News
Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
Minnesota Law celebrated its 138th commencement ceremony Saturday, May 16, at Northrop, honoring the Class of 2026. More than 2,000 family members, friends, loved ones, faculty, and staff gathered on a sunny morning to cheer on 225 J.D. candidates, 38 LL.M. candidates, and five Master of Patent Law candidates as they crossed the stage to receive their degrees.
Justice Theodora Gaïtas ’94 Appointed to Serve as Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
Justice Theodora Gaïtas ’94 was appointed the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court by Governor Tim Walz. Gaïtas will fill the vacancy that will occur upon the retirement of Chief Justice Natalie Hudson ‘82 in September.
Professors Mauleón, Zaragoza, and Wildermuth Receive the 2026 Stanley V. Kinyon Teacher of the Year Award
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Charlotte Garden, Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett Professor of Law, presented the 2026 Stanley V. Kinyon Teacher of the Year Awards at the Law School's 138th commencement exercises on Saturday, May 16.
Binger Center Students, Alumni, and Faculty Participate in AILA National Day of Action
On April 17, a delegation from the University of Minnesota Law School’s James H. Binger Center for New Americans traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Day of Action, joining immigration attorneys and advocates from across the country in meetings with members of Congress and their staff.
Coryn Johnson ’24 Joins the Minnesota Habeas Project as Staff Attorney
Earlier this spring, the James H. Binger Center for New Americans welcomed Coryn Johnson ’24 as a staff attorney for the Minnesota Habeas Project (the Project), a collaborative initiative working to expand access to habeas representation for Minnesotans unlawfully detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Tribute: Minnesota Law Mourns the Passing of Alan V. Vaskas
Alan V. Vaskas passed away on March 12 at age 80. He was born in Göppingen, Germany, in 1946, and emigrated with his family to the United States in 1949. The family settled in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he grew up. He was a 1967 graduate of Brown University and soon after, joined the New Hampshire National Guard. His unit was deployed to Vietnam where he was gravely wounded. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart. Vaskas graduated from Fordham Law School in 1974 and practiced law in Pennsylvania.
Now Available: Episode 3 of Minnesota Law Now — The SAVE Act: The Future of Voting, Equality, and Work with Profs. Jill Hasday and Charlotte Garden
In this episode of Minnesota Law Now, Professor Jill Hasday, Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Centennial Professor in Law, and Professor Charlotte Garden, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett Professor of Law, sit down with Dean William McGeveran to break down the constitutional stakes of the SAVE Act — from voting access and equal protection to its disproportionate impact on women, particularly those navig
Tribute: Minnesota Law Mourns the Passing of Patricia A. O’Gorman ’71
Patricia A. “Pat” O’Gorman passed away on December 7 at age 79. She grew up in Cannon Falls and earned her bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Catherine, where she received the St. Thomas Moore Award for Leadership and Service. She went on to receive her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1971.
Georgina Tierney '27 and Daniel Kim '27 Compete in the 2026 Maynard Pirsig Moot Court Honors Tournament
Georgina Tierney ’27 and Daniel Kim ’27 argued before Justice Theodora Gaïtas '94, Justice Sarah Hennesy, and retired Justice G. Barry Anderson ’79 of the Minnesota Supreme Court in the final round of the Maynard Pirsig Moot Court Honors Tournament earlier this month. Tierney took top honors, winning this year's tournament.
Prof. Oren Gross Appointed Everett Fraser Professor of Law
The University of Minnesota Law School has named longtime faculty member Oren Gross the Everett Fraser Professor of Law, recognizing his internationally renowned scholarship, global engagement, and contributions to the Law School.
