Can you share a bit about your background? Where are you from? Where did you go to undergrad? Where did you work over the summer, or where will you work this summer?
I am a born-and-raised Minnesotan, originally from Hopkins. (Coincidentially, the two EICs before me, Stuart Levesque ’26 and Callan Showers ’25, also attended Hopkins High School!). I went to Macalester College in St, Paul for undergrad. Last summer, I worked with the Law School’s Gun Violence Prevention Clinic, and this summer I worked in the Appeals Division of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Congratulations on being named the next editor-in-chief for the Minnesota Law Review. Can you tell us what you’re most excited about as the new editor-in-chief?
I am most excited for the publication days of each issue this year. Publishing six issues of an academic journal feels almost miraculous given the amount of eyes and hands involved, and I’m excited to celebrate those accomplishments with the Law Review staff and editors.
What role did you recently serve on the Minnesota Law Review?
Like all first-year MLR members, I served as a staffer last year. I gathered sources and checked citations for articles and notes that are now published in Volume 110!
We’d love to hear about your career plans. What do you hope to do after taking the bar exam next year?
I hope to serve as a judicial clerk following graduation. After that, I hope to work in civil litigation. I came to law school with an interest in how the legal system interacts with public policy, and I want my career to explore those interactions.
Do you have a favorite experience (so far) at Minnesota Law?
Last March, I went to Washington, D.C., with the Gun Violence Prevention Clinic to watch the U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in United States v. Hemani. Seeing the justices in person, interacting with the parties and with each other, changed how I conceive of the Supreme Court. Plus, traveling with the Clinic was very fun and memorable to say the least.
When you’re not studying, in class, or working on a journal, what do you like to do in your free time?
Typically, I spend any free time talking with friends, going on walks while listening to an audiobook, cooking, visiting family, or finding an appropriate place to swim (pool, lake, etc.).
What are some of your favorite activities to do in the Twin Cities?
When it’s warm outside, I love to swim in the cities’ lakes and find new restaurant patios. In the winter, I love going to the Minneapolis Institute of Art or another museum with someone who hasn’t been before! It’s so fun to see well-loved places through someone else’s eyes.
What is one thing that surprised you about Minnesota Law?
I was surprised by the professors! So many of them have been incredible mentors and advisors to me despite having a plethora of their own scholarly and professional demands. UMN Law professors genuinely care about their students’ success and that was clear from day one.
What plans or goals do you have for your journal during your time as editor-in-chief?
First, I want us to do our work. Publishing six print issues and several online pieces, in addition to editing student notes and conducting a yearly symposium and banquet, is incredibly difficult. If we do each of those tasks well, I will be thrilled. Beyond that, I want to foster a positive community for MLR members and encourage the value of legal scholarship through impactful articles.
Do you plan to collaborate with the other EICs in the coming year?
Of course! We have gotten to work closely together already on this year’s petition process, and I look forward to other opportunities for us to come together as the Minnesota Law journal “representatives.”
Finally, what advice do you have for others who are considering pursuing a leadership role on a law journal?
If you are interested in a particular role on a journal, be sure to connect with the person currently serving in it. Journal work can be mysterious, and it’s important to know what you could be getting into before deciding to do it. Additionally, connect with your peers. Journal leadership is ultimately about coordinating a huge group project with your classmates, and building personal relationships makes it both more effective and more fun.