Clinton Campion ’99
When he was just 12 years old, sitting in the back of a federal courtroom, he watched his father testify in a high-stakes drug conspiracy case. The two prosecutors questioning him left a lasting impression. “That day,” Clinton Campion ’99 recalled, “I knew I wanted to be a prosecutor.”
The moment sparked a career that would span continents, courtrooms, and causes—and eventually lead him from St. Paul, Minn., to Anchorage, Alaska, where he now serves as a member and an owner of Sedor Wendlandt Evans & Filippi. There, he practices litigation, education law, health care law, and employment law.
A Minnesota native, Campion always envisioned a future of public service. His father, Michael, worked in law enforcement for the State of Minnesota and on the DEA Task Force in the 1980s. “Public service was just part of my upbringing,” he said. “I planned to be a prosecutor in Minnesota, go into the Army as a judge advocate, and then come home to serve my community.”
When it came time to choose a law school, William Mitchell College of Law felt like a natural fit. “It’s where you went if you wanted to practice law in Minnesota,” he said. “It was a place focused on creating good practitioners, not just scholars.”
During his time as a student, several professors shaped his approach to the law—and to life. He remembers John Sonsteng’s clarity in teaching criminal law; the quiet confidence of Curt Stine, who taught interviewing and counseling; and the hands-on impact of Brad Colbert ’85 and the Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners (LAMP) Clinic. “My second year, I worked at the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office,” he said. “The next year, I was at the LAMP Clinic helping people in prison with civil issues. Seeing both sides—prosecution and defense—made me a more balanced prosecutor.”
After graduating in the late 1990s, he joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, serving in Kosovo and defending soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait during the early years of the Iraq War. “There was no playbook,” he said. “We hadn’t been in combat like that for a generation. You learn to think on your feet and figure things out.” Those experiences, he said, gave him confidence and perspective that continue to guide him today.
Eventually, Alaska called—first through his military service, then through the state’s need for skilled prosecutors. Campion served in the Alaska Army National Guard from 2009 to 2015. He then became the district attorney in Anchorage in 2015, where he found both professional purpose and personal challenge. “It was demanding work,” he said. “Rewarding, but hard on family life. After our third child was born, I realized I wanted new challenges—and more time with my family.”
He transitioned to civil practice in 2017, joining his current firm as a partner. The learning curve was steep but fulfilling. “I had no civil experience when I came here,” he said, “but I wanted to grow as a lawyer. Now my work is varied—I litigate, advise clients, and serve as general counsel for the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. I plan to be here the rest of my career.”
Life in Alaska suits him. He and his wife, Karen, are raising three children—Martin, Claire, and Hannah—along with a rescue dog named Violet. They spend their free time hiking, fishing, and exploring the outdoors. “If you like to challenge yourself physically, Alaska’s a great place to live,” he said. “You just have to dress for the weather—there’s no bad weather, just bad gear.”
Despite living and working in Alaska, his connection to Mitchell Hamline remains strong. At an alumni reception hosted at Campion’s firm, he reunited with fellow graduates including former mentor Judge Eric Aarseth ’90, who helped him navigate his early career in Alaska. “That’s the great thing about Mitchell Hamline alumni,” he said. “We help each other. The connections are real.”
Other alumni and guests at the reception were Judge Kari McCrea ’01, Emil Betro ’21, Jeremy Conkling ’22, Chantal Mullinax ’13, Andrew Sundboom ’10, Louis Swanson ’21, Marvin Weinrick ’24—as well as Lucille Carter, a current 3L blended-learning student from Alaska—and Mitchell Hamline President and Dean Camille Davidson, Vice President of Enrollment Ann Gemmell ’12, and Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Barbara Klas ’91.
Campion also sees opportunities for the next generation. “Alaska needs more lawyers,” he said. “Our bar is aging, and there’s a real shortage of practitioners. Mitchell Hamline students, especially those in the blended-learning option, should consider Alaska—even if just for a clerkship or a few years. It’s a rewarding place to practice, and the skills you learn at Mitchell Hamline translate here perfectly.”
Reflecting on his path, he sees one unifying theme: purpose. “I’m not driven by the bottom line,” he said. “I do work that’s meaningful, that helps people. That’s what I learned at Mitchell Hamline. Being a good practitioner and doing what’s right for your clients—that’s success.”