Dushan Kanazir ’15 credits the University of Minnesota Law School with helping him build a successful career in corporate law, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. After starting at Skadden in Palo Alto, Calif., he ultimately focused on M&A. Over seven years, he learned “how to work hard, pay attention to detail, think like an advisor, and manage people and processes.” In 2022, he transitioned to Autodesk, a multinational software company, where he now leads the M&A team overseeing acquisitions, investments, and integrations.
Beyond his professional success, Kanazir’s story is defined by gratitude and identity. As an immigrant and “American by choice,” he praises the Law School’s transformative financial support, saying it helped unlock opportunity and shape his future. Unable to access loans and facing tuition that was beyond his family’s means, he reflects, “Minnesota Law took a chance on me with its generosity — for that, I will always be profoundly grateful. If it weren’t for that generosity, I sincerely don’t think I would be where I am now.”
Kanazir’s perspective underscores why giving back financially to Minnesota Law is so important. Contributions directly enable talented students like Kanazir to access a legal education and pursue impactful careers. His journey demonstrates that generosity creates tangible outcomes, empowering individuals who may later lead, mentor, and contribute meaningfully to the legal profession.
Giving sustains the Law School’s unique culture of community and mentorship. One of his favorite memories was when Professor John Matheson began a 1L contracts class dressed as Mr. Rogers and sang “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” “I suspect it would have been hard to pull off elsewhere,” Kanazir says, “but here it fit perfectly and was exactly what we needed.” Supporting Minnesota Law helps preserve these formative experiences that shape future skilled lawyers and thoughtful leaders.
Hometown: Belgrade, Serbia
Giving Level: Murphy Society, William B. Lockhart Club
A Piece of Advice You Would Give to First-Year Law Students: First, don’t be afraid to work hard in law school — you’ll have plenty of opportunities to work hard after law school, but it is unlikely to ever be as intellectually stimulating. Second, try to compete against yourself as much as possible and against others as little as possible. Third, don’t be afraid to say three things when prompted for one.