News

Caleb Smith, clinical professor of law and director of the Ronald M. Mankoff Tax Clinic has been appointed assistant dean for clinical education, effective July 1, 2025. Smith oversees clinic students who represent low-income clients in tax controversies on cases that include audits of tax returns, filing and trying cases in Minnesota Tax Court and Federal District Court, and bringing taxpayers into collection compliance.

When 3L Samuel Makikalli decided to attend the University of Minnesota Law School, he wasn’t just looking for a degree—he was searching for a way to combine his passion for addressing climate change with the practical tools needed to make a real-world impact. At Minnesota Law, he found the perfect blend of analytical rigor, hands-on experience, and a supportive community that is empowering him to turn his vision into action. However, one factor made Minnesota Law stand out among several strong contenders.

Eloise Kaplan passed away on November 25, at age 86. She was a resident of Naples, Florida, and Edina, Minnesota. She was a devoted wife and matriarch of a blended and inclusive family. She and her husband, Elliot Kaplan ’61, former chairman of the law firm of Robins Kaplan, were major donors of the University of Minnesota Law School and members of the Lockhart Club. The two were very engaged across the University, with several spaces named in their honor.

The University of Minnesota Law School is thrilled to announce Amna A. Akbar will join the faculty as the Benjamin N. Berger Professor in Criminal Law in the fall of 2025. Akbar is a scholar of contemporary social movements, policing, race, capitalism, and inequality.

Michael P. Sullivan ’62, passed away on November 20, at age 89. He was a 1962 graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and practiced law for 25 years at the Minneapolis-based firm, Gray Plant Mooty. Sullivan served as Hennepin County Bar Association president from 1976 to 1980. During his time at the law firm, Sullivan did legal work in the franchise practice area, including with International Dairy Queen. He subsequently held the position of vice chairman of the Dairy Queen board of directors, and then went on to become CEO of Dairy Queen, a position he held from 1987 to 2001.

The University of Minnesota Law School held a reception to welcome William McGeveran as Minnesota Law's 12th dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law on Monday, November 18 at McNamara Alumni Center.

Family, friends, faculty, staff, alumni, members of the University's Board of Regents, University leadership, members of the bench and bar, and many others gathered together in honor of Dean William McGeveran.

Sonia Sotomayor, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, visited the University of Minnesota Law School in late October. She was in Minneapolis for the investiture of the Honorable Elizabeth Bentley to the Minnesota State Court of Appeals and visited the Law School during her stay in the Twin Cities.

The University of Minnesota Law School is pleased to announce Vinita R. Singh will join the faculty as an associate professor of law in the fall of 2025. Professor Singh studies economic statecraft, with an emphasis on examining how federal income taxation can be used to advance U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. 

The University of Minnesota Law School is pleased to announce that Samuel J. Merchant will join the faculty in the fall of 2025 as an associate professor of law. Merchant is currently a visiting assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he teaches constitutional law, criminal procedure, sentencing, and Habeas Corpus. He is also a research fellow at the Georgetown Law Center for the Constitution.