Larry Bakken, a founding faculty member of Hamline University School of Law and an advocate for government service whose work and teaching brought him around the world, died Tuesday, March 19, at the age of 80. A memorial service is planned for May 7 at 11 am at Calvary Lutheran Church, 7520 Golden Valley Road in Golden Valley, Minnesota, 55427.
“Larry embodied the entrepreneurial spirit of Hamline Law School,” said Emerita Professor Marie Failinger, who taught with Bakken at Hamline Law and served as interim dean.
Emeritus Professor Howard Vogel noted “Larry’s indomitable entrepreneurship in keeping the law school growing all the way through the building of its building on the Hamline campus and the accreditation by the ABA. If not for Larry, what came to be known as Hamline University School of Law would have perished many years ago.”
Bakken was a crucial piece in making sure the audacious start-up that would become Hamline Law got off the ground and went on to thrive, according to Terry Andrews’ history of the school.
In December 1972, when three dozen law students dropped out of their current school in Minneapolis and decided to start a new one, they turned for help to three people who would prove “instrumental” in the new school’s success: Richard T. Oakes, who would become acting dean; James Polzak, who would become the first chair of the board; and Bakken, the only faculty member with prior teaching experience.
As was typical for the founders, Bakken wore many hats. He was librarian as well as a faculty member, and he was part of the effort early on to collect books to build the library. He was also crucial to early recruiting efforts. He called 25 law schools around the country asking for names of students those schools had rejected, Andrews reports. “Within 30 days we had 150 students from roughly 30 states,” Bakken said.
Bakken would continue to be active on many fronts during his 40-plus years on the faculty, Failinger said.
“He spearheaded efforts to find legal assistance for farmers during the 1980s farm crisis and was nationally involved in state and local government law. He forged relationships with lawyers and judges, and started programs for the law school, in Norway and elsewhere, and took on every project with optimism and enthusiasm.”
Professor David Larson praised Bakken’s care for those he taught.
“Professor Bakken’s priority was always his students. He went out of his way to help students however he could, including with classes, LL.M. programs, study abroad opportunities, or employment opportunities. He was high energy and extremely creative. It was exciting to learn about his next idea. I will miss him.”
Among those former students was Steve Kirsch ’76, now secretary of the Mitchell Hamline board of trustees. “This is very sad,” said Kirsch. “On my first day at the school, fall of 1973, Larry and Dick Oakes were the first two faculty I met. Which was half of the four-man faculty at that time. He was with us all the way.”
Hamline Law combined in 2015 with William Mitchell College of Law to form Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where Bakken was honored with the title of distinguished Hamline University School of Law founder as well as emeritus professor of law. “Larry leaves an extraordinary legacy at the law school,” said Jim Hilbert, interim president and dean of Mitchell Hamline, in an email to the campus community announcing Bakken’s death.
Raised in West Fargo, North Dakota, Bakken earned a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, an M.S. in economics from North Dakota State University, a J.D. from the University of North Dakota School of Law, and an LL.M. from the University of Manitoba School of Law. He developed a love for state and local government service early in life and would later serve on the city council in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and also as that city’s mayor. He also helped create a master of arts in public administration degree program at Hamline, and his work and teaching took him around the world, often accompanied by his wife, Cathy Jacobson.
Bakken’s vision for the global possibilities of legal work extended to his students as well. He posted these words at the top of his faculty page:
“As students grow into attorneys, we as professors and mentors provide a forum for the students to realize how to make their knowledge of the law blend with their professional aspirations. With the globalization of law, this blending of law and professionalism will increase students’ opportunities and allow them to contribute in an international context.”
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