Continuing Legal Education

In an age of polarization and rising incivility, lawyers face increasing pressure to uphold professionalism, civility, and fairness while serving clients, courts, and communities. This program explores the meaning of civility, lawyers’ professional duties, and the consequences of incivility through history and real-world examples—from political hearings and sports arenas to courtroom practice and workplace surveys.

Join Professor Ilan Wurman to discuss his latest publication, The Constitution of 1789. Published by the Cambridge University Press, this book is a new introduction to the Constitution written on the semiquincentennial of American Independence, packed with novel and surprising insights about the Constitution's original meaning. 

What do a poetry degree, a year in Japan, three job rejections, and a forced labor compliance program have in common? They're all stops on the zigzag path that led Krisann Kleibacker Lee '03 from this law school to the forefront of sustainability law — a field that didn't exist when she graduated.

In today’s hyper-polarized climate, political friction isn't just a personal stressor—it directly bleeds into our law firms, client relationships, and interactions with opposing counsel. This program explores the psychological toll of chronic political anxiety, its impact on professional competence, and the practical boundaries lawyers must set to protect their health. Attendees will learn evidence-based strategies to manage obsessive stress, ethically navigate volatile workplace dynamics, and utilize local Minnesota well-being resources to prevent burnout.

For centuries, international intellectual property law has rested on a foundational premise: sovereignty over knowledge and biological resources is exercised exclusively through states and bounded by territory. That premise is now under pressure.