SPRING 2004 Scholarships The Law School’s Lifeblood Thank You Donors 2004 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS DEAN Alex M. Johnson, Jr. EDITOR Terri Mische EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Mickelene G.Taylor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mary Alton Marty Blake Dan Burk Cheryl Casey Bradley Clary Harriet Carlson Jonathan Eoloff Contents SPRING 2004 Amber Fox Susan Gainen 2 Burl Gilyard THE DEAN’S PERSPECTIVE Bobak Ha’Eri Katherine Hedin Betsy Hodges 3 FACULTY FOCUS Joan Howland Connie Lenz Faculty Research & Development Marty Martin Faculty Scholarship Meleah Maynard Todd Melby Kathryn Sedo Nick Spilman 18 FACULTY ESSAY Carl Warren Susan Wolf Light Thoughts and Night Thoughts Judith Younger on American Marriage PHOTOGRAPHERS Judith T.Yonger Bobak Ha’Eri Dan Kieffer Tim Rummelhoff 22 FEATURES Diane Walters Scholarships The Law School’s Lifeblood DESIGNER Todd Melby Jennifer Kaplan, Red Lime, LLC The Human Face of Legal Education The Law Alumni News magazine is published twice a year, by the Meleah Maynard University of Minnesota Law School Office of External Relations.The magazine is one of 32 the projects funded through the LAW SCHOOL NEWS membership dues of the Law Moot Court Teams Achieve Best Results in Alumni Association. History of Program Correspondence should be to: [email protected] or Law Law Library’s Millionth Volume Alumni News Editor, N160 Mondale Hall, 229 19th Avenue Second Annual Law School Musical South, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0400. 52 The University of Minnesota is ALUMNI COMMONS committed to the policy that all Distinguished Alumni persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities and employ- Cover photo courtesy of Class Notes ment without regard to race, col- Dan Kieffer. Not all or, creed, religion, national origin, scholarship recipients are pictured. In Memoriam sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status or sexual orientation. Dean’s Perspective s I approach the end of my second year as Dean of this wonderful Law School, I continue to reflect on the changes that have taken place since my first tenure as a member of the law faculty (1980–1982) some two decades ago under Bob Stein’s leadership. Of course, the world has changed tremendously since I initially joined the faculty in 1980, and the Law School has changed as well.There are, however, some constants: a• Although some faces have changed, this continues to be a superb teaching and scholarly faculty.Although the legendary J.J. Cound, Leo Raskind, David Bryden, Bob Levy and others have attained emeritus status and no longer actively teach, we are still fortunate to have great teachers and scholars like Professors Ann Burkhart, Laura Cooper and Dan Gifford, all of whom were appointed or reappointed to endowed chairs/professorships in the Law School this academic year. • Obviously the students have changed since 1980 (along with the hairstyles), yet we are still blessed with some of the brightest, nicest, and most hardworking students in the country. Indeed, the LSAT and UGPA statistics place our students among the top ten percent in the country, and that may understate their abilities. • Our recently remodeled clinic space allows our world renowned clinic faculty (now totaling seven) to continue to operate at a high level and to provide most of our students with practical training that is integral to producing exceptional lawyers. • Our law library, led by Kathleen Price in 1980 and expertly today by Associate Dean Joan Howland, continues to be ranked in the top 10 (actually 8th) and deservedly so, as it approaches the acquisition of its one millionth volume this fall. • As I travel within the Twin Cities,the state, around the country, and beyond, I continue to be amazed at the loyalty and level of alumni support for this institution and the reverence and respect the Law School generates among DEAN ALEX M. JOHNSON, JR. non-graduates as well. Of course, there have been new challenges and we have weathered those changes successfully.As I have mentioned prominently in my visits with alumni and in previous columns, our state support has diminished to the point where only approximately ten percent of our budget next year will come from public funds.When our charges, taxes, and fees are taken into account, we will remit almost as much to the University as we will receive in state support. In addition, although we are saddened to see valued and respected faculty members depart, we take solace and joy from welcoming new faculty members who will continue the tradition of scholarly excellence established by their predecessors. What does all of this mean? The Law School, like any dynamic organization or entity, is not and cannot, become static.To do so, is to accept complacency and mediocrity. Like most organizations, the Law School must change with the times in order to maintain its prominence. However, we must remain committed to our core values of excellence in teaching and scholarship, our mission of integrating practice and theory in the pursuit of excellence, and the pro- duction of ethical lawyers.As long as we do so, we will maintain and improve our place in legal academe. To persevere in this time of record budget deficits we are forced to adapt to a new reality in which the Law School will be supported through increased tuition (and we hope increased scholarships to offset the burden on students) along with increased alumni support. And so, as I conclude my second year as your Dean, I look back with awe at the changes that have taken place, not only in the last two decades, but those that have taken place in the last two years.We have withstood a significant financial hit and yet have emerged a stronger and better Law School. We here at the Law School are grateful for your past support and hope you will continue to partner with us to maintain and continue our tradition of excellence. Dean and William S. Pattee Professor of Law Julius E. on a host of projects connected to her Professor Ann M. Davis Profes- primary interests of labor law and Burkhart sor of Law; workplace dispute resolution. rofessor Ann M. Burkhart spe- Burkhart is cializes in real estate law. One of currently the In recent years, Cooper has noted Pher current topics of research is Curtis Brad- some distinct trends in labor law. studying and analyzing the increasing bury Kellar “There’s certainly an increased privati- nationalization and globalization of real Professor of zation of dispute resolution.The kinds estate law.“Property law traditionally Law. She’s of issues that were fought about in a has been the exclusive province of the stayed at courtroom are now largely resolved in states. But with the enormous growth ANN M. Minnesota a private setting. I think it’s quite an of the secondary mortgage market, BURKHART for a number irreversible trend,” says Cooper.“The increasing pressure exists from the fed- of reasons. other main change is the de-emphasis eral government and from the mort- “The thing I on collective resolution of workplace gage market for standardizations of law like best about the Law School is the disputes and an emphasis on individual and mortgage lending practices,” says world-class faculty, who are extraordi- resolution.” Cooper notes that labor Burkhart. In the secondary mortgage narily smart and collegial,” reflects law tends to be less abstract than other market, the primary lender sells the Burkhart.“We have outstanding stu- areas of legal scholarship:“People feel loan, thereby generating more cash to dents who make the classroom a joy, these issues very personally. Students make additional loans. and we have a dean with a vision for bring to the classroom a lot of personal the future of the law school that will experience.” “Because the secondary mortgage put us in excellent position for the market has been so successful at gener- years ahead.” Professor ating capital within this country, coun- Cooper cur- tries throughout the world are begin- “Our law library and reference staff are rently serves ning to copy our methods,” adds the best in the country.The faculty’s as Chair of Burkhart.“In fact, more than 40 coun- and students’ achievements would be the Labor tries around the world have enacted much less without their assistance,” says Law Group, legislation within the past ten years to Burkhart.“And I’m glad that the law an interna- permit mortgage securitization.” students can assist the community tional associ- through our clinics, work with the leg- ation of labor Burkhart has co-authored several islature, and the work of our legal and employ- books on real estate law, including institutes, such as the Institute on Race LAURA J. ment law Fundamentals of Property Law, the sec- & Poverty.” COOOPER scholars, ond edition of which was published in founded in 2004.“I‘m also working on articles Professor Laura J. 1953. concerning the duty to provide hous- Approximately 50 law professors in the ing to the homeless and segregation in Cooper U.S., Canada, and Europe belong to housing and education,” says Burkhart. wenty-five years ago, Professor the organization, which collaborates to Laura Cooper made history. In publish textbooks on labor and Burkhart, who earned her law degree 1979, she became the first employment law. She’s coeditor of the T forthcoming Labor Law Stories and is from the University of Illinois, joined woman to ever receive tenure at the the Law School faculty in 1982. She University of Minnesota Law School. updating her 2000 co-authored case- served as Associate Dean for Academic Cooper first joined the University fac- book, ADR in the Workplace. Cooper is Affairs from 1989 to 1991. During the ulty in 1975.