Judge Edward J. Devitt Professorship
Emerita Professor of Law
About Professor Failinger
Professor Marie Failinger holds the Judge Edward J. Devitt Professorship and served as interim dean of Hamline University School of Law prior to its combination with William Mitchell College of Law. She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa by Valparaiso University in 2014 and is the recipient of the Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award, Minnesota Lawyer Attorney of the Year Award, the Minnesota Women Lawyers Myra Bradwell Award, and Service to MWL awards, the Journal of Law and Religion Achievement Award, the Wesley Faculty Award, and the Minnesota Justice Foundation Law School Professor award.
I have the wonderful opportunity of being able to engage and critique the law with students, colleagues, and alumni who want to make our world a more just and compassionate place for all, and to work with students toward their professional goals.”
Education
B.A., with high distinction, 1973, Valparaiso University
J.D., with high distinction, 1976, Valparaiso University School of Law
LL.M., 1983, Yale Law School
Experience
Mitchell Hamline School of Law: professor of law, Dec. 2015-.
Hamline University School of Law: interim dean, Feb. 2015- Dec. 2015; associate dean for academic affairs, 2008-2010 and 1990-93; professor of law, 1983-Feb. 2015.
Legal Services Organization of Indiana, Indianapolis and Evansville, 1977-1982, staff attorney; managing attorney, director of special services.
Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Ind., clinical fellow, 1976-1977.
Leadership & Service
Editor-in-chief, Journal of Law and Religion, 1989-2013.
Board member, Central Minnesota Legal Services.
Founding member, Infinity Project.
Board member, Council on Religion and Law.
Board member, National Equal Justice Library.
Member, Minnesota Women Lawyers.
Member, American Association of Law Schools Sections on Poverty Law, Professional Responsibility, Law and Religion.
Board member, Church Innovations Institute.
Past or current service to the American Indian Policy Center, the Journal of Lutheran Ethics, Lutheran Innovations, Karamah, Loan Repayment Assistance Board, and Law Teachers for Legal Services.
Teaches
Constitutional Law: Liberties
Criminal Law
Seminar: Religion and the Constitution
Feminist Jurisprudence
Equal Justice Applied Research
Family Law
Property: Jurisprudential and Comparative Analysis
