Feature News
Harvard's Charles Ogletree to Headline 2008 Dean's Dinner
Prominent Legal Theorist and Criminal Justice Scholar will reflect on the U.S. Presidential Election and its Impact on Equal Rights
How will the outcome of the U.S. presidential election impact the struggle for equal rights in America and abroad?
Charles J. Ogletree, the Harvard Law School Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, and founding and executive director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, will address that topic as the keynote speaker at the 2008 Hamline Law School Dean's Dinner on November 18. Olgetree, a distinguished scholar on issues of criminal justice, race and the law, and legal education, was a classmate of Hamline Law Dean Don Lewis at Harvard Law School, where he later taught another well-known Harvard Law student: Barack Obama.
The 2008 Dean's Dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 18 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. For information regarding table sponsorships for the 2008 Dean's Dinner, or to purchase tickets, members of the public should contact Susan Stephan at 651-523-2338 or sstephan01@hamline.edu.
Hamline Issues Recommendations for Resolving Conflicts in the Health Care System
Hamline University School of Law has released a report, "Guiding Principles for Creation of Dispute Resolution Systems in Health Care," which is available in PDF and hard copy. The report is the outcome of a November 2007 Hamline Law 
School sponsored symposium, "An Intentional Conversation about Conflict Resolution in the Health Care," which brought together leading health care providers, payors, regulators, recognized patient representatives, attorneys and experienced conflict resolution professionals and scholars.
Among the symposium participants was Deb Gerardi, Chair, Program on Collaboration and Conflict Resolution in Healthcare, Werner Institute for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Creighton University School of Law, who noted, "The Hamline symposium provided an important opportunity for a national dialogue among scholars and professionals who are interested in improving how complex health care conflicts are addressed."
Barbara Balik, Director at Large, Board of Governors, National Patient Safety Foundation, also participated. She said, "The symposium was a unique opportunity to bring together scholars and professionals. The guiding principles offer a patient-centered approach to resolving the conflicts that arise in health care settings."
The report provides a thorough summary of the symposium dialogue, along with eight specific recommendations for the creation of patient-centered dispute resolution systems. The report states that a Dispute Resolution System in Health Care must be one that:
Dean Lewis Greets Class of 2011 from Beijing
New law students were welcomed to campus in late August with characteristic Hamline warmth and a bit of high tech flair as new Dean Donald Lewis spoke to the class of 2011 from Beijing, China where he was attending the Olympic Games. "I apologize for having to greet you by videotape, but this trip was planned long ago, well before I was offered the privilege of becoming your dean," he said. As a way to involve the students in the Olympics, Dean Lewis challenged all 1Ls to predict the finishing time in the Women's 200 meter final. No one hit it "spot on" but Jeffrey Boucher (shown here with Dean Lewis) had the closest prediction on the time. His reward was a Beijing 2008 Olympics souvenir hat and pin from Dean Don Lewis who attended the Olympics in China.
Students appreciated the long-distance message, which was taped barely 24 hours earlier in front of Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing. A photographer at KARE-11 taped the message from Dean Lewis and then sent it back to Minnesota via KARE's news satellite. KARE-11 also covered the event on its 5 p.m. newscast. (Dean Lewis' presentation from Beijing can be viewed at hopkins.hamline.edu/law/beijingwelcome.wmv).
Water Law Explored at Hamline Law Review Symposium
Is access to water a human right? Is water a religious issue, or a boundary issue created by treaties? Is it a business issue? How should disputes over water be resolved and how should conflicting human values affect the resolution of water disputes? National and international experts addressed these critical water-related issues as part of the Hamline Law Review Spring 2008 Symposium, "Water, Catalyst of Life and Strife: A Threat to Security or a Vital Opportunity to Foster Cooperation?" that took place at Hamline University Sc hool of Law on Friday, April 4.
Symposium speakers included Great Lakes Water Commissioner Allen Olson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Director Kent Lokkesmoe (left), Canadian Senior Policy Analyst David Whorley, Hamline University School of Law Professor Larry Bakken, Florida A&M University College of Law Professor Robert Abrams, Chicago-Kent College of Law Professor Dan Tarlock, and Michael Tsur, founder and director of the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Institute in Israel.
They discussed climate change, population growth and rising demand that puts additional stress on shared resources and increases the potential for conflict. They also explored the current framework for addressing these issues through international and interstate cooperation. While all the speakers had distinctive and sometimes opposing points of view, all could agree that "water is synonymous with survival." Listen to the symposium presentations.
Professor John Weeks Retires after 35 Years of Outstanding Service
He joins Professor Michael Scherschligt as Hamline Law School's first two Emeriti Professors of Law
After 35 years of teaching and inspiring Hamline law students, Professor John Weeks is retiring. Professor Weeks has been an anchor for the Hamline law curriculum teaching Contract Law and International Law, including courses such as International Business Transactions and International Human Rights.
Dean Jon Garon called retiring Professor John Weeks "a man of few words and great wisdom," recalling how he observed one of Professor Weeks' classes when he first came to Hamline to watch him use the Socratic method. "That was the first time in my professional career that I saw it really work," Garon noted.
For his part, Professor Weeks said he has derived "tremendous satisfaction from watching his students achieve great success. . . It has been quite a journey. I've been associated with Hamline for more than half my life and it's been wonderful."
Professor Bill Martin provided a warm and moving tribute to Professor Weeks at his recent retirement dinner. He said "You give your best every day and always are completely honest with students. . . You drive students to improve themselves and have an infallible sense of whom to push, whom to tease and whom to help along the path of inquiry. Most of all, you always let students know that you respect them."
Alumnus Steve Kirsch also paid tribute, noting "You were then, and you are now, a superb person. You gave us inspiration...I honor your service to the Hamline Law School."
Both Professor John Weeks and Michael Scherschligt are retiring after more than three decades of service to the Law School. Hamline University has recognized the tremendous service provided by each of these two important professors by awarding each the title Emeritus Professor of Law.
