Volunteer Opportunities

More about Mitchell Hamline Connect

Register:
Register at any time

Mitchell Hamline Connect is a great way for alumni to provide quick, one-time help to students. You can sign up to provide informational interviews about your work, answer a question, offer a job shadow, and other low-commitment ways to be a networking resource for students.

Alumni needed: As many as possible! All alumni are welcome to register.

Hours required: You can decide how many students can reach out to you at any one time. You can also suspend your profile if you’re too busy for a month or two.

Time period: Ongoing

Events to attend: None.

More information:

Contact Jane.Crow@mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7526

More about Mitchell Hamline Mentors

Apply:
Application is only available from June-August

This program assists first-year students in their transition to law school by pairing two alumni co-mentors and one upper-class student mentor with a group of two first-year students for discussions and advice about how to brief cases for class discussion, how to study for exams, how to maintain a life outside of law school, which classes to take, and anything else the students have questions about.

Alumni needed: Depends on the number of first-year students who sign up, but generally we need about 100-120 alumni who graduated between two to six years ago. Because this is an academic-year program, we solicit volunteers during the summer for the following school year.

Hours required: Varies, but most groups get together three to four times as a group and additionally with individual students. You should expect to devote approximately 2-3 hours/month.

Time period: From September-April (academic year)

Events to attend: 4-6 (September Kick-off event; January Thaw event), plus additional events or meetings organized by each group.

More information:

See Mitchell Hamline Mentors
or contact Sharon.Goodyear @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7508

Field Attorney

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

An Independent Externship is a for-credit course in which the student takes responsibility for much of his or her own learning by working in field placement sites under the guidance of a field supervisor and faculty supervisor. Placement can be with for-profit or nonprofit entities, such as law firms, corporations, county and state offices, and nonprofit agencies.

Alumni needed: Unlimited

Hours required: Varies by placement.

More information:

See Externship Program on our website
or contact Jean.Backes @MitchellHamline.edu
651-290-6351

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Allow a student to shadow you at work and gain insight into the real-life work day of a practicing attorney.

Alumni needed: 50+ (in specific locations such as St. Cloud, Rochester, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, which may vary from year to year).

Hours required: ½ or full day.

Time period: Fall Break in October or Spring Break in March.

Events to attend: none (student will come to you).

More information:

Contact Sharon.Goodyear @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7508

Moot Court, Negotiation, Client Counseling Competitions

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Mitchell Hamline officially participates in 15–20 intraschool, regional, and national moot courts and competitions annually. We occasionally need individuals to take over the coaching duties for a specific moot court or competition. The coaches select and coach the Mitchell teams for the competitions and travel with the teams to regional and national moot courts and competitions.

Alumni needed: Varies by year. Former competitors are the ideal pool or, for subject-specific moot courts, alumni with expertise in that area of law.

Hours required: At least 10–20 hours/week during the moot court’s or competition’s period.

Time period: Competitions and moot courts generally fall into either a fall or spring period. The fall period is typically September–November; the spring period is typically January–March.

Events to attend: Team meetings and practices at least one to three times/week and three to four days out-of-town travel for regional or national competitions.

More information:

Contact Deb.Lange @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7673

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Experienced attorneys and judges are needed to act as members of three to five judge panels for various intraschool and regional moot court and lawyering skills competitions hosted by the school. Additionally, if we are hosting a regional appellate moot court competition, we need attorneys and judges willing to read and score moot court briefs.

Alumni needed: Any interested alumni, especially former moot court competitors. Moot courts have a specific case within a specific area of law and this can vary from year to year, so knowledge in the area of law for the current topic is necessary for brief-scoring judges.

Hours required: 4–10 hours

Time period: Generally weekends in October–November and/or February–April.

Events to attend: One or two per calendar year.

More information:

Contact Deb.Lange @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7673

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Allow students or alumni to meet with you and ask questions about your work.

Alumni needed: Varies (depends on student or alumni requests).

Hours required: Varies (but you can determine how much time you have available).

Time period: Varies (depends on student or alumni requests).

Events to attend: None (student or alum will come to you).

More information:

Contact Sharon.Goodyear @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7508

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Provide students with an opportunity to practice their interview skills prior to on-campus interviews and other recruitment programs. Generally, attorneys meet with two to four students individually for 30 minutes each (20 minute mock interview and 10 minutes of feedback).

Alumni needed: 25+

Hours required: 2–3

Time Period: Day and evening September (OCI Preparation); January or Spring Semester (MJF Public Interest Clerkships and MSBA Minority Clerkships).

Events to attend: 1

More information:

Contact Sharon.Goodyear @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-7508

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Work with students to provide pro bono legal assistance to patrons in the areas of family law and criminal expungement at Mitchell Hamline’s Self-Help Clinic, which runs Saturday mornings during the fall and spring semesters.

Alumni needed: 25+

Hours required: 2 per month

Time Period: Saturday mornings from 10 am-12 pm

Events to attend: Depends on your availability

More information:

Contact Alison.Morris @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-6452

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Work with students to provide pro bono patent application assistance to small businesses and inventors in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin as part of the USPTO’s patent pro bono program. The program helps inventor applicants turn provisional applications into non-provisional patent applications. Through the program, law students will have the opportunity to help with the patent application process under the guidance of supervising attorneys.Alumni needed: 25+Hours required: Varies, depending on complexity of patent application and USPTO processing time.Time Period: Ongoing, based on receiving calls from qualifying applicants.Events to attend: NoneMore information:See Upper Midwest Patent Assistance Program on our website
or Contact Gillian.Rosenquist
612-278-6348

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Alumni speak to numerous current students one-on-one for a few minutes each at this annual event (usually in October) about their work: how they got their job, what they do all day, and what they love about it.

Alumni needed: 50-60 alumni with diverse backgrounds who use their Mitchell Hamline degrees in all sorts of ways.

Hours required: 2 hours

Time period: Face Time is usually in mid-late October, in the Auditorium.

Events to attend: One

More information:

Contact Alison.Morris @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-6452

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Speak to students about your life as a lawyer in your particular practice area (family law, securities litigation, real estate, “non-traditional”) or practice setting (non-profit, big law firm, solo practice) to help students understand various career opportunities. Alumni needed: Varies

Hours required: 2–3 hours

Time period: Usually scheduled during an afternoon or early evening.

Events to attend: One

More information:

Contact Karen.VanderSanden @mitchellhamline.edu
651-695-7606

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

The Student Bar Association Alumni Relations Committee sponsors informal networking events near campus for students and graduates who work in specific practice areas to meet and talk. By meeting in an informal setting, students become more comfortable using their networking skills and learn about different practice areas and settings, including alternative careers.

Alumni needed: 10-15 alumni at each networking event

Hours required: 2 hours

Time period: Every other month or so during the academic year

More information:

Contact Alison.Morris @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-6452

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Vacant positions on the alumni board are filled through a nomination process that usually occurs January–February annually.

The alumni board serves as a link between the alumni community and the school, providing guidance to the school on issues related to alumni and promoting mutually beneficial connections between the school and its alumni, and among the alumni community.

Alumni needed: Twenty-one alumni serve on the alumni board at a time, but the number of vacant positions varies from year to year, and is generally no more than three to four each year.

Hours required:Varies, depending on role on board (officer or member) and committee assignments, but minimum of approximately 20–30 hours per year.

Time period: New Bylaws are currently being drafted.

Events to attend: Four -five board meetings a year, plus committee meetings and attendance at additional school events.

More information:

See Alumni Board on our website

Contact Alison.Morris @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-6452

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Help plan and ensure the success of the annual alumni golf tournament by recruiting players, sponsors, and prize donors.

Alumni needed: 12–15

Hours required: 10–15 hours plus afternoon of golf

Time period: February–May

Events to attend: Two to three meetings, plus the golf tournament

More information:

see Golf Tournament on our website

Contact Alison.Morris @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-6452

Apply: Alumni Volunteer FormHelp plan the annual Women in Law CLE and Tea.

Alumni needed: 20–30

Hours required: Approximately 6–8 (depends on what committee you serve on and what role you take on)

Time period: January–April

Events to attend: usually one meeting, plus CLE and Tea

More information:

See Women in Law Tea on our website

Contact Alison.Morris @mitchellhamline.edu
651-290-6452

Team Captain

Apply: Alumni Volunteer Form

Lead efforts in your firm or organization to encourage 100 percent of Mitchell Hamline alumni to give to the Annual Fund. Enter into a friendly competition with others who are also striving to increase their participation rates. Firms and organizations with at least five Mitchell Hamline alumni are welcome to participate in this program.

Alumni needed: At least one captain at each firm/business with 10 or more Mitchell Hamline alumni.

Hours required: Varies

Time period: March–June

Events to attend: None

More information:

See the Law Firm Giving Challenge on our website

or contact Allison.Burke @mitchellhamline.edu
651-695-7608