Recent months have brought new challenges to Minnesota Law with an unprecedented statewide surge in immigration enforcement. But I have found hope and inspiration in the many ways we responded with intellectual rigor and genuine care for one another. Our world-class faculty have been called on time and again to provide their expertise and analysis of the fast-moving legal issues for policymakers and the press, both locally and nationally. Meanwhile, our immigration clinics, led by the Binger Center for New Americans, quickly mobilized to offer much-needed public service. I have been immensely proud to see students and faculty representing clients, training volunteer attorneys, and providing timely, accessible “Know Your Rights” information to the public. And, we provided sustained individualized support to students who needed it. In the face of turbulence and rapidly shifting circumstances, our community has shown its commitment to expertise, service, and compassion.
In this issue of Minnesota Law magazine, you’ll see many more examples of that spirit. The cover story shows how our faculty are engaging some of the most complex and urgent questions at the intersection of law and technology — exploring artificial intelligence, data governance, neuroscience, patents, bioinnovation, and evolving regulatory systems. Their work doesn’t just anticipate what comes next; it actively helps shape it, ensuring that the law keeps pace with profound technological change while placing ethics and public welfare at the forefront.
That same spirit is alive in our graduates. Read about how Minnesota Law alumni are dedicating themselves to pro bono work that strengthens their communities in the Twin Cities and around the nation. Many credit their experiences in the law clinics for the skills and sense of purpose that continue to guide their work today.
We are equally committed to fostering the next generation of public interest leaders through extensive programming and support. Initiatives like the Representative Melissa Hortman ’95 Public Interest Scholarship embody our dual mission to expand access to the profession and support students who are driven to serve. This scholarship is a tribute to the legacy of Representative Hortman and an investment in the future.
Together, these stories capture what makes Minnesota Law so special: a deep commitment to scholarship and innovation, public service, and preparing graduates who will lead with excellence and empathy. In classrooms, courtrooms, and communities, our faculty, students, and alumni remind us every day that the law is not only a way to understand the world — but a powerful means to make it better.
Warmly,
William McGeveran
Dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law
University of Minnesota Law School