Frank Harris
In 2015, Mitchell Hamline School of Law was created from the combination of Hamline University School of Law and William Mitchell College of Law, and eight influential leaders began their tenure on Mitchell Hamline’s board of trustees, the governing body for the independent ABA-approved law school. After nine years of dedicated service, they completed their official board service on June 30, 2024. All eight trustees concluding their term have devoted themselves to the improvement and best interest of the law school, its students, and their communities.
Frank Harris ’75 is one such trustee who completed his service this summer. “My nine years on our board of trustees have been both rewarding and inspiring, providing me the opportunity to engage with so many talented leaders in legal education—our other trustees, the administration, and members of our faculty,” he shared about his experience. Harris is familiar with leadership in the legal field, as the retired executive director of Minnesota Continuing Legal Education and previous chair and vice chair of the Mitchell Hamline board of trustees.
(Clockwise, from top left) Judge Donovan Frank, Steve Kirsch, Wendy Watson, Susan Rhode
Five of the former trustees graduated from the same predecessor school, Hamline University School of Law. In addition to Harris, Judge Donovan Frank ’77 serves as senior U.S. District Court judge for the district of Minnesota, and his well-known work strives to make the law more just for people with special needs. Judge Frank was also featured in Mitchell Hamline Law magazine for performing naturalization ceremonies at people’s homes. Steve Kirsch ’76 is a partner at Larson King, practicing in products liability, and he was one of three special masters appointed to the I-35 Survivor Compensation Fund following the I-35 bridge collapse in 2007. Kirsch also served as longtime secretary during his tenure on the Mitchell Hamline board. Susan Rhode ’85 is a retired partner from Moss & Barnett, specializing in family law, and a frequent author and lecturer. Wendy Watson ’97 is education coordinator at The Arc Minnesota, focused on educational advocacy for children and employment advocacy.
(L-R) Dr. Linda Hanson, Jeanne Forneris, Jean Holloway
The other departing board members also have a legacy of service and leadership to Hamline University and its law school. Dr. Linda Hanson is president emerita of Hamline University after serving in that role for a decade, starting in 2005. Jeanne Forneris is part of Hamline University’s board of trustees and serves on their presidential search committee. She currently works as senior vice president of strategy and general counsel for CorFigo. And Jean Holloway is former dean of Hamline University School of Law, the institution’s first female dean. She currently serves as senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer, and secretary for Artivion.
The legacy of these eight trustees will live on in Mitchell Hamline and its board, which welcomed 11 new members this summer.
“Legal educational design and its delivery are being transformed, and Mitchell Hamline is leading the way,” Harris said. “It has been an honor to be a small part of all that is happening.”