This July, President and Dean Camille Davidson visited alumni and students in both the Big Apple and the Windy City. What made these visits especially meaningful were their hosts: Mitchell Hamline alums from Robins Kaplan and Fragomen. Each event provided a valuable opportunity to connect, share experiences, and welcome the next generation into the Mitchell Hamline community.
Front (L-R): Sheri Stewart, Brooke Achua ’17, Danae Weidemann ’97, Joseph Carasso ’81, Kelly Griffin, Dean Camille Davidson, and Leslie Funk ’14. Back (L-R): Tim Purdon ’94, Miles Finn ’09, and Jason Eldridge ’02.
Tim Purdon ’94 and Miles Finn ’09 of Robins Kaplan hosted the New York gathering at Bartley Dunnes cocktail bar in Midtown Manhattan.
Purdon is a partner at Robins Kaplan, where he focuses on high-stakes civil litigation and advocates for American Indian Tribes and individuals involved in complex, often historic legal disputes. A former U.S. attorney for the District of North Dakota, Purdon led national efforts to improve public safety in Indian Country, chaired the Department of Justice’s Native American Issues subcommittee, and earned praise from Attorney General Eric Holder for making a “profound difference.” With more than 25 years of experience, Purdon’s track record includes securing over $2 billion in wrongful death judgments and earning recognition from Chambers, Best Lawyers in America, and Indian Country Business Today.
Finn, an attorney in Robins Kaplan’s patent litigation group, brings over 15 years of engineering experience and 12 years of patent litigation support. With a Ph.D. in physics and a background in the medical device and software industries, he holds multiple surgical instrument patents and has secured over $575,000 in National Institute of Health research funding. Before becoming an attorney, he spent five years as a science advisor, supporting cases involving technologies such as mobile telephony, radio frequency connectors, and semiconductor design.
Robins Kaplan is one of the nation’s leading trial law firms, known for delivering exceptional results in complex, high-stakes litigation. With more than 200 attorneys across seven offices, they are dedicated to fighting for fairness, justice, and equality under the law
Front (L-R): Barbara Klas ’91, Judge Constance Dahl ’92, Cheri Peterson-Ross ’96, Scott Moran ’19, and Dean Camille Davidson. Row 2 (L-R): Adam Jefferson, Lance Pisman, Monique Patterson ’95, and Jill Liska ’03. Row 3 (L-R): Mira Radu, AJ Gordon, Cait Cronson, and Stephen Kohn ’24. Row 4 (L-R): Michael Tecson, Michelle Fliss Tecson ’01, Charlie Swanson, and Valerie Alexander ’25. Back (L-R): Adam Kibort ’05 and Scott Bryson ’24.
In Chicago, Cheri Peterson-Ross ’96 of Fragomen welcomed guests at River Roast, a scenic venue along the iconic Chicago River. Peterson-Ross has been with Fragomen since 1998, first in New York and now in the Chicago office, where she represents corporate clients in the engine, research, and manufacturing industries, as well as high-profile individuals. She advises multinational companies on global mobility, including work visas and residency, and collaborates across client departments to ensure efficient, compliant immigration processes. She also provides pro bono immigration counsel to domestic violence survivors through her work with Sanctuary for Families.
Established in 1951, Fragomen has grown from a respected domestic U.S. immigration law practice into a truly global organization. Today, the firm has over 60 offices in more than 170 countries and a team of 6,000+ immigration-focused professionals, with immigration remaining its sole focus.
Mitchell Hamline has a strong alumni network of over 23,000 graduates spanning all 50 states, 4 U.S. territories, and 86 countries around the world.