Hamline First-Time Bar Passage Rate #1 in MN

Hamline Alumni Achieve 100 Percent Bar Passage Rate in Wisconsin

The Minnesota first-time bar passage rate for Hamline students is nearly 91 percent and the Wisconsin First-Time Bar Passage rate for Hamline students is 100 percent. The results are from the most recent Minnesota and Wisconsin bar examinations, which were administered in February 2008. The official Minnesota first-time pass rate, which includes all Minnesotans who took the test in July, was 87 percent overall.

"Hamline University School of Law provides exceptional and comprehensive legal education," said Hamline University President Linda Hanson. "We are extremely proud of our law graduates, and we are confident they will use their education and their personal passion for leadership, scholarship, and service to make their workplaces and their communities a better place."

Hamline University School of Law Dean Jon Garon said, "This is a tremendous achievement of our students and a reflection of the important, systemic efforts of our faculty, staff, academic support and the entire Hamline community to help make our students successful in this effort."

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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.

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People of Color Scholarship Conference to be held at Hamline

Hamline University School of Law is co-sponsoring the 2008 Midwestern People of Color Scholarship Conference (MWPOC), From Scholarly Pages to Political Stages: Law Writing for Political Change. The conference will take place from Thursday, May 29 through Saturday, May 31 at the law school. Hamline Law Professor Robin Magee will serve as both the on-site and program coordinator.

Among the speakers will be B. Todd Jones, former United States Attorney, Minnesota District, and current partner at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP; U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (left), the first Muslim in the U.S. and the first African American from Minnesota to be elected to the U.S. Congress, and Judge Edward Toussaint, Jr., Chief Judge, Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Law scholars of color seek to secure both relevance and resonance for their scholarship in the work of other law professionals and in the discussions of the day. The 2008 MWPOC will explore and evaluate the success of these efforts. Lawyers, jurists, law-trained politicians and media specialists will join conference attendees in plenary panel discussions to explore the ways in which legal scholarship prompts and assists progressive legal, social and political changes.

For more information or to register your attendance, place visit or contact Professor Magee at 651-523-2339 or rmagee@hamline.edu.

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Alumni Participation Counts!

Dear Alumni:

Thank you for your continuing support of our law school through your gifts of time, support of our events, and your charitable donations.  Your gifts help us make a difference in the education of our students and the success of our alumni. Hamline cannot succeed without your generosity and commitment; with it, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. 

A gift of any size is important and appreciated! Both the number of dollars received and the percentage of alumni supporting the law school are very important and actually impact the tier ranking system for law schools. We are thrilled with our jump to the third tier this year and do not want to lose any ground, so your continued support is crucial.

If you have not yet made a financial gift this year, I would like to encourage you be part of our increase in annual alumni support by making a gift before June 30, 2008 (the end of our fiscal year) in an amount appropriate to your budget.  As long as your gift is received before the end of the fiscal year, you will be listed in the "honor roll" report of gifts in the upcoming fall issue of the Advocate. 

Please visit www.hamline.edu/law/give.html to give a gift online, or feel free to drop a check in the mail to:

Hamline University School of Law
1536 Hewitt Ave
MS-D2005
Saint Paul, MN 55104

Again, thank you for your continued support of our Law School and for making a difference in our community! If you have any questions about making a gift, please contact me any time at 651-523-2338 or by e-mail at sstephan01@hamline.edu.

Susan H. Stephan `92
Director of Alumni Relations

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Outstanding Legal Writing Students Compete in Honor Round

Ten top legal writing students presented oral arguments before a distinguished panel of judges in the Annette K. Levine Moot Court Room on April 18. Judges included Hamline Professors Allen Blair and James Morrow, Hamline Law Library Director Grace Mills, and Hamline alumna Julie Loftus Nelson '02 and attorney Michael Wahoske. Many of the law school's 2008 admitted applicants had the opportunity to observe the oral arguments while they visited Hamline's campus for an admitted applicant program that day.

Pictured above from left: Vanessa J. Martin '1L,
and Brian Rochel '1L, who tied as
"Runner-Up for Best Oralist";
and Sarah Howard '1L, Winner "Best Oralist."

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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.

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Off-Label Marketing Issues Explored at CLE Program

From left to right: Hamline law student Mark Gardner, Michelle Kern, General Counsel at Cima Labs; Hamline law student Amy Fowler; Marc Raspanti, partner at Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti; Michael Loucks, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts; Mary Prentnieks, senior attorney with Medica; and Mark DuVal, partner at DuVal & Associates.

Business pressures in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries have led some companies to take quality "shortcuts" and sometimes break the law, reported Massachusetts First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Louks at a recent breakfast CLE sponsored by Hamline's Health Law Institute and the Minnesota State Bar Association.

"The vast majority of companies do the right thing, but sometimes they fail to comply with FDA regulations due to negligence or tremendous pressures to get products out on time," he said.

Nearly 100 people attended the program, "Off-Label Marketing of Prescription Drugs and Medical Devices," many of whom were professionals from the medical device industry in Minnesota. It was held at Hamline University School of Law and moderated by Hamline Health Law Institute Director Lucinda Jesson. A copy of Marc Raspanti's presentation is available here. A copy of Michael Louks' is available by following this link.

Marc Raspanti, a partner at Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick& Raspanti in Philadelphia, was the second speaker. He said "There are a lot of opportunities to do things wrong" and cited examples of companies that participate in kickbacks to physicians or misrepresenting results during clinical results. Raspanti also said the trend of large companies acquiring smaller ones has made it difficult for "the mother ship company" to effectively police their own internal practices.

The number of cases brought against medical device and pharmaceutical companies has "more than doubled in the past fours over the previous four years," said Louks.

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Feminist Jurisprudence Day Generates Dialogue on Gender and the State

Nearly one hundred attendees gathered at Hamline University on April 11 for the Feminist Jurisprudence Day. The day began with a sobering discussion about women and trafficking in Minnesota facilitated by Aliona Cara (shown at left) , a Fulbright scholar and law professor from Moldova who has spent the 2007-08 academic year at Hamline doing PhD research on human trafficking. Other panels explored issues about women who are incarcerated in Minnesota, as well as Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and the State, and Reproductive Health Care and the State. Ahmed E. Souaiaia, professor of Arabic, Islamic and international studies at the University of Iowa, provided the luncheon keynote address: Contesting Justice: Women, Islam, Law and Society." A recording of Professor Souaiaia's presentation can be found on Hamline's website. Top

Upcoming CLEs Promise to Make Summer More Interesting

Looking for an interesting CLE program this summer? Hamline is offering two programs that might just fit the bill. "The Cinema and the Law: Are Lawyers Still Our Heroes?" will be offered on July 12-13 by the Honorable Louis Schiff '80, District Judge, Broward County, Florida. The course will explore the dynamic relationship of law and the cinema, focusing on how movies-both classic and current-portray law, lawyers and legal proceedings. Class participants will watch diverse film excerpts, considering in details how these popular culture portrayals reflect on the legal system, its participants, and particularly on the attorneys' professional role in society.

The second summer CLE program at Hamline will be "The Art of Argumentation," taught by Hamline alumnus and adjunct professor Chris Carlson '96 (Chris can also be found on the stages of local theaters from time to time). The Art of Argumentation is an intensive exploration of the application of theatrical techniques and philosophies to interpersonal communication. The course is predominantly skills-based, with participants on their feet engaging in the physical exercises necessary to develop awareness-of your own abilities and those of others-as well as how to influence the development of your skills. This course is unique in many other ways, not limited to the practical usefulness of cultivating a sense of play, both personally and professionally. Above all, the approaches and techniques are practical, nonthreatening and fun.

Date: 07/12/2008 - 8:30am - 07/13/2008 - 3:45am
Cost: $475 for CLE credit; $950 for academic credit
Contact: Deb Lange 651 523-2122
Location: Hamline University School of Law

11.75 CLE Credits Applied for.

Saturday Session July 12: 8:30AM to 11:45PM and 12:30PM to 3:45PM

Sunday Session: July 13: 8:30AM to 11:45PM and 12:30PM to 3:45PM

Date: 07/19/2008 - 8:30am - 07/20/2008 - 8:30am
Location: Hamline University School of Law

11.75 CLE Credits have been approved

Saturday, July 19 8:30AM - Noon and 12:30PM to 3:30PM
Sunday July 20, 2008 8:30AM - Noon 12:30PM - 4:30PM

 

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Tee Time: Get Ready for the 12th Annual Golf Tournament

June is just around the corner and so is the 12^th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament on June 3.

It's not too late to register for this fun day with colleagues and friends at the beautiful Prestwick Golf Course in Woodbury.

We hope to see you there!

Date: 06/03/2008 - 1:00pm - 8:00pm
Cost: $125 for Alumni, $65 for Students - Cost includes greens fee, cart, dinner, and prizes.
Contact: Anne Markus, 651-523-2943
Location: Prestwick Golf Course

Schedule:

1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start/Scramble Format
6:00 p.m. Dinner, prizes, and raffle drawings

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Eighteenth Annual Midwestern People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference

The conference theme of the 2008 Midwest People of Color Scholarship Conference, "From Scholarship Pages to Political Stages: Law Writing for Political Change" is of particular relevance this year. The frontrunner for the Democratic Party's nomination for the U. S. presidency is a former law professor of color from the Midwest, Barack Obama. Hamline University School of Law, this year's honored host of the Midwest People of Color Scholarship Conference, is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the site of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Each year, the MWPOC showcases and reviews works-in-progress; facilitates the development of collaborative professional relationships; and promotes the discussion of raging political and social issues of particular concern and the germination of scholarly ideas.  

Follow this link for complete information (pdf).

Follow this link for the final conference program (pdf).

Where: Hamline University School of Law
When: May. 29, 2008 - 6:30PM
Contact: Deb Lange: 651 523-2122 or dlange@hamline.edu Top

Forensics 411

(6.5 CLE credit applied for) or an additional credit with the firing range breakout session

Topics will include:

Distinguising Fact From Fantasy in Arson Cases
John Lentini, CFEI
Scientific Fire Analysis, LLC

Firearms & Toolmarks
Kurt W. Moline
Forensic Scientist
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Firearms, Toolmark and Gunshot Residue Examiner

Latent Print Examinations: Errancy, Entropy, and the Epitasis
Glenn M. Langenburg
Forensic Scientist
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Certified Latent Print Examiner

The Pathology of Firearm Injuries
Andrew Baker, M.D.
Chief Medical Examiner
Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office

Trace Evidence
Katherine Igowsky
Forensic Scientist
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

Click here for more detailed information and registration form

Where: Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension,1430 Maryland Avenue East,St. Paul, MN 55106
When: May. 30, 2008 - 8:15AM
Contact: Erika Applebaum at 651-523-3152 or by email at eapplebaum@ipmn.org Top

12th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament

Please join us at the 12th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament at Prestwick Golf Course.

Schedule:

1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start/Scramble Format

6:00 p.m. Dinner, prizes, and raffle drawings

Where: Prestwick Golf Course (www.prestwick.com)
When: Jun. 3, 2008 - 1:00PM
Contact: Anne Markus, 651-523-2943 Top

2008 CLE The Cinema and the Law: Are Lawyers Still Our Heroes?

MN CLE Credits have been approved (Event Code 118674)
10.25 Standard
1.00 Ethics

Saturday Session July 12: 8:00AM to 11:45PM and 12:30PM to 3:15PM
Sunday Session: July 13: 8:00AM to 11:45PM and 12:30PM to 3:15PM

Download the registration form.

Where: Hamline University School of Law
When: Jul. 12, 2008 - 8:00AM
Contact: Deb Lange 651 523-2122 Top

2008 CLE The Art of Argumentation

MN CLE credits have been approved (Event Code 119056)
11.75 Standard

Saturday, July 19 8:30AM - Noon and 12:30PM to 3:30PM
Sunday July 20, 2008 8:30AM - Noon 12:30PM - 4:30PM

Download the registration form.

Where: Hamline University School of Law
When: Jul. 19, 2008 - 8:30AM
Contact: Deb Lange: 651 523-2122 Top

Hamline First-Time Bar Passage Rate #1 in MN

Hamline Alumni Achieve 100 Percent Bar Passage Rate in Wisconsin

Hamline University School of Law today announced that the Minnesota first-time bar passage rate for Hamline students is nearly 91 percent and that the Wisconsin First-Time Bar Passage rate for Hamline students is 100 percent. The results are from the most recent Minnesota and Wisconsin bar examinations, which were administered in February 2008. The official Minnesota first-time pass rate, which includes all Minnesotans who took the test in July, was 87 percent overall.

"Hamline University School of Law provides exceptional and comprehensive legal education," said Hamline University President Linda Hanson. "We are extremely proud of our law graduates, and we are confident they will use their education and their personal passion for leadership, scholarship, and service to make their workplaces and their communities a better place."

Hamline University School of Law Dean Jon Garon said, "This is a tremendous achievement of our students and a reflection of the important, systemic efforts of our faculty, staff, academic support and the entire Hamline community to help make our students successful in this effort."

Hamline University School of Law is dedicated to educating students to become competent, professional, and ethical lawyers who apply legal knowledge with disciplined imagination and a global perspective that enables them to strengthen society. The School of Law is ranked in the third tier in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report magazine rankings, and is ranked fourth in the nation for its Dispute Resolution Institute.

Creative and innovative teaching and learning attract a diverse student body of nearly 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students to Hamline University. Challenged to create and apply knowledge in local and global contexts, Hamline students develop an individual and community ethic of social justice, civic responsibility, and inclusive leadership and service.

Ranked first in quality and value in Minnesota among comprehensive master's universities with criteria determined by U.S.News & World Report, Hamline also is Minnesota's first university, founded in 1854, and among the first co-educational institutions in the nation.

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Faculty Notes May 2008

Professor Larry Bakken recently returned from Bergen, Norway where he was a visiting faculty lecturer at the Bergen University Law Faculty. He taught an American Legal System class to 35 International students from Europe and China. He also participated in the Law Review Water Symposium and made a presentation to non-profit leaders on Leadership and Management in May. Additionally, "Alternative Dispute Resolution and Comparative Law: A Changing Landscape," a chapter authored by Professor Bakken, was published over the winter in a Comparative Law text.

Professor Sharon Sandeen was a presenter at the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Assocation (MIPLA) Stampede CLE on May 20.

Professor Mary Jane Morrison participated in the program, "Judicial Elections in and the Minnesota Constitution: Past, Present and Future" on April 22. 

Class Notes May 2008

If you have career or personal news to share with the Hamline Law community, please feel free to drop us a note at lawalum@hamline.edu.

Aaron Schmidt '07 received a judicial clerkship position under Judge Todd Barnette in Hennepin County.

Stephanie (Streff) Angolkar '07 will be joining the law firm of Iverson Reuvers in Bloomington upon the completion of her clerkship at the Court of Appeals.

David Bonelli '04 and wife Anna are pleased to announce the birth of their son Hugo James, on January 10, 2008.

Patricia L. Delk '98 married Raymond Mercer on May 12, 2008 in Bermuda. Patricia currently serves as Assistant Director at The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. She leads the Statutory Disqualification and Expungement Departments. Raymond is a Senior Investigator with USIS, the nation's leading security and information services provider. The couple resides in Laurel, Maryland.

Peter A. Lippmann `97 and Danielle (Flakne) Lippmann are happy to announce their marriage on April 5, 2008 in Edina, MN. They currently reside in St. Louis Park, MN.

Timothy M. Kenny `94 was profiled in April by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a Top 40 under 40 honoree.

Miggie Cramblit '80 has been named Vice President, general counsel, and corporate secretary of NorthWestern Energy. Cramblit will assume the responsibilities previously held by Tom Kapp.

Obituaries

Cynthia Clark `06 passed away April 19, 2008, at the age of 62. She had worked for Honeywell in the Office of General Counsel, taught English to Chinese students, and most recently she worked for Eckankar, the Religion of the Light and Sound of God, in Chanhassen, MN. She also volunteered her time as a Tai Chi instructor for Chanhassen seniors, tutored children, and served as president of the Toastmaster's Club.

Robert Heinrich, Jr. '78 died of heart failure at the age of 64 on April 30, 2008 at his home in Eden Prairie. He was a member of the MN State Bar Association, Hennepin County Bar Association, and several arbitration and mediation professional groups.