Minnesota Law Mourns the Passing of Lauren Graff '19  

Lauren Graff '19 died on Oct. 30 after suffering a pulmonary embolism while pregnant. Prior to her passing, she delivered a healthy baby boy, James. Her surviving spouse is Mitchell Ness ’18. 

"Please join me in offering our heartfelt condolences to Mitchell, baby James, and Lauren’s family," said Dean Garry W. Jenkins in a message to the Minnesota Law community. "Lauren touched the lives of so many in our community and this is a heartbreaking loss."

During law school, Graff was a student attorney with the Business Law Clinic and the IP and Entrepreneurial Clinic. She served as an editor on the Minnesota Journal of International Law and worked as judicial extern for Chief Judge John R. Tunheim at the U.S. District Court for the District Court of Minnesota.

After graduating Minnesota Law, Graff joined the Chicago office of McGuireWoods, where she had worked as a paralegal prior to going to law school and where she had spent her first- and second-year summers. She was a rising star in the firm's corporate & private equity department and an active member of Minnesota Law's alumni network.

Reflecting on Graff's time at Minnesota Law, Assistant Dean of Students Erin Keyes observed, “Lauren had a huge impact on the Law School, helping recruit new students as an Admissions Ambassador, guiding 1L students as a Structured Student Group (SSG) instructor, and personifying the very best parts of our collegial, supportive Minnesota Law community. Her loss will no doubt be felt widely among classmates, faculty, and staff who got to know her through the Journal of International Law and her other leadership roles.” 

Professor Randall Ryder ’09, who also worked closely with Graff in the SSG program, said, “Lauren had an unwavering desire to help everyone around her. She was devoted to her SSG role and it was clear that she made the students feel that she cared about their growth both inside and outside the classroom."

Graff was a standout student in the Business Law Clinic, working closely with Professor Emily Buchholz ’10 and contributing her emerging skills in business law.

"Lauren was kind, thoughtful, and a natural leader," Buchholz recalled. "During group discussions, she was always willing to share her perspective, which was a blend of pragmatism and common sense on the one hand and sharp intellectual insight and deep knowledge on the other hand. She had a way of amplifying the perspectives of those around her either by acknowledging their contributions directly or by modeling assertive, yet respectful and humble participation. The best lawyers are often the best people and Lauren was well on her way to becoming a star attorney at McGuireWoods, I have no doubt about it. Losing her is a blow to us all. She was a bright light who made the room better just by being in it.” 

In a statement on its website, McGuireWoods said, "Lauren tirelessly served her clients and was dedicated to community service and children’s causes. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her."

Graff's family plans on hosting a funeral in Minnesota at a later date. Those who knew Graff are invited by her surviving spouse Mitchell to share positive videos, photos, and stories via email to the account set up for their son, jamesgraffness@gmail.com, so that James can learn more about his mother as he grows up. In addition, a GoFundMePage has been set up in support of the family.