News

John G. Roberts Jr., chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, took the unusual step of addressing his audience directly at the beginning of a sold-out appearance Tuesday at the 2018 Stein Lecture, sponsored by the Law School.

“I will not criticize the political branches,” Roberts said. “We do that often enough in our opinions.”

The American Bar Association’s Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice recently named R. David Hahn ’18 winner of the 2018 Gellhorn-Sargentich Law Student Essay Award Competition.

In a lively keynote address delivered at the Minnesota Law Review’s 2018 Symposium, U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff said that levying fines against large financial institutions is an insufficient deterrent to stop them from breaking the law.

Dean Garry W. Jenkins moderated a panel discussion on issues of race and justice in America with former U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Gertner and Lecia Brooks, outreach director at the Southern Poverty Law Center. The hour-long talk, co-sponsored by the Law School, was part of the Institute for Advanced Study's yearlong 1968-1969 presentation and discussion series, co-presented by Northrop and the University Honors Program. A capacity crowd was on hand for the event, held in Room 25 of Mondale Hall.

Professor Alexandra Klass, faculty chair for the environmental and energy law concentration at Minnesota Law, discusses the strengths, benefits, and experiential impact of participating in the program.

Can you please describe your teaching and scholarship in the environmental and energy law field?

The Uniform Law Commission (ULC) has tapped Professor William McGeveran to serve as reporter for its recently formed Study Committee on Online Privacy Protection.

The ULC announced formation of the committee last August at its annual meeting. The committee’s charge is to study the need for and feasibility of a uniform or model law providing protection of online privacy. As the reporter, McGeveran’s function is to serve as the committee's subject-matter expert.

Dean Garry W. Jenkins, who is also William S. Pattee Professor of Law at the Law School, has been appointed to the Uniform Law Commission (ULC), representing the state of Minnesota. Jenkins received his appointment from Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, which was made in consultation with Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton last week appointed Tracy Perzel ’99 and Melissa Listug Klick ’03 as District Court judges in the state’s First and Eighth Judicial Districts, respectively.

Fangzhou Chen, Luke Gagnon, and Eamonn Gallagher, all members of Minnesota Law’s class of 2018, have been named Star of the North Fellows by the state of Minnesota. Each will spend the next year in a salaried position at a state agency that aligns with their educational background and professional interests.

Chen will work in children and family services at the Department of Human Services. Gagnon’s position is in the Department of Human Services’ benefits-recovery section. Gallagher will work in freight and commercial vehicle operations at the Department of Transportation.

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of Q&As with incoming Minnesota Law students.

Hugh Fleming ’21 purchased a fishing boat two years ago and has spent the last two summers captaining it in Bristol Bay. He recently answered a few questions about his background and what about Minnesota Law reeled him in.

You have an interesting background running a boat crew on Bristol Bay. Could you discuss a little bit about your experience?