Mitchell Hamline School of Law is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

. It is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and offers full- and part-time legal education for its

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice l ...

(J.D.) degree.

History

Mitchell Hamline was formed on December 9, 2015, when

Hamline University School of Law Hamline University School of Law was a private law school affiliated with Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The School of Law was founded in 1972 as the Midwestern School of Law by a group of legal professionals. In 1976, Midwestern ...

merged into

William Mitchell College of Law William Mitchell College of Law was a private, independent law school located in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States, from 1956 to 2015. Accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), it offered full- and part-time legal education in pursuit of ...

. Prior to merging into Mitchell Hamline, William Mitchell itself was the product of the merger of several other law schools, all in the

Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in sta ...

. Mark C. Gordon served as the founding dean of Mitchell Hamline before stepping down in 2019.

Profile, tuition, rankings, and employment

In Fall of 2020 Mitchell Hamline accepted 58% of the applications it received; 51% of those who were accepted, or 404 students, enrolled. The median LSAT for students starting in Fall 2020 was 152, while the median GPA was 3.24; 69% of students enrolled in the part time track. In total, the school has 1,226 students, 53% of whom are women, 7% of whom are Hispanic, and 7% of whom are Black. Annual tuition (including fees) for the 2020–21 academic year was $47,426 for full-time students and $34,506 for part-time students. The school was ranked by ''U.S. News & World Report'' between 147 and 193 in the country (bottom 25%) in 2021. Mitchell Hamline was ranked fifth in the nation in dispute resolution. Of 2020 graduates, 49% found full-time long-term employment that requires a JD within nine months of graduation. Of the 192 Mitchell Hamline graduates who took the Minnesota bar exam for the first time in 2021, 139 passed, for a 72.4% pass rate, compared to an overall average of 83.6%. Of the 278 Mitchell Hamline graduates who took any state's bar exam in 2020, 66.2% passed, vs. an overall average of 82.2%.

Academics

Dispute Resolution Institute

Mitchell Hamline houses an institute dedicated to alternative forms of dispute resolution. The institute offers a mediation center and four certificates. The institute also selects qualified students to study conflict resolution through two study abroad programs: an international business perspective in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

through a partnership with

Queen Mary University of London , mottoeng = With united powers , established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College , type = Public researc ...

, as well as a through a lens of religious conflict in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

in partnership with the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

Health Law Institute

Mitchell Hamline's Health Law Institute offers specialized courses and experiential learning. Students are exposed to real-life health law issues. The institute offers four certificates, some of which satisfy the requirements to sit for the Compliance Certification Board's (CCB) national exam. Mitchell Hamline students are able to build this education into their J.D. program, while non-law-students can complete the certificate online.

Indian Law Program

The Indian Law Program emphasizes practical legal education with faculty who have spent their careers working with Indian tribes.

Joint degree programs

Mitchell Hamline offers two types of joint degrees: The 3+3 and the Dual Degrees. The 3+3 programs enable eligible students from select Minnesota universities to complete their bachelor's and J.D. degrees in only six years, rather than the more common seven. It currently has agreements with

Hamline University Hamline University is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1854, Hamline is known for its emphasis on experiential learning, service, and social justice. The university is named after Bishop Leonidas Lent Hamline ...

St. Cloud State University St. Cloud State University (SCSU) is a public university in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Founded in 1869, the university is one of the largest institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Its enrollment in 2020 was approximatel ...

, and

Bemidji State University Bemidji State University (BSU) is a public university in Bemidji, Minnesota. Founded as a preparatory institution for teachers in 1919, it provides higher education to north-central Minnesota. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Univ ...

. Dual degree programs allow J.D. holders to combine their law degree with an additional graduate degree, and earn both in less time than normal. Most programs require four years to obtain both the J.D. and the master's degree. Through a partnership with

, students can also earn a

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...

(M.B.A.), a

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts ...

in Writing (M.F.A.), a Master in Public Administration (M.P.A.), or a Master in Nonprofit Management (M.N.M.).

Blended learning

In the early 2000s the ''American Bar Association's Task Force on the Future of Legal Education'' drafted a recommendation that law schools be permitted to experiment and innovate. At that time, Mitchell Hamline was still

. The school's first cohort of hybrid students included 85 students, 14 of whom already held M.B.A.s, 5 held M.D.s, and three held PhDs. The students ranged in age from 22 to 67 and represented 30 states and two countries. In Fall 2020, the school started to offer blended learning. This includes elements of the Hybrid, Executive, and Weekend offerings. It is a four-year program that can be finished in three years. On-campus time includes a case-study workshop in which students learn from lawyers and participants in cases.

Student journals

Mitchell Hamline students can participate in several academic journals, including the flagship ''

Mitchell Hamline Law Review The ''Mitchell Hamline Law Review'' is a student-run law review published by students at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The journal publishes five full issues each academic year. Additionally, the law review maintains ...

''; ''Cybaris'', an Intellectual Property Law Review; and the ''Mitchell Hamline Journal of Public Policy and Practice''.

Externships

The school offers more practical externships than any other school in the Upper Midwest.

Notable alumni

The law library on campus is named in honor of Warren E. Burger, the fifteenth Chief Justice of the United States, who graduated from one of the school's predecessor institutions, St. Paul College of Law. Other notable graduates include: *

August Andresen August Herman Andresen (October 11, 1890 – January 14, 1958) was an American lawyer and politician from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Congress as a Republican for thirty-one years. Background August Herman Andresen was born in Newark, Illin ...

, former United States Congressman *

Joe Atkins Joseph Atkins (born October 6, 1965) is a Minnesota attorney and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 52B, which included portions of ...

, Minnesota State Representative * Elmer A. Benson, former United States Senator and

Governor of Minnesota The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. ...

Bobby Joe Champion Bobby Joe Champion (born December 17, 1963) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents the 59th district, which includes port ...

, Minnesota State Representative *

Ray P. Chase Raymond Park Chase (March 12, 1880 – September 18, 1948) was a United States representative from Minnesota and a Minnesota State Auditor. Life and career Chase was born in Anoka County, Minnesota on March 12, 1880. He attended the public schoo ...

, former United States Congressman *

Tarryl Clark Tarryl Lynn Clark (born July 31, 1961) is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate. A Democrat, she represented District 15, including portions of Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties, from 2006 to 2011. She was a ...

, former Minnesota State Senator * Richard Cohen, Minnesota State Senator * Roger L. Dell, former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court *

Sean Duffy Sean Patrick Duffy (born October 3, 1971) is an American politician, prosecutor, former sports commentator and reality television personality who is currently a co-host of ''The Bottom Line'' on Fox Business, as well as a contributor on Fox News. ...

, United States Congressman from Wisconsin *

Tom Emmer Thomas Earl Emmer Jr.Helgeson, Baird, ''Star Tribune'', July 11, 2010. (born March 3, 1961) is an American attorney and politician who has been the U.S. representative for since 2015. The district includes most of the Twin Cities' far northern ...

, former Minnesota State Representative and 2010 Republican candidate for governor of Minnesota * William T. Francis, former U.S. Ambassador to

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast� ...

Sam Hanson Samuel Lee Hanson (born August 26, 1939) is an American lawyer and judge from the state of Minnesota. He served on the Minnesota Court of Appeals from 2000 to 2002 and as an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 2002 to 2008. When ...

, former Justice of the

Minnesota Supreme Court The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center. History The court was first assemb ...

Debra Hilstrom Debra J. Hilstrom (born June 21, 1968) is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represented District 40B, which included portio ...

, Minnesota State Representative * Dewey W. Johnson, former United States Congressman * Matthew E. Johnson, Chief Judge,

Minnesota Court of Appeals The Minnesota Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It began operating on November 1, 1983. Jurisdiction The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over most appeals from the state trial courts, inc ...

* Jim Lord, Minnesota politician * Myles Mace, former Distinguished Professor,

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA ...

* Eric J. Magnuson, former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court *

Paul A. Magnuson Paul Arthur Magnuson (born February 9, 1937) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Early life and education Paul A. Magnuson was born and raised on a farm near Carthage, Sou ...

, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota * John J. McDonough, former Mayor of

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

Fred McNeill Frederick Arnold McNeill (May 6, 1952 – November 3, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons from 1974-1985. He played college footba ...

, former

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

player *

Robert W. Mattson, Jr. Robert W. (Bob) Mattson Jr. (born May 31, 1948) is an American lawyer who held elective political office in Minnesota, and is also involved in various business ventures in Florida, Colorado and Canada. He served one term as Minnesota State Audi ...

, former

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...

State Auditor * Pat Mazorol, Minnesota State Representative *

Helen Meyer Helen M. Meyer (born February 24, 1954) is an American lawyer and former judge from the state of Minnesota. She most recently served as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Meyer graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1976 ...

, Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court *

Ted Mondale Theodore Adams Mondale (born October 12, 1957) is an American politician who served as a member of the Minnesota Senate from 1991 to 1997. He is the elder son of the late former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale and the late Joan Mondale. Car ...

, former Minnesota State Senator and former chairman of the

Metropolitan Council The Metropolitan Council, commonly abbreviated Met Council or Metro Council, is the regional governmental agency and metropolitan planning organization in Minnesota serving the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area, accounting for over 55 pe ...

* William P. Murphy, former Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court * Arthur E. Nelson, former United States Senator * Martin A. Nelson, former Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court * Scott Newman, Minnesota State Senator *

Floyd B. Olson Floyd Bjørnstjerne "Skipper" Olson (November 13, 1891 – August 22, 1936) was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 22nd Governor of Minnesota from January 6, 1931, to August 22, 1936, dying in office of stomach cancer. Olson wa ...

, former

* Peter S. Popovich, former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court * Joey San Nicolas, Attorney General for the

Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territory and commonw ...

* John B. Sanborn, Jr., former Judge,

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations, 8th Cir.) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: * Eastern District of Arkansas * Western Distr ...

Thomas D. Schall Thomas David Schall (June 4, 1878December 22, 1935) was an American lawyer and politician. He served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate from Minnesota. He was initially elected and then re-elected as a ...

, former United States Senator * Linda Scheid, former Minnesota State Senator * Gary J. Schmidt, former Wisconsin State Assemblyman *

Corey Stewart Corey Alan Stewart (born August 1, 1968) is an American retired politician who served four terms as at-large chair of the Board of Supervisors of Prince William County, Virginia from December 2006 to December 2019. Stewart was the Republican ...

, former candidate for Governor and Lt. Governor of Virginia, chair, Board of Supervisors,

Prince William County, Virginia Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manass ...

* Lena O. Smith, Minnesota's first African-American female lawyer * Esther Tomljanovich, former Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court *

Robert Vanasek Robert E. "Bob" Vanasek (born April 2, 1949) is a Minnesota politician and a former member and Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat, he was first elected to the House in 1972 at just 23 years of age, and was re-elected ...

, former

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint ...

* Robert Vogel, former U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota and Justice of the

North Dakota Supreme Court The North Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court of law in the state of North Dakota. The Court rules on questions of law in appeals from the state's district courts. Each of the five justices are elected on a no-party ballot for ten year t ...

* Jean Wagenius, Minnesota State Representative * Rosalie E. Wahl, former Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court * Torrey Westrom, Minnesota State Senator *

Luther Youngdahl Luther Wallace Youngdahl (May 29, 1896 – June 21, 1978) was an American judge and politician who served as the 27th governor of Minnesota and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Ed ...

, former

, Justice of the

, and Judge of the

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a federal district court in the District of Columbia. It also occasionally handles (jointly with the United States District Court for the District o ...

Oscar Youngdahl Oscar Ferdinand Youngdahl (October 13, 1893 – February 3, 1946) was an American lawyer and politician from Minnesota. He was the older brother of Minnesota Governor and United States federal judge Luther Youngdahl. Youngdahl was born i ...

, former United States Congressman * G. Aaron Youngquist, former

Minnesota Attorney General The attorney general of Minnesota is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. Thirty individuals have held the office of Attorney General since statehood. The incumbent is Keith Ellison, a DFLer. Election ...

and Assistant U.S. Attorney General *Eric Nelson (active 2021), American defense attorney who represented Derek Chauvin in

State v. Chauvin ''State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin'' is an American criminal case in the District Court of Minnesota in which former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was tried and convicted of the murder of George Floyd during an arrest o ...

References

External links

* * {{authority control Educational institutions established in 2015 Hamline University 2015 establishments in Minnesota Private universities and colleges in Minnesota