The spring semester for Mitchell Hamline School of Law has been filled with events for members of our law school community—ranging from prospective and current students to faculty and staff to alumni and friends.
Year-round, Mitchell Hamline hosts many opportunities for people to come together for connection, inspiration, education, and celebration. Here are a handful of recent events where we provided unique experiences to alumni and community members, celebrated the accomplishments of our students, and strengthened partnerships and pipeline programs.
Admitted Student Day
Jamie Becker-Finn ’11 delivers her keynote speech to a room full of prospective students, faculty, staff, and guests.
More than 100 prospective students and their guests came to campus for Admitted Student Day to experience what Mitchell Hamline has to offer for their legal education. Admitted students attended a mock class, heard from current students and faculty, learned about academic and career opportunities, and explored student organizations and resources.
Jamie Becker-Finn ’11 (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) shared words of wisdom and advice as the day’s keynote speaker, drawing from her experience as an assistant Hennepin County attorney and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Justice Esther M. Tomljanovich Celebration of Women in Law Tea
Former Justice Esther M. Tomljanovich ’55 (in pink hat) with alumnae attending the Tea.
Created in 2000 by former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Esther M. Tomljanovich ’55, the annual Celebration of Women in Law Tea honors the accomplishments and challenges of women in the legal profession. The beloved tradition filled the auditorium with nearly 100 alumni, students, and friends to reconnect, support one another, and celebrate community in style, with fancy hats and tea.
This year’s event featured a special CLE program, “State of the Vote: Legal Challenges Shaping the Midterm Election.” The panel included moderator Raleigh Leveine, professor of law at Mitchell Hamline; Tami Diehm ’03, shareholder and president at Winthrop & Weinstine; Maya Pennington ’20, CEO at All Square and The Legal Revolution; and Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon.
Fireside Chat with Linda Greenhouse
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Linda Greenhouse (right) with Mitchell Hamline President and Dean Camille Davidson.
Mitchell Hamline welcomed Linda Greenhouse, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and longtime Supreme Court correspondent, for an intimate fireside chat about her distinguished career with President and Dean Camille Davidson.
Drawing on Greenhouse’s acclaimed scholarship and journalism, the conversation explored her decades of unparalleled insight into the U.S. Supreme Court, including the relationship between Justice Harry Blackmun and Chief Justice Warren E. Burger ’31. Alumni, students, members of the judiciary, and a number of Justice Blackmun’s former law clerks joined us for this rare opportunity to engage with one of the nation’s most respected interpreters of the Court.
This special event coincided with the History Theatre’s production of “Courting Harry,” which was based on Greenhouse’s book “Becoming Justice Blackmun.”
Commencement
The Class of 2026 processes into the commencement ceremony.
Mitchell Hamline’s annual commencement ceremony closed the spring semester with a celebration of 325 graduates who earned their J.D. or LL.M. degree after years of intensive study and practical experience.
Rachel Evangelisto ’26 (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) gave the land acknowledgement, Colleen Josephs ’26 served as the student speaker, and Rich Ruohonen ’96, internationally recognized curler and partner at TSR Injury Law, delivered the commencement address.
This year’s five Student Award of Merit recipients were honored during the ceremony. The day before commencement, family and friends gathered on campus to celebrate their graduates during a special brunch and recognition ceremony for those who participated in affinity groups and an open house in the evening.
Summer Partnership in Law
Mitchell Hamline President and Dean Camille Davidson and Director of Culture and Inclusion Sharon Van Leer with Metro State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Amy Gort and Dean of the College of Individualized Studies Charles Tedder.
Undergraduate students get the chance to receive a hands-on introduction to legal education through the Summer Partnership in Law (SPIL) program, a collaborative partnership between Mitchell Hamline, Metro State University, and other colleges and universities across Minnesota. These students engage in law school–level coursework, gain insight into the legal profession, and explore their interest in attending law school in a supportive environment.
SPIL will run weekly until the start of the fall semester, and it ties into Mitchell Hamline’s mission to provide access and opportunity to pursue legal education through encouraging nontraditional and historically underrepresented students.