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Fall 2008
Networking Tips pg 7 Five questions for Sue Dosal 79 pg 9 New
independent clinic sets up shop pg 18 Neil Thompson 99 takes on a
corporate giant pg 20
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What qualities make for an effective leader? Mitchell alumni
share their hard-earned insights.
on law
TheLeadership
Equation
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Mitchell on Law
Mitchell on Law
Volume 27, No. 1Published by the Office of Institutional
Advancement William Mitchell College of Law875 Summit Ave., St.
Paul, MN 55105-3076651-290-6370 fax:
[email protected]/alumni
President and DeanEric S. Janus
Chair, Board of TrusteesMary Cullen Yeager 89
Board of Trustees
Kathleen Flynn Peterson 81, vice chair; Judge Elizabeth H.
Martin
80, secretary; James C. Melville 90, treasurer; Louis L.
Ainsworth
77; Lynn M. Anderson 80; Lawrence T. Bell 79; Stephen R.
Bergerson 74; Stephen B. Bonner 72; Patricia Ann Burke 78;
Mary C. Cade 77; Jeffrey P. Cairns 81; Richard R. Crowl 76;
Mary Lou Dasburg; Stephen R. Lewis Jr.; David M. Lilly Jr.;
Martin
R. Lueck 84; Mark A. Metz 97; Ruth A. Mickelsen 81; Daniel
P.
OKeefe 78; Ben I. Omorogbe 95; Peter M. Reyes Jr. 97; Lenor
A.
Scheffler 88; William R. Sieben 77; Marschall I. Smith; Gregory
J.
Stenmoe 81; Thomas W. Tinkham; Eric C. Tostrud 90; William
A.
Van Brunt; Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright; Donald F. Zibell 62
Alumni Association PresidentMark A. Metz 97
Alumni Association Board of Directors
Jocelyn L. Knoll 92, vice president; Katherine A. Golden 99,
secretary/treasurer; Thomas C. Baxter 94 ; Jennifer F.
Beck-Brown
03; Timothy E. Bianchi 95; Mark V. Chapin 82; John M. Degnan
76; Dyan J. Ebert 93; Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks 85; Mark
A.
Hallberg 79; Michelle A. Hatcher 98; Lee A. Hutton III 02;
Imani
S. Jaafar-Mohammad 04; Kathy S. Kimmel 96; Barbara J. Klas
91;
William M. Orth 80; Judge George T. Stephenson 85; Robert G.
Suk 70; Sylvia I. Zinn 84
Executive EditorMary Grant
EditorChris MikkoCustom Publishing ServicesThe Coghlan Group
WritingSara AaseKevin FeatherlySuzy FrischKaren K. HansonLisa
HardenMeleah MaynardMary Lahr SchierJenny Sherman
Art DirectionPamela Belding
Graphic Designand IllustrationPamela BeldingJohn Diebel
PhotographersRaoul BenavidesJonathan ChapmanTim RummelhoffSarah
WhitingSteve Woit
Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington
Alumni Golf Tournament
36th Annual
William Mitchell College of Law Alumni Association
The Alumni Golf Tournament proceeds support the Student Award of
Merit, given at each commencement to a graduating student who has
demonstrated exemplary scholastic achievement and distinguished
participation in college programs and activities.
For more information and registration:
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni/golf
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1Table of Contents
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Cover illustrationby Pamela Belding
Spring 2009 Read the magazine online @
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
The Leadership EquationBy Kevin FeatherlyWhat qualities make for
a true leader? As these four alumni have discovered, there is no
single trait or answerother than a willingness to stand up to
challenges and make tough decisions.
From Boardroom to ClassroomBy Jenny ShermanProfessor Thuy-Nga Vo
applies the lessons she learned in business and corporate law to
her William Mitchell classes.
Professors of PracticeA timeline highlighting Professors Roger
Haydocks and John Sonstengs pioneering contributions to practical
legal education over the past 30 years.
The Best DefenseBy Mary Lahr SchierWilliam Mitchells new clinic
gives students exposure to criminal law and a chance to connect
with the local community.
Alumni ProfileThe Good FightBy Meleah MaynardNeil Thompson 99
used his training as a pharmacist and lawyer to bring a major
corporations questionable billing practices to light.
DepartmentsMitchell in FOCUS: A close-up look at Professor Mark
Edwards Property II class
875 SUMMIT: News and updates from the William Mitchell campus
and community
Gratitude: Paving the Way
Class Notes
To the PointMessage from Dean Janus
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Mitchell on Law2
MITCHELL IN FOCUS
Mitchell on Law
Debra Hilstrom: Fifth-term legislator, Minnesota House of
Representatives
Nina Herman: New York transplant, waitress
Steven Cosgrove: Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of
Minneapolis Bride Siefert: Former logistics coordinator, National
Science Foundation, South Pole Station and Summit Camp, Greenland
Ice Cap
Read more news online @ www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
Roll Call: Property IIEnter William Mitchells Property II class
on Tuesday evenings during spring semester, and youll meet a
physicist, Minnesota state representative, bank examiner, private
investigator, Latin dance champion, triathlete, wooden boat
builder, and viticulturist (grape grower), just to name a few. Most
of the students in this second-year class attend law school part
time while working full time.
Vadim Savvateev: Ph.D. in physics who speaks Russian and
Hebrew
Charmaine Harris: Former mechanical engineer
Hassan Sahouani: Physical chemist with 3M who holds 24 patents
in the area of liquid crystal display (LCD); also a viticulturist
(grape grower)
Brian Wambach: Special education teacher
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Spring 2009 3
Photo by Steve Woit
Cora Holland-Koller: Paralegal running Boston Marathon this
spring and training for an Ironman-level triathalon
Miriam Duchess L. Harris: Associate professor of American
Studies, Macalester College
Alisa Kushnir: Intern for both Thomson-Reuters and William
Mitchell Student Services, and Latin dance champion
Michael Fahy: Former cop in Hells Kitchen, N.Y.; prison
guard;
and Vietnam-era Navy vet currently clerking at the Public
Defenders Office Appellate Division
Leah Stauber: School social worker
Jeremy Duehr: Environmental consultant who builds mahogany sea
kayaks
Tony Lambrecht: Former University of WisconsinMadison police
officer and Dane County (Wis.) deputy sheriff
Nick Kulpa: Private investigator on mortgage fraud cases who
also writes short stories
Mark Edwards: Former practicing attorney, now a Mitchell
professor and 2007-08 Faculty of the Year Award winner; studies
parameters of acceptable deviance around behaviors, such as
speeding, that are illegal but publicly accepted
Lecture topic: Edwards article comparing the U.S. governments
relationships with banking and housing finance industries to the
relationships other governments have with industries in their
countries
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Mitchell on Law4 Read more news online @
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
William Mitchell student Debra Hilstrom, a Minnesota state
representative from Brooklyn Center, won reelection to her fi fth
legislative term in November 2008. The mother of two has a full
platein addition to law school, she serves on six House committees,
chairs the Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee, has
introduced 11 bills this session, and will complete a law school
program in two and a half years.
Bringing her legislative experience to the classroom: During a
discussion on child support legislation in my Family Law class, I
explained why I voted against a recent law governing child support
income shares.
Using her classroom experience at the Legislature: During a
House fl oor debate on medical procedures, I shared a story a
doctor told in my Torts class. Normally, I wouldnt have spoken up
on this issue, but after hearing from the doctor in class, I felt
compelled to share her experience.
The longest day(s): At the end of the last session, she attended
a Tax Conference Committee meeting from 7 pm until 4 am, ran home
to Brooklyn Center, came back to the Capitol at 7 am to sign a
conference committee bill, and then rushed over to William Mitchell
to take an 8 am exam.
Best excuse for missing an exam: The Speaker of the House says I
cant leave the House fl oor during a Call of the House vote, or
hell send the sheriff after me.
Legitimate reasons for cutting class: Bill hearings and press
junket with Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson 95 on a bill
she introduced this session mandating mediation prior to
foreclosure proceedings.
Favorite time-management device: New couch at her legislative
offi ce for catching up on classwork or a rare nap.
Helping other Mitchell students: Second-year William Mitchell
student Joel Moravchik, who interns for Hilstrom, has high praise
for his classmate/fi eld supervisor: Shes selfl ess, which can be a
rare thing to fi nd in a law school setting, he says. Shed help any
one of her classmates. She also brings great perspective to her
classes: Shes accomplished, well-spoken, well-prepared, and
provides great insights about the cases and from her professional
experience.
Kudos from the states top attorney: Debra is a force to be
reckoned with in the Legislature, says Swanson. She is bright,
tough, and extremely hard working. Whether its public safety, civil
justice, or mortgage reform, shes written many of the laws that
students learn about in law school.
In her own words: This is a blast. Im having fun because I can
see how things connect between the classroom and the real
world.
Lisa Harden
News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and
community
Dynamic state legislator, successful Mitchell student, time
management whiz
Meet DebraHilstrom2L
Photo by Sarah Whiting
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Spring 2009 5
The National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) is adding more
William Mitchell teaching materials to its collection. This spring,
NITA began publishing Practicum Series Advocacy Exercises, based on
learn-by-doing methods used in several William Mitchell courses,
including Advanced Advocacy and Legal Practica. Gregory J. Smith,
NITAs director of publications, says the materials add a new
dimension to the organizations nationally recognized library of
legal advocacy training materials. The Practicum Series Advocacy
Exercises,
created by Professor John Sonsteng and staff members Linda
Thorstad and Jennifer Miller, allow students to
demonstrate effective advocacy skills in many forums:
negotiation, mediation, arbitration, motion practice, appellate
argument, and jury trials.
>> Check out Professor Sonstengs plan to reform legal
education at: www.wmitchell.edu/LER
Students win major awards for elder law, health law research
William Mitchell student Melissa Hunt is the fi rst U.S. law
student to receive the Gregory Steele Prize from the Canadian
Centre for Elder Law. She won the international honor for a paper
she presented at the Fourth Annual Canadian Conference on Elder
Law. Two other Mitchell students and Professor Kimberley Dayton,
director of the Center for Elder Justice & Policy, also
presented papers at the conference. William Mitchell had the
largest number of presenters from one law school. Hunt, a 4L, is a
clerk at Long, Reher & Hanson, Minneapolis, as well as for the
Elder Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. Her paper
discussed the rights of grandparent custodians in Minnesota.
Third-year student Lauren Nuffort received the Seventh Annual Law
Student Writing Competition Award from the American Bar Association
Section of Health Law. Her paper discussed the Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, which prohibits discrimination in
health insurance and employment based on a persons genetic makeup.
Nuffort
learned about the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
while working as a law clerk in HealthPartners legal
department.
Mitchell students receive competitive federal and state
appellate clerkshipsFederal and state appellate court judges chose
11 Mitchell students for 2009 clerkshipstwo students in U.S.
District Court, four at the Minnesota Supreme Court, and fi ve at
the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Receiving a judicial clerkship is a
tremendous accomplishment, says William Mitchell President and Dean
Eric S. Janus. These positions are highly competitive and involve
an extremely rigorous selection process. The appointments refl ect
the hard work, dedication, and talent these students have brought
to their Mitchell education.
>> Read more about the Mitchell students who received
clerkships at:
News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and
community
more William Mitchell teaching materials to its collection.
Mitchell team publishes NITA training materials
Hows Mitchell doing? Thats the question on everyones mind these
days. The answer: quite well, thank you. Applications for fall are
steady. Support from alumni is strong. And were still delivering a
practical legal education. Like all law schools, William Mitchell
has been affected by the economy, but President and Dean Eric S.
Janus says the
school is doing well. Weve been here for 109 years. Weve seen
economic upticks and downturns, he says. Right now were doing what
we always do: adapting to the situation. Were tightening our belts,
but not in any way that will compromise the quality of our academic
programnow or in the future.
Mitchell and the economy
Student Profile
www.wmitchell.edu/keyword=clerkships
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IP clinic students make historyStudents in William Mitchells new
Intellectual Property Law Clinic were among the first law students
in the more than 200-year history of the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) to file trademark and patent applications before the
federal agency last year. The clinic, which William Mitchells
Intellectual Property Institute launched this fall, is part of a
pioneering USPTO pilot program at six U.S. law schools. The
innovative partnership gives Mitchells IP clinic students valuable
practice experience in trademark and patent law while helping
inventors with legal needs.
>>Keep up with the Intellectual Property Institute at:
www.wmitchell.edu/intellectual-property
Delivering the Library to You
Legal Research Tips from the Mitchell Reference Librarians
Problem: You know that specific resources at the Warren E.
Burger Library would be quite helpful in your legal research, but
time or distance constraints make getting to the library
difficult.
Solution: Skip the trip, and request the items through the
librarys document delivery service. Whether you need a law review
article, a brief, or selections from a digest, reporter, or
treatise, the library canwithin the limits of copyright law fair
use, of coursecopy the materials and deliver them via email, fax,
or traditional mail. Simply fill out the document delivery request
form located on the librarys website (www.wmitchell.edu/library)
for each item you would like to receive. Turnaround time is usually
within 24 hours.
Document delivery is a fee-based service. Costs are determined
by the number of pages in the document and the format in which you
wish to receive it. Because of licensing restrictions, requests for
articles found only in electronic databases cannot be fulfilled.
Document delivery is available only for materials that the library
holds in physical form. However, with a collection of more than
300,000 volumes and more than 1,000 journal subscriptions, the
library will most likely have what you need. For more information
on the librarys document delivery service, contact the circulation
desk at [email protected] or the reference department at
[email protected].
Mitchell on Law6
Mitchell named a top public interest law schoolWilliam Mitchell
is the 12th-best law school in the country for public interest law,
according to The National Jurist. Mitchell was the only Minnesota
school to rank in the top 35. The ranking is based in part on a law
schools curriculum, including clinical programs and pro bono
requirements. The National Jurist report places William Mitchell
ahead of the pack when it comes to combining public service and
professional preparation.
Read more news online @ www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and
community
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Legal Research Tips from the Mitchell Reference Librarians
7Spring 2009
NetworkingNetworking is an essential skill in todays economyhere
are some tips on making smart connections
Do ask: about your contacts interests and backgrounds for speci
c assistance and referrals how you can help them for the job (if
one appears to be there).
Dont ask: for a lot of time (15 minutes is about right) about
work-life balance (doing so might send a wrong signal at an early
stage).
Do tell: why youre interested in your contacts eld or employer
about skills, talents, or passions you have leveraged for success
what makes you unique why you should be hired why someone would
want to work with you what happened with the leads and referrals
you received.
Dont tell: tales of woe about previous employers or roles about
wild times when you were a studentor since!
Networking Dos and DontsEven during informal and social
conversations, savvy networkers are careful about what they do and
dont say
News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and
community
Networking has three components: relationships, diligence, and
follow-up. Thats the consensus opinion of a handful of Mitchell
alumni and a staff member who are very good at the practice:
William Mitchell trustee Lynn Anderson 80, executive vice president
and general counsel for Holiday Companies; Mark Chapin 82, deputy
Hennepin County attorney; Bridgid Dowdal, William Mitchells
assistant dean for career and professional development; and Barbara
Klas 91, former executive director of the International Institute
for Women Entrepreneurs. All have had years to hone their
networking skills, and all agree that its an essential skill in
todays economy. What are the secrets to doing it correctly? Read on
for their insights.
Step #1: Start close to homeThe people closest to youfamily,
friends, business associates, and classmatesare the best fi rst
contacts. Every position I have gotten has been through my
professional network, never by responding to an ad, says Klas. My
network of law school colleagues has
always been my fi rst resource. She adds that the colleges
Alumni Relations Offi ce is also an invaluable resource. Mitchell
does a good job of keeping alums connected through events,
resources, communications, and LinkedIn, she says. Dowdal echoes
those sentiments and recommends getting in touch with faculty
members. They never shy away from alums getting back in touch to
brainstorm about opportunities or connections, she says.
Step #2: Do your homeworkTaking time for introspection,
including personality profi ling tests, helps you understand the
kind of work and organization that will make you happy. Klas uses a
one-sentence statement to tell contacts what shes looking for, and
Anderson suggests having four or fi ve key message points ready to
go. To make the most of events that involve working the room, Klas
makes a list of the people she wants to get to know and sets a goal
to meet them. Chapin advises always having business cards with you
and asking for others cards, but he doesnt
recommend diving right in. He defi nes networking as building
and cultivating relationships. With so much information available
online, you should know a lot about your contacts before you meet.
Learning about people shows you care, and discovering common
interests strengthens personal bonds.
Step #3: Follow upWhen people facilitate introductions, they
trust you to follow through and let them know the results. And when
a job opens, Chapin says he takes pains to remember the networkers
who kept in touch. By the same token, Anderson says she appreciated
the email thank you a successful job seeker sent to dozens of
people who helped her. It took a village, and her note connected
them. A fi nal word of wisdom from Anderson: Treat people the way
you expect to be treatednot just in networking, but every day in
practice. You never know where your next job is going to come from.
It could be from opposing counsel, a judge, or an older or younger
associate.
Karen K. Hansen
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Over the past 20 years, William Mitchell Professor Eileen
Roberts has helped hundreds of alumni become successful attorneys.
Last year, one of them, Steve Mayeron 98, an attorney and
shareholder at Leonard, Street and Deinard, decided to offer his
thanks by creating an endowed scholarship at William Mitchell in
her honor. Professor Roberts pours her heart into the classroom and
her teaching, Mayeron says. Her door is always open before and
after class to talk about the subject matter, job search
strategies, internship opportunities, or practice realities.
Through her connections, she has helped countless students,
including me, find a job, even after they have graduated. Mayeron
knew, however, that he couldnt endow a scholarship on his own, so
he called on a few of his fellow Mitchell alumni to help. Not
everyone can make a million-dollar gift, but when people join
together, they can make major gifts that significantly impact the
college, says Lisa Barton 97, Mitchells development director. With
that in mind, Mayerons first calls were to Sally Scoggin 80, a
shareholder and attorney at Briggs and Morgan; Chuck Hoyum 81,
in-house counsel at Old Republic National Title Insurance (and
Roberts husband); Sally Silk 02, an associate at Robins, Kaplan,
Miller & Ciresi; Jennifer Okerlund 04, in-house counsel at
Target; Signe Levine 06, a real estate associate
at Leonard, Street and Deinard; and Marni (Lattimore) Nygaard
03, an attorney at AEI Capital Funds. Everyone volunteered to make
a few more calls, and the initial scholarship funds were raised
quickly. Roberts is the Austin J. Baillon and Caroline M. Baillon
Professor of Real Estate Law, specializing in the law of real
property and real estate transactions. She serves as general editor
of Minnesota Practice: Real Estate Law, and is a fellow of the
American College of Real Estate Lawyers. She also represents the
the Minnesota State Bar Association Section of Real Property Law on
the Minnesota Electronic Real Estate Recording Commission.
Roberts, whose professorship was created by a major gift from
Austin (John) and Caroline Baillon and the Baillon Family
Foundation, knows the impact of giving. By giving to William
Mitchell, donors let those of us who teach here know that the legal
education we provide is of value to our students and to the greater
community, she says. With their generous gifts, our alumni donors
thank us, not only for what we did for them while they were
students, but also for what we do for current students and the
world outside our doors.
Lisa Harden
Mitchell on Law8
To contribute to the Friends of Professor Roberts Scholarship
fund or to learn about scholarship giving, contact Lisa Barton at
651-290-6357 or visit www.wmitchell.edu/giving.
Common CauseAlum launches successful scholarship drive to honor
Professor Eileen Roberts 80
ph
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by Tim
Ru
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News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and
community
Scholarship Honor
Pho
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5Spring 2009 9
Five Things About
Sue Dosal makes things happen. Over the course of her 27-year
career as state court administrator of the Minnesota Judicial
Branch, she took the vision of creating the Minnesota Court of
Appeals and helped give it bricks and mortarnot to mention a staff,
rules of procedure, and a computer system. She also played a key
role in unifying the court system for the states 87 counties, and
founded the National Court Interpreter Consortium to ensure proper
training and certification for court interpreters. Last year she
was recognized with the prestigious Warren E. Burger Award, given
by the National Center for State Courts. We caught up with her to
ask some tough questions, and she confessedshe really once was a
ski bum. Read on for more of her favorite things.
1. Most important mentor during your career?Its hard to pick
one, but Chief Justice Douglas Amdahl 51 made a tremendous
impression on me. He had a reputation for integrity and compassion.
When he was appointed to the state Supreme Court, six weeks after
he moved to the chambers here in the Capitol, he came back to
Hennepin County carrying a box with a stapler, pads of paper, and
other little items. They had mistakenly been transferred (they
belonged in Hennepin County), so he brought them back! Another time
he was late for a speech at a major event because he stopped on the
freeway to help a woman change a tire.
2. What do you know now that you wished you had known back when
you were starting your career?When we began we only had a small
inkling about the interconnectedness of the justice system.
Significant change involves the interplay of social services,
prosecutors, defense, probation, corrections, public safety, etc.
This understanding is changing our approach to some of the most
difficult problems. Dealing system-wide is more difficult and takes
longer upfront, but it has a more meaningful and lasting
impact.
3. How do you unwind away from the office?I typically get home
late, prepare dinner, and try to catch up on whats happening in the
world. Ill watch the political talk shows and other news shows. In
the summer, we go up to our lake cabin north of Brainerd every
weekend and spend an additional couple weeks there with our friends
and family. I have a bridge group thats been together since
college, and we play once a month. I love to downhill ski, and I
golf a little, too. Someday when I retire, Id like to learn Spanish
and to play the piano. Right now, Im busy helping my oldest
daughter plan her wedding.
4. Favorite vacation spot? Besides the cabin, we try to go to
the east coast of Florida every winter. I also love Aspen. I was a
ski bum for three months there during my junior year in college,
and Ive had the skiing bug ever since.
5. What is your dream job (apart from the one you have
now)?Ambassador to Norway. That is where my ancestors came from.
Its a fabulous country. I did my undergraduate work in 20th century
European history and always thought I would go into international
affairs. It would be wonderful to represent the United Statesand to
do so by living in a different culture and really understanding
it.
Sara Aase
Sue Dosal 79, state court administrator of the Minnesota
Judicial Branch, on Doug Amdahl 51, skiing, and serving as an
ambassador to Norway
News and updates from the William Mitchell campus and
community
Alumni Profile
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Mitchell on Law10
TheLeadership
Equation
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Doris Ohlsen Huspeni70
What qualities make for a true leader? As these four alumni have
discovered, there is no single trait or answerother than a
willingness to stand up to challenges and make tough decisions
Greed. Corruption. Lawlessness. Open any newspaper these days
and you might think these are the new traits of leadershipWall
Streets full of thieves, our baseball heroes arent so heroic after
all, and numerous politicians have been caught lying. As a law
school that has taught thousands of legal professionals about
justice, William Mitchell doesnt buy it. While defining the exact
characteristics all leaders share may be impossible, they do have
some things in common. We asked four alumni to share their thoughts
on leadership with us. Heres what we found out: Their backgrounds
and styles are as different as their causes. They all demonstrate a
willingness to make bold decisions. The list of their shared traits
does not include gluttony, fraud, and a penchant for breaking the
law.
These are their stories.
A Mothers TouchRetired Court of Appeals Judge Doris Ohlsen
Huspeni remembers the day she kiddingly set Supreme Court Justice
Paul Anderson straight. In 1992, Anderson asked Huspeni how she
defined her role on the court. She told him she saw herself as a
kind of mother figure. He duly noted that and went on his way, she
recalls. Ten years later, Anderson reminded her what she had told
him. He said, You know, I think you sold yourself short. Youre
really a darn good judge, she recalls. I shook my head. I said,
Paul, its clear youve never been a mother.
Huspeni, who raised five children during her career, retired in
1998 but continues to serve on the appeals court four to six months
each year as a senior judge. She says she always brought a
mediating, mentoring, and maternal approach to leadership, both as
the boss in her judicial office and as a jurist on the bench. In
fact, Huspenis career genesis can be traced to a parental tragedy.
In 1961, she and her husband, Joe, were expecting their fourth
child. But the baby girl died at birth. At the time, Huspeni had
put her own academic hopes on hold while her husband finished his
electrical engineering degree. In the hospital, after the baby
died, her husband urged her to finish her undergraduate sociology
degree. He said, You have wanted to go back to school since Ive
known you, and I wont let you go home and have this be a cloud on
you, Huspeni says. Youre going back to school. She finished the
degree at the University of Minnesota in 1964 (a fourth son was
born that same year), and she entered William Mitchell in the fall
of 1965. She and Joe had a daughter in 1968, and in 1970, Huspeni
earned her law degree. Her legal career began in the office of
State Public Defender C. Paul Jones L.L.M. 55 who hired three
women. The others included Rosalie Wahl 67, later Minnesotas first
female Supreme Court justice, and Roberta Levy, who would become a
Hennepin County district court judge. They covered for each other
when anyone had to take a child to the doctor or attend to other
family matters. It was a great experience as a mother with young
children, Huspeni says. Several years later, Gov. Al Quie appointed
her to the Hennepin County Municipal Court and then to the Hennepin
County District Court. Gov. Rudy Perpich went one better,
appointing Huspeni to the then-new Minnesota Court of Appeals in
1984. Her experiences as a mother naturally informed her leadership
style as a judge, she says. I felt a very motherly attitude toward
the law clerks, and I think that translates to mentoring, she says,
adding that her clerks often played essential roles in formulating
her legal analysis. I felt that we were working together rather
than anybody working for me.
Spring 2009 11
continued on next page
SPECIAL FOCUS: the leadership equation
By Kevin Featherly
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Mitchell on Law
While she is aware that some see the maternal approach as
potentially detrimental in a leadership capacity, she says she
never saw any alternative. It simply is not in her makeup to play
the heavy. I dont think I would be capable of managing by
intimidation, she says. Id like to believe that my management by
consensus worked.
The Proper PerspectiveIn todays uncertain economy, Jann Olstens
leadership skills are being sternly tested. The president and CEO
of Archivers, a Minnetonka, Minn.-based scrapbooking business, has
had to order some painful cuts since the markets froze up last
year. Archivers has also had to delay some expansion plans. He and
company co-founder and board chair Bruce Thomson are betting that
the economy wont turn around until the spring of 2011, and are
making decisions based on that assumption. Its really cutting back
where you need to, to make sure that you survive for tomorrow,
Olsten says. Olsten didnt take the usual MBA route to the business
world. He started as a lawyer in the mid-1970s in the Little Falls,
Minn., law office of attorneys Gordon Rosenmeier and John Simonett.
Later he was a partner with Minneapolis law firm Robins, Kaplan,
Miller & Ciresi. For four years, he served as chief of staff to
U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz and followed Boschwitz to the National
Republican Senatorial Committee, which oversees Republican Senate
candidates election efforts. Olsten worked there as executive
director. In 1989, Thomson, a former Olsten law client,
brought him on board as chief operating officer at ProEx Photo
and Portrait. After ProEx was sold, both men left in 1999 to found
Archivers. Today, the company operates 44 memory crafts stores in
13 states. Olsten says his law degree laid the groundwork for
everything that followed. Without the degree, he never would have
made the connections that led him to politics, and without
politics, he may never have realized that his true passion was
business. I discovered that I liked running things in business
better than I liked giving advice in politics, he says. Olstens
education gave him something else that proved even more critical.
Studying endless case law in school forced him to think critically,
to pick out the case issues that matter most and set others aside.
As Archivers continues to face economic challenges, that capacity
has never been more dramatically put to the test. When times are
tough, you face problems on a daily basis, he says. I think whats
important for a leader is that you need to step back just a bit and
ask, What are the critical issues here for our company? And then
help the staff to focus on those critical issues.
The Compassionate Attack LawyerPaula Jossart doesnt know who put
the Beware of Attack Lawyer sign on her office door. But she knows
why its there. I believe in my clients, and I believe in their
causes, says Jossart, a partner at the Minneapolis law firm Yaeger,
Jungbauer & Barczak. Im really aggressive about my
representation, and thus I have the attack lawyer sign on my
doorthats just who I am.
12
continued from page 11
Read more news online @ www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
Jann Olsten 74
Paula Jossart 99
Leadership
-
Spring 2009 13
SPECIAL FOCUS: the leadership equation
A former North Dakota newspaper reporter and editor, Jossart
acknowledges that it bothers her when the other side in a legal
dispute plays it cute or tries to act sly in answering questions. I
get very aggressive with that, she says. Her leadership skills were
honed during her newspaper days. At age 22 she was promoted to an
editing position in which she oversaw eight community newspapers.
During that time, she says, she learned just how important the
small things in life are to people. You learn very quickly that an
obituary or a story about who came to visit their grandma over a
weekend is important to people, she says. That made me a better
communicator and better able to understand people. I think that
helps you with juries. The news background also taught her how to
stand her ground against powerful people and interests, another
handy courtroom skill. There might be a judge who doesnt like the
way youre doing things or doesnt agree with you, and he or she will
scrutinize you and put you under pressure, she says. But you really
have to stand up and take itand know that youre doing what is
right. Jossart, a personal injury attorney, specializes in the
Federal Employers Liability Act. Most of her work involves
representation of railroad workers injured on the job without the
benefit of workers compensation coverage. However, neither of her
two biggest cases has involved railroad workers. In one of those
cases, she secured a $12.5 million verdict for a heating and
cooling company worker who was horribly scalded while servicing a
faulty boiler at a school. The school district balked at a
settlement, saying the technician was at fault for his own
injuries. After a
long fight, the courts finally sided with Jossart and her
client. I would never let up, she says. You really had to stick to
your guns. In her other big case, Jossart represented a group of
families who lived near the site of the worst anhydrous
ammonia spill in the history of North Dakota. The toxic gas
cloud injured all 100 clients, she says. In that case, her
discovery work unearthed documentation that indicated potential
destruction of evidence
by the defendants. While never proven in court, her findings led
to favorable settlements for her clients. It was a fight, she says.
There were very, very good
defense attorneys on the other side who threw everything at us.
It was a wild game of dodgeball many times, and sometimes it seemed
we didnt have a lot of balls to throw back. But in the end, the
plaintiffs we represented did very well. Jossart, who admits that
some of her clients cases are so dramatic that they cause her to
lose sleep, sees her leadership role in the context of
compassionate counseling. You have to be able to tell [clients] the
good
and the bad, she says. And you have to feel for them. I really
do lead with compassion. Jossart says that its important to put
herself in the position of her clients and understand the personal
impact of the issues they face. That helps you make better
decisions which not only help them, but also help the case along,
she says. Thats the only way I know how to lead.
You have to be able to tell [clients] the good and the bad. And
you have to feel for them. I really do lead with compassion.
continued on next page
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Mitchell on Law14
Building BridgesAs a leader, Hassan Mohamud wears many hats. He
is an imam, or Muslim cleric, at the Minnesota Dawah Institute of
St. Paul. He works as an advocate at the Legal Aid Society of
Minneapolis Immigration Law Project, and serves on the board of the
Twin Cities American Red Cross. In addition to that, he holds
seminars to help attorneys understand the issues that their Muslim
clients face. Mohamud, the first Somali immigrant to have graduated
from a Minnesota law school, was once involved in a public
controversy. In 2006, he was among the signers of a fatwa, or
Muslim religious statement, issued during a standoff between the
Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and a group of Muslim taxi
drivers who, for religious reasons, refused to transport
alcohol-toting passengers. The fatwa, issued on the letterhead of
the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, informed cab drivers that
alcohol is the mother of all evils and it is not permissible for
you to carry on working this job, because it involves cooperating
in sin, according to Islam. When the fatwa surfaced in the press,
the resulting controversy helped put a stop to a MAC pilot program
that would require Muslim drivers to place special top lights on
their cabs to discreetly indicate their position
on carrying alcohol. The program was scrubbed when passengers
overwhelmingly rejected the religious accommodation. Still, Mohamud
says that it was not a mistake to issue the fatwa because, under
Islamic law, it is not possible to separate personal from religious
conduct. The collapse of the pilot program was simply a matter of
politics, he says. There were negotiations between the cab drivers,
and I was one of the mediators. I was trying to bridge them because
I know [American] law, and I know the Islamic law, he says, adding
that Muslim taxi driverswho comprise 70 percent of all airport
cabbieshad the right to resist under the First Amendment. This is
my role of leadership, to bridge between two cultures. Mohamud has
continued to work on building bridges, particularly in his attempts
to ease restrictions faced by Somali immigrants. For instance, he
says, new citizens need to wait only one year to bring their
spouses to America, while those on work visas carrying green cards
must wait up to five years. We are trying to eliminate this gap, he
says. Mohamud, who speaks four languages and has traveled to more
than 30 countries, notes that his William Mitchell education was an
essential ingredient in forging his personal leadership style.
William Mitchell gave me a lot, he says. Whatever leadership style
I had before I came to the United States was enriched by the
advanced, modern American legal system. That has
helped me in many ways to resolve problems. Mohamud says that he
will continue to forge connections between Muslim immigrants and
native Minnesotans and notes that many conflicts could be resolved
if both sides simply understood the others point of view. But he
knows
that the process will require immense patience. I have no
problem living in the United States as a good Muslim, practicing
Islam, he says. I enjoy more freedom here than any other place.
Because I do understand both systems, I understand how they work
together. But few people understand this. This is the unfortunate
part.
Kevin Featherly is a Bloomington, Minn.-based freelance
writer.
Whatever leadership style I had before I came to the United
States was enriched by the advanced, modern American legal system.
That has helped me in many ways
to resolve problems.
Hassan Ali Mohamud 02
Read more news online @ www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
continued from page 13
Leadership
-
10Spring 2009
SPECIAL FOCUS: the leadership equation
For professors of any disciplinebusiness, economics, sociology,
politicsthe current economic maelstrom has an upside: Its providing
a wealth of material for classroom discussion. The Madoff scandal,
the furor over AIG executive bonuses, and, closer to home in the
Twin Cities area, the allegations that Petters Group Worldwide CEO
Tom Petters defrauded investors out of billions have offered rich
talking points and ripe illustrative examples of leadership (or the
lack thereof). Such is the case in the classes taught by Professor
Thuy-Nga Vo, who has been a faculty member at William Mitchell
since 2006. Students in her business classeswhich include
Corporations; Corporate Finance; and Agency, Partnerships, and
LLCsenjoy delving into current events while discussing topics such
as corporate mismanagement and shareholder loss. They also benefit
from the vast personal experience Vo brings to the classroom.
Having been out in the corporate world for more than 18 years, I
have advised clients on the legal and business issues that we hear
in the news today, she says. So theres a lot of real-life
experience that I try to pull in. In teaching her business law
classes, Vo reviews cases that
are well-publicized or shares examples from her professional
experiencesmindful of protecting the confidentiality of past
clients, of course. She believes that people learn best when they
can apply theoretical concepts to concrete situations. Thats why
she goes beyond statutes and textbooks to incorporate real
situations into her teaching to enhance students
In the real worldVo gained her professional experience from a
four-year stint as a corporate and securities attorney with
Minneapolis-based Dorsey & Whitney, and from 14 years as
senior counsel and director of finance at Land OLakes. While at
Land OLakes, she took a self-assessment test as part of her
executive leadership training. The results were enlightening and
highly accurate. The assessment results said the job sets I would
excel at and enjoy most would include being a lawyer, a business
leader, and a teacher, she says, adding that until that time, it
never occurred to me to go into teaching. Although she relished her
years in the corporate world, Vo started thinking more about
exploring the teaching role. William Mitchells goal of providing
students with practical wisdom resonated with her teaching
philosophy and interests. She saw teaching as an opportunity to
share with others and also deepen her own knowledge and
experience in law and business. I wanted to teach at an institution
that values practical experience, she says. I wanted to do
something that would combine my legal training and practice with my
business experience. Vo has already found success as a lawyer and
business leader; teaching at William Mitchell offers the ideal
opportunity to merge the skills from both those rolesand learn some
new skills in the process. Jenny Sherman is a New York City-based
freelance writer.
From Boardroom to ClassroomProfessor Thuy-Nga Vo applies the
leadership lessons she learned
By Jenny Sherman
15
in business and corporate law to her William Mitchell
classes
learning.
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16 Mitchell on LawRead more news online @
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
Professors Roger Haydock and John Sonsteng have spent more than
30 years at William Mitchell, revolutionizing the way law students
are taught. They have contributed greatly to defi ning William
Mitchells distinct brand of practical legal education and have infl
uenced how law schools across the nation teach legal practice
skills. Every Mitchell student since 1972 and thousands of
practicing lawyers have been affected by their work. Here are just
some of the highlights of their years at Mitchell thus far.
1972 1976 19791974 197819751973 1980
1990 19951991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Professor Roger Haydock and Professor John Sonsteng at William
Mitchell College of Law
1973 Under the direction of Roger Haydock and Rosalie Wahl 67
(L), William Mitchell offers its rst full year of clinical legal
education, in a house at 2093 Grand Avenue. In the rst three years,
they bring forward an amazing 19 clinical offerings, catapulting
the law school into the national spotlight.
1990 Haydock and Sonsteng help to found the Warren E. Burger Inn
of Court.
1991 Haydock and Sonsteng write Trial: Theories, Tactics,
Techniques, a textbook that wins national praise. Later, they
publish a ve-volume advocacy series for practitioners and
students.
1996 Haydock, Adjunct Professor David Herr 78, and clinic
codirectors Peter Knapp and Ann Juergens produce a textbook,
Lawyering, and accompanying videotapes used at William Mitchell and
many other law schools.
1994 Haydock plays a pivotal role in the development of the
National Arbitration Forum, one of the largest ADR providers in the
world, and becomes one of Minnesotas premier mediators.
1977
1972 Roger Haydock joins the William Mitchell faculty as an
assistant professor charged with creating and implementing a
clinical legal education program.
Dakota County Attorney John Sonsteng joins the William Mitchell
faculty and partners with Haydock in developing Mitchells legal
skills program.
1979
Professors of Practice
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Spring 2009 17
1980 19851981 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1989
20092007 20082005 20062000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Professor Roger Haydock and Professor John Sonsteng at William
Mitchell College of Law
1981 William Mitchells Trial Advocacy course wins a major
national award. Additionally, between 1982 and 1988, Mitchells
trial advocacy team, coached in part by Sonsteng, goes to national
competitions six times, winning rst, second (pictured), and third
in the nation. 1988 Sonsteng wins a
Fulbright Scholarship to work in Aberdeen, Scotland.
1980 Haydock and Sonsteng begin producing dozens of videotapes
and manuals for NITA and William Mitchell skills courses.
1984 Haydock and Sonsteng create the Legal Practicum, an
intensive course where students act as managing partners of a
hypothetical, three- to ve-person law rm.
Sonsteng writes A Legal Education Renaissance, a radical
discussion of perspectives and
recommendations to encourage discussion about the future of
modern legal education.
Haydock is named federal court special master in one of the
largest litigation cases in American legal history. Two years later
he founds and is rst president of the Academy of Court Appointed
Masters.
The National Institute for Trial Advocacy recognizes Sonsteng
with the Hon. Prentice H. Marshall Faculty Award for introducing
countless educational innovations to NITA programs over the past 34
years, facilitating more than 100 training sessions, and serving as
regional director since 1989.
For a more comprehensive timeline on Professors Haydock and
Sonsteng, visit www.wmitchell.edu
2008
2008
2002
A more complete timeline was unveiled at a reception honoring
Professors Haydock and Sonsteng on March 27. It is now displayed on
the second fl oor at William Mitchell.
Haydock & Sonsteng Timeline
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18
Photo by Raoul Benavides
A new William Mitchell clinic gives students exposure to
criminal law and a chance to connect with the local community
A new William Mitchell clinic gives students
The Best Defense
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19Spring 2009
By Mary Lahr Schier
Photo by Raoul Benavides
George T. Stephenson 85 understands the demography and geography
of criminal justice in St. Paul. As a former prosecutor and
criminal defense and family lawyer, and now a Ramsey County judge,
many of the defendants he sees are young people of color who often
dont live far from William Mitchells campus. Some are represented
by lawyers from the Neighborhood Justice Center, a nonprofit legal
aid organization located four blocks from campus. He also knows
that many graduates want to stay connected to the school and give
back to the community. So, he thought, why not involve alumni in
pro bono work for the community? William Mitchell is in a community
with a disproportionate representation of its residents in juvenile
and criminal courts, he says. The community is right there, so why
not? Stephensons comments at an alumni board meeting and a
subsequent lunch with Andriel Dees 95, the schools associate dean
of multicultural affairs, led to the start of a new clinic that is
introducing students to criminal defense work under the supervision
of Jeffrey Martin 03, a part-time public defender and full-time
solo practitioner in St. Paul. The clinic began in January, and
Dees, Stephenson, and Martin hope it will become a fixture. The
clinic is really geared toward connecting William Mitchell to the
surrounding community and to getting students and alumni involved
in that community, Dees says.
Building skills Martin, who has an office in the same building
as the Neighborhood Justice Center, views the clinic as an
effective skill-building experience for students and a way to
improve representation for many low-income people from the
neighborhood. Since the clinic opened, two students have been
working with
Martin on a variety of felony cases, including a domestic
assault case and a third-degree sale of cocaine charge. Both
caseswhich Martin considers typical for what a private practice
criminal defense lawyer would handlewill likely go to trial, with
the students and Martin handling them as a team. The students have
done most of the pretrial preparation on their own, with a little
bit of guidance from Martin. For the students, this pretrial
process offers an opportunity to develop practice skills and
confidence, says
Martin. You wont know how to do this work until you do it, he
explains. You wont know how to handle the initial interview until
you meet a client or how to negotiate until you go back and forth
with a prosecutor. It doesnt matter how many cases youve read in
class. Its not real until you do it. The experience is especially
vital for students who become sole practitioners after graduation,
he adds. In these tough economic times, you need to have the
confidence to walk away from school knowing you can handle a
case.
Quality timeThe clinic benefits defendants, too, who often get
more attention and time from a student than they would from an
overworked public defender. The student is more likely to be
willing to listen to the defendants story 10 times to get all the
details, Martin says. In contrast, a public defender with dozens of
cases is more likely to say, OK, lets cut to the chase. Did you do
it? With the students, you have the ability to put quality time
into a case. The clinics focus on criminal defense expands
Mitchells highly regarded
experiential focus in a new and much-needed area. The college
already offers many opportunities to work with prosecutors, and
many students work in the Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners
clinic. But no offerings address the needs of criminal defense
clients. This clinic has a different perspective for students, a
different flavor of how criminal defense is handled, Dees says. Its
all criminal law, and to understand both sides is important. The
clinic is similar to other William Mitchell programs because
student-
lawyers work with faculty advisors and a field supervisor. They
receive credit for working at the clinic based on how many hours
they put into their cases. Youd be surprised how much research
goes
into these cases and how quickly 100 hours is used up, Dees
says.
Community connectionsThe clinic also allows students and the
college to connect with the local community, says Dees. One
important aspect of that connection is the collaborative
relationship between the clinic and the Neighborhood Justice
Center. The center handles referrals to the clinic and provides
administrative support for it. Beyond putting the idea in motion,
Stephenson is unable to take an active role in the clinic due to
the potential for conflict of interest, but both he and Dees hope
that the program will continue and expand as more alumni get
involved as supervisors and more students pursue criminal defense
clinical experience. I have high hopes that this will become a
continuing part of our curriculum, says Dees. Many students come
here for the clinic experience. Its part of our tradition.
Mary Lahr Schier is a Northfield, Minn.-based freelance
writer.
It doesnt matter how many cases youve read in class. Its not
real until
you do it.
Independent Clinic
From left: Judge George T. Stephenson 85; attorney Jeffrey
Martin 03; Carolina A. Lamas, executive director of the
Neighborhood Justice Center; Andriel Dees 95, associate dean of
multicultural affairs; and Mitchell student Christopher Pham,
3L
-
Mitchell on Law2
&
By Meleah MaynardBy Meleah Maynard
Neil Thompson 99 used his training as a pharmacist and lawyer to
bring a major corporations questionable billing practices to
light
20
Phot
o by
Rao
ul B
enav
ides
When he was growing up, Neil Thompson wanted to be a pharmacist
like his dad. He followed that path and eventually took over the
family business, enjoying his job immensely, particularly the
closeness he shared with longtime customers. But he also harbored
an ambition of becoming a lawyer. Not long after he fulfi lled that
ambition, he found himself at the center of an investigation of one
of the countrys top drugstore chains. For those who have not yet
heard about Thompson, he and a fellow pharmacist, Dan Bieurance,
were involved in a suit against Walgreens in 2005, alleging that
the company
had been using a billing system that overbilled Medicaid on some
prescription drugs since 1999. After a long investigation by the
U.S. Department of Justice, a settlement was fi nally announced
last September. Walgreens agreed to pay Minnesota and three other
states a total of $9.9 million. Admitting no wrongdoing, the
company did say it would change its procedures to stop the
overbilling. The 2008 settlement was the third time Walgreens has
negotiated a multimillion-dollar deal to settle Medicaid-related
problems in recent years.
TheGoodFight
Read more news online @ www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
Read a longer version of Neil Thompson's story in the magazine
online at www.wmitchell.edu
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21Spring 2009
Alumni Profile
Phot
o by
Rao
ul B
enav
ides
From pharmacist to lawyerThompson was 12 when he started
sweeping floors at Nile Pharmacy, which his dad opened in south
Minneapolis in the early 1950s. When he was a little older, he
began waiting on customers, slowly learning typical pharmacy
technician tasks such as typing labels and counting medications. He
also delivered prescriptions on his bike and, later, by car. I had
learned the business before I even went to college, says Thompson,
who earned his pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota in
1977. After graduation, Thompson considered going to law school.
But with his young wife, Liz, pregnant with their first child, he
decided it was best to join the family business and get to work.
Seventeen years later, with his four kids nearly grown, he began
his studies at William Mitchell. He worked during the day at the
pharmacy and attended classes at night. Building a caseIn 1999, the
same year he graduated from William Mitchell, he sold his familys
pharmacy to the Snyders Drug Stores chain. Though he was busy
starting his law practice, he wanted to keep his pharmacy skills
sharp, so he also worked part time at local pharmacies. In May
2000, he took a job working a few days a week for Walgreens. For
the first few years, he was a floater pharmacist, working at 97
different stores, as needed. Then, he settled in part time at the
store located just a few blocks from his familys old pharmacy.
Thompson hadnt worked for Walgreens long when he noticed billing
problems with certain customers, particularly those with what is
called dual eligibility. People with AIDS, for example, often have
both Medicaid and private health insurance. When billing for these
dual-eligible customers, pharmacies are only allowed to bill the
government for the copay or deductible
remaining after the private insurer has paid, no more. But
Walgreens, which had net sales of $53 billion in 2007, was using a
software program that incorrectly billed dual-eligible claims,
receiving more than the allowed copay or deductible. Managers and
supervisors were aware of the problem and had taught Thompson and
Bieurance how to bypass the software and bill correctly. But the
pair routinely saw other employees using the old system that
overcharged Medicaid. So they went to supervisors to talk about the
issue. They got nowhere. I reported the problem to five different
supervisors, Thompson recalls, adding that he even discussed it
with an internal auditor. What we got in response was a scathing
email telling us to do things the wrong way. Thats when Thompson
and Bieurance realized that if the overbilling was going to be
stopped, they were going to have to do something about it
themselves. Armed with years of evidence, Thompson called on local
attorneys with experience in handling cases based on the False
Claims Act.
Justice at lastIn February 2005, Thompson and Bieurances lawyers
brought the case to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Minneapolis,
convincing them there was reason to open an investigation into
Walgreens billing practices. FBI agents soon visited the homes of
Walgreens managers and executives. And thats when the real waiting
began, says Thompson. Over the next three and a half years, as the
Justice Department quietly built its case (under the False Claims
Act, all investigations are kept secret until the investigation
ends), the stress was nearly unbearable. Thompson and Bieurance
continued to work together for
Walgreens until 2006, when Bieurance left to take a position
elsewhere. I think the pressure got to him, and he didnt want to
stay, says Thompson, who remains friends with his former colleague.
While Thompson considered leaving, too, he decided it was best to
stay on and gather evidence. For years, I stood right next to
people at work knowing what was going onand that they didnt know,
says Thompson. That was the most stressful thing Ive ever gone
through in my life, including the fact that when I owned my own
pharmacy, I was held up at gunpoint eight times over the years.
When the investigation and subsequent settlement became public in
the fall, Thompson got an unexpected surprise. Customers came in
every
day. Some were my old customers from my familys pharmacy, he
says. A lot of them didnt even come in to buy anything. They just
wanted to congratulate me for doing what I did. It was the most
gratifying experience Ive ever had in my life. Today, Thompson is
on leave from Walgreens and is building his law practice, which is
housed in the same building where his
familys pharmacy used to be. About 80 percent of the cases he
works on involve the False Claims Act. But he also does wills,
trusts,
bankruptcies, and more. After investigating seven of the top
pharmacy chains over the last several years, Thompson feels certain
that about half are doing things the right way. As for the other
half, he says: Well, let me just say that theyre not off the
hook.
Meleah Maynard is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer.
Read a longer version of Neil Thompson's story in the magazine
online at www.wmitchell.edu>>
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22 Mitchell on Law
As a young district court clerk with three small children,
Donald Barbeau 43 put himself through night law school on his way
to becoming a well-respected judge. So he always had an affi nity
for law students who were working parents with a lot on their
plates. His kids say he would have related to Laura Wangers
struggles to earn her degree while balancing life with three young
children. And he would have been pleased to ease her burden through
a scholarship directed to students with dependent children.
Barbeaus six children created the Donald and Donna Barbeau
Scholarship at William Mitchell more than 20 years ago to help
other working parents enter Barbeaus much-loved profession. Two of
those children, Patty Walsh and Joe Barbeau, recently replenished
the fund with an infusion of capital. William Mitchell meant so
much to my dad, and he always pushed education in his own life,
says Walsh. I thought it was important to help people who are
working hard and have dependent children; they have to persevere
and handle it all like my dad did. After Barbeau graduated from
Minneapolis College of Law (later William Mitchell) in 1943, he
worked for 16 years as a trial lawyer, specializing in personal
injury cases. At age 39, he became the youngest member of the
exclusive International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Gov. Orville
Freeman named him to the Minneapolis Municipal Court in 1959,
launching a storied judicial career. Barbeau served as chief judge
of that court until 1963, when he moved up to Hennepin
County District Court. He presided there for 20 years, including
two as chief judge. He died in 1983, and Donna, his wife, passed
away the following year. Barbeau, who had a reputation as a feisty
judge with a zest for work, also maintained a close connection to
William Mitchell throughout his career. He hired all of his law
clerks from the college and served as an adjunct professor for many
years. He also was grateful to Mitchell
for providing opportunities to working students, and he
appreciated the schools hands-on approach, especially for the trial
lawyers he saw in his courtroom, says his son Joe, an international
business attorney at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in Palo Alto,
Calif. Joe and his siblings enjoy carrying on their parents legacy
through the scholarship. Its very moving to see people in that
situation. They are so incredibly motivated and determined to make
a difference for themselves and their families, he says. Its
exciting to see people who can take advantage of what Mitchell can
present as an opportunity and build a meaningful career out of
it.
Realizing a dreamThats what Laura Wanger hopes to do after
graduating in May 2010. This Barbeau Scholarship recipient returned
to law school after spending the fi rst part of her career in
commercial real estate and
human resources. She left the workforce to raise her three
children, now 12, 8, and 6, always intending to pursue her dream of
becoming a lawyer. With hard work and determination, she earned the
number-two spot in her class and worked on the law review. But the
success hasnt come easily. She has had to juggle her own schoolwork
with her kids academic commitments and activities, as well as
running the household with her husband.
When she started the William Mitchell evening program in 2006,
Wanger would spend the day with her kids and then attend evening
classes fi ve nights a week. She commonly stayed up until the wee
hours to complete her coursework
and spent weekends writing papers. Her scholarship helped
relieve some of the pressure. The scholarship made a huge impact on
my ability to go to school. If I would have had to add a job on top
of it, it wouldnt have worked at all, says Wanger. Ive been
fortunate to end up where I have. Every scholarship dollar that
someone gives you is time you can spend on school and family and
getting it all right. Wanger will work as a summer associate at
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly in Minneapolis this summer in
hopes of ultimately becoming a corporate lawyer. She is enormously
appreciative of the scholarships she received and how easy William
Mitchell made it to return as a second-career student and mother.
This scholarship paid for a whole years worth of books, she says.
When an alum leaves something behind, it paves the way for someone
to go to law school.
Suzy Frisch
Gratitude
Thanks to the Donald and Donna Barbeau Scholarship and her own
hard work, Laura Wanger is on the verge of fulfi lling a long-held
dream
Paving the Way
Its exciting to see people who can take advantage of what
Mitchell can present
as an opportunity and build a meaningful career out of it.
Photo by Jonathan Chapm
an Photography
Read more news online @ www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
-
23Spring 2009
Laura and Gordon Wanger with their children, Rachel, 8 (left),
Zachary, 12 (right background), and Mathew, 6 (right
foreground)
Ive been fortunate to end up where I have.
Every scholarship dollar that someone gives
you is time you can spend on school and family
and getting it all right.
To learn more about giving to William Mitchell, visit
www.wmitchell.edu/giving or call Lisa Barton, director of
development, at 651-290-6357 or email
[email protected].
-
1968Hugh P. Markley received the Second Judicial District Pro
Bono Award for 2008 from the Ramsey County Bar Association. He is
an attorney at Markley Patient & Wald, St. Paul, and has been
an attorney for the Southern Minnesota Regional Legal
Services/Ramsey County Volunteer Program since 1976.
1969Gary J. Palm married Donald Ridone on July 25, 2008, in a
civil ceremony in San Rafael, Calif.
1974Stephen R. Bergerson will be inducted into the South Dakota
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in May. Bergerson played drums in a
1960s band, The Mystics, as it traveled with such legends as the
Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Dion on Midwest tours. Today,
he chairs the Advertising, Marketing and Trademark Law Group at
Fredrikson & Byron, Minneapolis.
Donald E. Horton has been licensed by the Minnesota Board of
Behavioral Health and Therapy as a licensed professional
counselor.
1975Jeffrey R. Anderson received the Steven J. Sharp Award for
Public Service from the American Association for Justice for his
work representing survivors of sex abuse by clergy in California.
He also
received the 2008 Trial Lawyer of the Year award from the Public
Justice Foundation.
1977Stephen J. Burton was elected to the board of directors as
treasurer at Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, Minneapolis.
1978David F. Herr, partner at Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand,
Minneapolis, was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory
Committee on the Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure.
Thomas D. Jensen, partner at Lind Jensen Sullivan, Minneapolis,
was named vice chair for the Alternative Dispute Resolution
Committee of DRI.
1979Mark A. Hallberg, partner at Hallberg & McClain, St.
Paul, was named president of the board of directors of the American
Board of Trial Advocates Minnesota Chapter.
1980David D. Alsop, partner at Gislason & Hunter,
Minneapolis, is a fellow of the American College of Trial
Lawyers.
Patrick G. Ryan, president of Ryan Companies, Minneapolis, was
appointed to the board of Childrens Hospital and Clinics of
Minnesota.
David M. Sparby was named president and CEO of Northern States
Power Co., Minneapolis, an Xcel Energy company.
1981Matthew J. Brandes is an attorney with Simmons, Perrine,
Moyer & Bergman, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Paul C. Engh has been added to the Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon
& Vogt, Minneapolis, defense team for the Thomas J. Petters
case.
Kathleen M. Picotte Newman opened Kathleen Newman &
Associates, Minneapolis.
1982John G. Patterson joined Fredrikson & Byron,
Minneapolis, as an offi cer in the fi rms real estate and
litigation groups.
1983Jack L. Anderson was appointed as an immigration judge in
the Omaha (Neb.) Immigration Court.
Peggy J. Birk was named executive director of the George Family
Foundation, Minneapolis.
Mitchell on Law24
Class Notes
Joseph W. Lawver was elected to the board of directors at
Messerli & Kramer, Minneapolis.
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1984Charles Charley W. Bates is the public records offi cer/risk
management coordinator for the Administrative Offi ce of the Courts
in Olympia, Wash.
Judge Kenneth L. Jorgensen joined the trial group at Dorsey
& Whitney, Minneapolis.
Timothy J. Keane joined Malkerson Gilliland Martin, Minneapolis,
as a partner. He practices in the areas of real estate, land use,
development, and eminent domain.
Paul J. Zech was elected secretary of the board of directors at
Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, Minneapolis.
1985Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks, of the Minnesota Court of
Appeals, was appointed to the Board on Judicial Standards by Gov.
Tim Pawlenty.
Brett W. Olander was elected chair of the Minnesota State Bar
Association Civil Trial Certifi cation Board.
Kathryn S. Richtman, assistant Ramsey County attorney in charge
of the juvenile delinquency section of the prosecution division,
was reappointed to the Minnesota Juvenile Justice Advisory
Committee by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
George R. Wood joined Littler Mendelson, Minneapolis, as an offi
ce managing shareholder.
1986Peder A. Larson joined Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren,
Minneapolis, as a shareholder. He is a member of the government
relations department and works with the land use and real estate
practice group.
1987Patricia A. Crumley has been named a policy fellow at the
University of Minnesotas Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public
Affairs.
Sharon L. Van Dyck was elected president of the Minnesota
Association for Justice.
1988Susan J. Mundahl was awarded the 10th Judicial District Pro
Bono Award for 2008.
1989Susan G. Heegaard joined the Bush Foundation, St. Paul, as
vice president and team leader for educational achievement.
Penelope J. Phillipsrejoined Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon &
Vogt, Minneapolis, as a member of the fi rms labor and employment
litigation practice groups.
1990Timothy C. Baxter was reelected district attorney for
Crawford County, Wis., in November 2008.
Barbara A. Zurek was inducted into the International Academy of
Trial Lawyers.
1992David D. Ransom joined McDermott Will & Emery,
Washington, D.C., as legislative counsel.
1994Paul A. Lindstrom is of counsel at Grannis & Hauge,
Eagan, Minn.
Jessica L. Roe has been named managing partner at Bernick,
Lifson, Greenstein, Greene & Liszt, Minneapolis.
1995James M. Clay joined Morrison Fenske & Sund, Minnetonka,
Minn., as head of the fi rms trusts and estates practice group.
Lisa R. Youngers is vice president for federal affairs at XO
Communications, Chicago, directing policy strategies presented
before the FCC, Congress, and the Obama administration.
Class Notes
25Spring 2009 Read the magazine online @
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
Alumni Recognized by Minnesota LawyerSix alumni were named 2008
Attorneys of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in recognition of their
professional accomplishments: Allan F. Shapiro 76, Finn Shapiro;
William O. Bongard 81, Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey;
Sharon L. Van Dyck 87, Van Dyck Law Firm; Michael J. Ford 79,
Quinlivan & Hughes; Michelle R. Jester 94, Messerli &
Kramer; and William R. Sieben 77, Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben. The
publication also recognized Susan M. Holden 88 of Sieben, Grose,
Von Holtum & Carey with a 2008 Outstanding Service to the
Profession Award.
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1997Daniel S. Le has opened a new fi rm, Dan Le &
Associates. Le is a solo practitioner in business/corporate, real
estate, personal/business immigration, municipalities,
discrimination, and white collar criminal defense. He shares an
offi ce suite in Minneapolis with Jonathan Geffen and Mark E.
Arneson, who opened Geffen & Arneson, which focuses on criminal
defense, employment, licensing, charities, and discrimination.
1998Christopher Ferreira joined Messerli & Kramer,
Minneapolis, in the banking and fi nance and real estate
groups.
1999Kathryn S. Hahne was appointed chair of the 2nd District Bar
Associations Ethics Committee.
Gary L. Hansen was elected to the Eagan (Minn.) City Council in
November 2008.
Christopher P. Malone was elected shareholder at Cousineau
McGuire, Minneapolis.
2000K. Jon Breyer became partner at Fruth, Jamison & Elsass,
Minneapolis. His practice focuses on business litigation.
2001Joseph M. Barnett was named a partner at Foley & Mansfi
eld, Minneapolis. He focuses on construction law and personal
injury defense.
Aaron W. Davis was named partner at Patterson, Thuente, Skaar
& Christensen, Minneapolis. He is a member of the fi rms
litigation department and also leads its arts and entertainment
practice.
Kevin M. Decker has been elected shareholder of Briggs and
Morgan, Minneapolis. He is a member of the business litigation
section.
David B. Galle has been elected partner at Oppenheimer Wolff
& Donnelly, Minneapolis.
Jamie L. Habeck was named a partner at Foley & Mansfi eld,
Minneapolis. She focuses her practice on toxic torts, product
liability, commercial litigation, and class actions.
Chad J. Hintz has opened the Law Firm of Chad J. Hintz in St.
Louis
Park, Minn., focusing on personal injury, legal and medical
malpractice, insurance law, and appeals.
Jennifer A. Lammers joined the estate planning and
administration section of Briggs and Morgan, Minneapolis, as a
shareholder.
James D. Linnett was named partner at Dorsey & Whitney,
Minneapolis. He practices in tax, trusts, and estates.
Katherine M. Wilhoit has been elected partner at Oppenheimer
Wolff & Donnelly, Minneapolis.
2002Willow J. (Najjar) Anderson has opened Anderson Law Firm, in
Edina, Minn., focusing on personal injury, criminal defense, and
family law.
26
Class Notes
Mitchell on Law
Bruce Hanley Memorial Golf Tournament Raises Funds for Student
Scholarships
The Fifth Annual Bruce Hanley Memorial Golf Tournament will be
held Thursday, June 25, at the Prestwick Golf Course in Woodbury,
Minn. This tournament was established in 2005 following the death
of Mitchell alum, adjunct faculty member, and former alumni board
president Bruce Hanley 76 to support the Bruce Hanley Criminal
Justice Scholarship. Over the past four years, the tournament has
generated approximately $60,000 for the fund, which provides
scholarship money each year to
outstanding students who have demonstrated an interest in
becoming a criminal defense attorney. For more information about
the tournament or supporting the scholarship fund, please contact
Piper Kenney Webb 97 at 612-340-9108.
Class Notes
-
Class Notes
27Spring 2009 Read the magazine online @
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni
Corey R. Elmer was named shareholder in the Vogel Law Firm. He
practices in the fi rms Moorhead, Minn., offi ce and concentrates
on business and real estate transactions.
Heather H. Neubauer has been named a partner at Foley &
Mansfi eld, Minneapolis. She focuses on product liability, mass
toxic torts, and personal injury.
Erica L. (Thompson) Roettger and her husband, Phillip, welcomed
their third child, Samuel Barry, on Sept. 30, 2008. Sam joins big
brother Luke, 3, and big sister Amelia, 18 months.
2003Nancy J. Berry is a partner at Moore, Costello & Hart,
St. Paul.
Julie L. La Fleur joined Hansen, Dordell, Bradt, Odlaug &
Bradt, St. Paul, as an associate.
Erin E. Mathern joined Messerli & Kramer, Minneapolis.
Patrick W. Ostergren joined Lind, Jensen, Sullivan &
Peterson, Minneapolis.
Amy M. (Gelhar) Sieben has been named a partner at Foley &
Mansfi eld, Minneapolis. She focuses her practice on construction
law.
2004Elizabeth Walker Anderson was named system director for
HealthEast Care System, St. Paul, overseeing organizational
diversity and culturally responsive care.
Jacqueline B. Kohns was named senior vice president of insurance
administration at BCS Financial, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. She is
responsible for third-party and policyholder administration,
including claims, audit and compliance coordination, and oversight
of information systems.
Jennifer C. Toohey joined Hellmuth & Johnson, Eden Prairie,
Minn.
2005Erik M. Drange joined Leonard, Street and Deinard,
Minneapolis, as an associate focusing on intellectual property
litigation.
Kevin S. Sandstrom joined Eckberg, Lammers, Briggs, Wolff &
Vierling, Stillwater, Minn., as an associate practicing in civil
litigation and municipal law.
2006Connie I. Armstrong joined Lind, Jensen, Sullivan &
Peterson, Minneapolis, as an associate.
Ethan O. Beattie has opened the Law Offi ce of Ethan O. Beattie
in Durham, N.C., practicing in immigration and naturalization
law.
Anthony D. Johnson has joined Blaney & Ledin, Lake Elmo,
Minn., focusing on commercial litigation, construction, employment,
and probate.
Mathew R. Korte joined Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi,
Minneapolis, as a litigation staff attorney.
Jacqueline J. Williams joined Parsinen Kaplan Rosberg &
Gotlieb, Minneapolis.
2007Brock P. Alton joined Gislason & Hunter, Minneapolis,
practicing in commercial litigation and transaction matters.
Larry McDonough 83 Receives Minnesota Justice Foundation
Distinguished Service AwardLarry McDonough received the 2008
Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota Justice Foundation
(MJF) for his outstanding contributions to the community. A
practicing attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis since
1986, McDonough is the managing attorney of the organizations
housing unit and represents low-income clients in housing and
consumer law. He also has taught as an adjunct professor at area
law schools, including William Mitchell. The MJF awards committee
cited McDonoughs passion for representing individuals and families
in need and his commitment to sharing that passion through teaching
law students.
-
Class Notes
28 Mitchell on Law
Christina K. Brusven, associate at Fredrikson & Byron,
Minneapolis, received the fi rms Inspiring Effi ciency Leadership
Award.
Andrew J. Budish joined Kretsch & Gust, Edina, Minn., as an
associate practicing in business transactions and litigation.
Monica A. Kelley joined Moore, Costello & Hart, St. Paul, as
an associate practicing in the employee benefi ts group.
Anne K. Lindberg joined Kretsch & Gust, Edina, Minn., as an
associate. She will focus on business and civil litigation.
Doering S. Meyer joined the U.S. Department of State as a
foreign service offi cer and will be a vice consul at the U.S.
Consulate General in Calgary, Alberta.
Naomi M. Morgan and Ann M. Waldon opened Morgan and Waldon, West
St. Paul, Minn., practicing in criminal defense, family law, and
estate planning.
Jeffrey A. Muszynski joined Lind, Jensen, Sullivan &
Peterson, Minneapolis, specializing in general litigation and
appeals.
Katherine L. Reed joined Charlotte Allen, Midland, Mich., as an
associate.
Erin Sindberg Porter joined the litigation practice at Greene
Espel, Minneapolis.
2008William R. Asp joined Best & Flanagan, Minneapolis, as
an associate practicing in commercial litigation, business law, and
private wealth planning.
Joshua B. Axzen joined Reyelts & Bateman, Duluth, Minn., as
an associate.
Megan E. Bjerke joined Nilles Law Firm, Fargo, N.D., as an
associate practicing in civil litigation and insurance defense.
Joshua A. Bobich joined Halleland Lewis Nilan & Johnson,
Minneapolis, as an associate.
Nina L. Carranco joined Winthrop & Weinstine, Minneapolis,
as an associate in legislative and regulatory law.
Sandi L. De Boom joined Gray Plant Mooty, Minneapolis, as an
associate in the fi rms corporate and business groups.
Christine L. Eid joined Parsinen Kaplan Rosberg & Gotlieb,
Minneapolis, as an associate in personal legal planning.
Rachel M. Engebretson joined Fishman, Binsfeld & Bachmeier,
Bloomington, Minn., as an associate practicing in family law.
Patrick M. Fenlon joined Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly,
Minneapolis, as an associate in the business litigation group.
Lori L. Frank joined Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson,
Minneapolis, as an associate focusing on patents.
Theresa M. Gerlach opened the Law Offi ces of Theresa Gerlach in
Hastings, Minn. Her practice focuses on family law, wills, and
trusts.
Mary H. Harens is of counsel at Larson King, Minneapolis.
Karolina M. Konczyk joined Johnson & Turner, Forest Lake,
Minn., as an associate practicing family law, civil litigation, and
criminal defense.
David J. Krco joined Beisel & Dunlevy, Minneapolis, as an
associate.
Mitchell Alumni Serving in Iraq William Mitchell wishes a safe
return to alumni deployed to Iraq as part of the Judge Advocate
Generals Corps (JAG) with the Minnesota Army National Guards 34th
Infantry Division. They are Jennifer F. Beck-Brown 03, assistant
Hennepin County attorney; Thomas K. Hagen 96, assistant
commissioner, Minnesota Department
Pictured: Jennifer F. Beck-Brown 03, assistant Hennepin County
attorney
Class Notes
of Commerce; Judge Fred Karasov 83, Hennepin County District
Court; Mark P. Richardson 04, Elk River High School (Minn.)
teacher; Devin P. Smith 05, Oakdale, Minn., attorney; and Gregory
S. Uhl 00, St. Paul attorney. Brainerd, Minn., attorney Jerry B.
Steinke 97 is not with JAG, but is deployed in the Middle East.
-
Class Notes
29Spring 2009 Read the magazine online @
www.wmitchell.edu/alumniSpring 2009
Keep Us Posted: Send your Class Notes updates to
[email protected] or fi ll out the online form at
www.wmitchell.edu/alumni. You can also fax 651-290-7502, call
651-290-6370, or mail your updates to Mitchell on Law, 875 Summit
Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105. We (and your classmates) look forward to
hearing from you!
Mitchell Celebrates Outstanding Alumni at DeParcq Leadership
DinnerLinda Miller 76 and Professor Douglas R. Heidenreich 61
received alumni awards for their outstanding achievements at the
Annual Leadership Dinner in honor of William H. DeParcq 30 on Oct.
23, 2008. Named for the prominent Minnesota personal injury lawyer
who died in 1988, the dinner honors Mitchell alumni and friends who
are leaders in serving the
college or the community. Miller, founder and executive director
of Civil Society, received the Honorable Warren E. Burger
Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes graduates who
demonstrate the highest values and ethical standards in serving the
community. Heidenreich, a current Mitchell
professor and former dean, received the Honorable Ronald E.
Hachey 43 Outstanding Alumni Award, which recognizes exemplary
professional accomplishment and commitment to the school.
Courtney A. Lawrence joined Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben,
Minneapolis, as an associate practicing in plaintiffs personal
injury litigation.
Joseph S. Miller joined Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly,
Minneapolis, as an associate in the business litigation group.
Jessica M. Nault joined Southern
Michael E. OBrien joined Regan Tax Law, Minneapolis, as an
associate.
Martin R. Paavola has joined Otten & Seymour, Burnsville,
Minn., practicing in personal injury and criminal defense.
Jacob R. Phillips joined the Energy & Environmental Research
Center at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, as project
manager in intellectual property management.
Elizabeth J. Roff joined Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak
& Pikala, Minneapolis, as an associate specializing in
insurance defense litigation.
The 2008 William H. DeParcq Leadership Dinner was held at the
Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.
Minnesota Regional Legal Services, St. Paul.
-
30 Mitchell on Law
A childhood love of baseball and his grandfathers stories
inspired James H. Johnson to write his fi rst book, Dummy Hanson,
about a deaf baseball pitcher who played in Minnesota during the
early 1900s. Johnsons grandfather played amateur baseball with
Esten Dummy Hanson and used to regale his grandson with stories
from the baseball fi eld. Johnson, a Kerkhoven, Minn., native,
taught high school history and coached athletics in Elbow Lake,
Minn., before enrolling at William Mitchell. Now retired, he
practiced law in St. Cloud and Benson, Minn., and served as the
Swift County attorney.
James Johnson 61 Publishes Book on Deaf Baseball Pitcher Dummy
Hanson
2008 Marilynn Johnson
Rhonda A. Seefeld joined South Country Health Alliance,
Owatonna, Minn., as corporate healthcare compliance
coordinator.
Chris M. Tymchuck joined Zelle Hofmann, Minneapolis, as an
associate focusing on business and insurance coverage
litigation.
Letty M. Van Ert joined the law fi rm of Tuft & Arnold,
Maplewood, Minn., as an associate practicing in family law, estate
planning/elder law, and criminal law.
Benjamin A. Wagner joined Regan Tax Law, Minneapolis, as an
associate.
Andrea B. Wing joined Iverson Reuvers, Bloomington, Minn., as an
associate practicing in civil litigation, municipal law, estate
planning, and probate.
Cynthia S. Wingert joined Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly,
Minneapolis, as an associate in the business litigation group.
Sene M. Zupke joined Kraft Walser Hettig Honsey & Kleiman,
Olivia, Minn., as an associate in real estate, probate, estate
planning, and litigation.
Class Notes
Alumni Appointments and ElectionsWilliam Mitchell congratulates
the following alumni elected in 2008 to the Minnesota House of
Representatives: Torrey N. Westrom 03, seventh term, District 11A;
Thomas E. Emmer 88, third term, District 19B; Joseph E. Atkins 91,
fourth term, District 39B; Bobby Joe Champion 95, fi rst term,
District 58B; and Jean C. Wagenius 83, 12th term, District 62B.
Congratulations to the following alumni elected as judges in
Minnesota district courts in 2008: Gail M. Chang Bohr 91, fi rst
term, 2nd District; Lawrence E. Agerter 68, sixth term, 3rd
District; Nancy J. Logering 85, second term, 10th District; and
Robert B. Varco 74, second term, 10th District.
Congratulations to three alumni appointed as Minnesota district
court judges by Gov. Tim Pawlenty last fall: M. Michael Baxter 91,
1st District; Michele A. Davis 98, 10th District; and Caroline H.
Lennon 89, 1st District.
Class Notes
-
1930Gretchen M. Pracht (Minnesota College of Law), 99, Edina,
Minn., died Dec. 6, 2008. Attorney specializing in adoptions and
welfare issues for 40 years; former vice president