News

Dear Law School Community:

Sally Rae Mooty, who with her husband Melvin R. Mooty ’51 generously supported the Law School and its students, died peacefully at her home in Edina, Minnesota, on May 7. She was 87.

A former teacher, Sally Mooty was devoted to her family and to the causes she believed in. In 2010, she and Melvin—along with their son, Paul Mooty ’85, and daughter, Mary Mooty Kileen—founded the Melvin R. Mooty Scholarship at Minnesota Law. The fund benefits Law School students with academic promise, leadership skills, and a passion for community service.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Theodora Gaïtas ’94 has been appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals by Governor Tim Walz.

Gaïtas will filli a vacancy created by the departure of retiring Judge John Rodenberg.

On Saturday, May 16, the Law School held its first-ever virtual commencement ceremony. A video program that lasted approximately a half hour celebrated the class of 2020, which includes: 204 J.D. graduates, 49 LL.M. graduates, and 10 M.S.P.L. graduates.

A traditional commencement event at Northrop was not possible this year in light of COVID-19-related restrictions on public gatherings. However, in addition to Saturday's virtual event, the Law School plans to hold an in-person event to honor 2020 graduates in spring 2021. 

Governor Tim Walz has appointed Professor Laura Thomas as a District Court judge in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District. Thomas will be chambered in Minneapolis in Hennepin County.

“Laura Thomas has been a beloved teacher, an exemplary faculty colleague, and a key architect of our leading clinical program,” said Garry W. Jenkins, dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law. “We will miss her enthusiasm and dedication. Yet, it is always a point of great pride when a member of our community is called to the bench. I am confident that she will be a wise and even-handed jurist.”

The Board of Regents recently approved the promotion of Francis Shen to professor of law, Jennie Green to clinical professor of law, and Ryan Greenwood to member of the Law Library faculty, with the title associate law librarian. The promotions are effective with the upcoming academic year.

Mackenzie Heinrichs ’18 is a recipient of the 2020 Equal Justice Works Fellowship.

Heinrichs will provide outreach, education, and legal representation to immigrant young adults in Minnesota in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Emily Franco, 3L, has received the President’s Student Leadership and Service Award for her role in establishing a food pantry in Mondale Hall in order to serve the needs of Minnesota Law’s student community. 

Mondale Kitchen was designed to provide time-pressed law students with 24/7 access to shelf-stable nonperishables, single-serving ready-to-eat foods, and fresh produce. The goal is to ensure all students have the nutritious food they need to advance their academic, professional, and social success. 

3Ls Meghan Knapp and Jackie Fielding have been named 2020 Robina Post-Graduate Fellows.

Robina Post-Graduate Fellowships are supported by the Robina Foundation in recognition of the need for greater funding for recent graduates who want to pursue public interest work. These highly competitive fellowships provide funding for fellows to work full-time, for one year, in a legal or policy role at a nonprofit or government agency.

A team with three Minnesota Law 3Ls fared well in the University of Minnesota’s inaugural interdisciplinary Health Data Competition, placing third out of a total of 16 teams.

The competition required students to explore the Minnesota Department of Health’s new prescription drug public use files and provide innovative insights, analysis, and recommendations based on their findings.