Alison Baker Faul ’24
The Student Award of Merit honors graduating students whose contributions and participation in organizations and other events go beyond the normal expectations for a student and who exhibit a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This year, the Mitchell Hamline Alumni Association selected one recipient for the Student Award of Merit: Alison Baker Faul ’24.
“Selecting just one Student Award of Merit recipient is rare, but Alison distinguished herself so clearly that the association unanimously agreed it was the right decision,” said Allison Burke ’09, interim vice president of development and alumni relations.
Prior to law school, Faul was a youth worker in both outreach and academic settings. But it was her job as the program and engagement coordinator for the TennisWorks program at Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center that solidified her desire for a legal education. “I wanted to unlock a new literacy and level of impact to help others, especially youth,” Faul said.
During her time at Mitchell Hamline, Faul was associate editor in chief for Volume 50 of the Law Review. In 2022, she was Summit Cup Motion Argument Competition champion and received the Burton Award for Excellence in Legal Writing. She has worked for the Washington County Public Defender’s Office; clerked at All Square’s law firm, the Legal Revolution; and participated in Mitchell Hamline’s Reentry Clinic. And her most impactful experiences in law school were educational visits to connect with youth at the juvenile correctional facility in Red Wing, Minn.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve received at Mitchell Hamline. Studying the law alongside such thoughtful peers has been the greatest privilege of my life—truly an experience my younger self never would have dreamed of. I’m especially grateful to my professors, whose expertise, support, and encouragement have profoundly impacted me and how I view myself as an advocate.”
Faul plans to clerk at the Minnesota Supreme Court starting in August 2024. Her hope is to become a public defender for either juvenile or appellate court.
