Minnesota Law Mourns Passing of Bruce Burton ‘68, Former Mitchell Dean, Law Professor

Bruce Burton, a lawyer, law professor, and former Dean of William Mitchell College of Law, passed away on June 11 at the age of 83

Hailing from Fairmont, Minnesota, Burton graduated from Mankato State University in 1961, then taught high school English in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, and Long Beach, California, before returning to Minnesota to attend the Law School.

After graduating in 1968, Burton joined the Dorsey & Whitney law firm. He also taught as an adjunct at both the University of Minnesota and William Mitchell before joining Mitchell’s faculty full time in 1973.

Bruce served as dean of William Mitchell from 1975-80. (William Mitchell College of Law combined with Hamline University School of Law to form Mitchell Hamline Law School in 2015). He also taught real estate law for 17 years. He later a partner at Dorsey & Whitney in Minneapolis before returning to teaching, serving as professor of law at South Texas College of Law in Houston for 12 years.

In retirement, Bruce went on to serve as a visiting professor at numerous law schools, including Marquette University, Willamette University, and Charlotte School of Law. Throughout his career, Bruce published dozens of law-related articles in prestigious legal journals.

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