit and law firm partners—has focused on noncitizens with criminal histories who are spending years in mandatory civil immigration detention in Minnesota with little opportunity to meaningfully challenge their custody.
Professor Jane Kirtley was quoted in the Star Tribune in an article on the August 11th police raid on the Marion County Record's newsroom, which shocked many across the nation and alerted press advocacy groups. Commenting on the situation, Professor Kirtley reflected, "If this can be done to a small community newspaper in Kansas it can be done to any news organization anywhere in the United States, whether it's Fox or CNN and whether it's the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal; they're all vulnerable to this kind of overreach and I think they all recognize that.
Students in the Detainee Rights Clinic (DRC) recently scored a major victory for a client formerly from El Salvador who has been seeking asylum for nearly a decade.
The clinic began representing the person in 2014, one of its first clients. Clinic leaders secured the person’s release from detention to stay deportation. Over the next few years, students worked with faculty to win an appeal at the Board of Immigration that opened a pathway for asylum.
William McGeveran, Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett Professor of Law, stepped into the role of interim dean of the Law School on July 1. To this critical role, Dean McGeveran brings 17 years of experience as a faculty member, four years as associate dean of academic affairs, and deep enthusiasm for the Minnesota Law community.
