Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Established in 2015 Mitchell Hamline School of Law stands as a testament to legal education. It’s a product of a merger. William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law combined. This created a powerhouse in Minnesota’s legal landscape. Mitchell Hamline’s history stretches back even further. It’s built on the foundations of several earlier law schools. These schools all existed in the Twin Cities area. They were originally evening programs. This made legal education more accessible. The St Paul College of Law was the first of these schools. It was founded in 1900. Five Ramsey County attorneys established it. They envisioned an alternative to the University of Minnesota Law School. Three of these founders were transplants from the East Coast. They included Hiram F Stevens and Ambrose Tighe. These men were graduates of prestigious law schools. Another founder Moses Clapp served as Minnesota Attorney General. He later became a U S Senator. The St Paul College of Law’s first class had just twenty students. Tuition was $60 per year. It moved several times over the years. One of its early professors was Harry Blackmun. He later became a Supreme Court Justice. Four Minneapolis law schools also merged into William Mitchell College of Law. These schools faced financial struggles. They frequently changed locations. The merger with the St Paul College of Law helped solve their problems. This merger formed William Mitchell College of Law in 1956. The name honored William B Mitchell a prominent jurist. The merged school needed a new permanent home. They eventually built their own facility. They initially used spaces in various locations across both St Paul and Minneapolis. Over the next decades William Mitchell expanded. They added a new classroom building and the Warren E Burger Law Library. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor helped dedicate the library. In 2000 Governor Jesse Ventura declared a William Mitchell Centennial Week. The school became known for its commitment to social justice. It refused to allow military recruiters on campus. This was in protest against the Solomon Amendment. In 2015 Mitchell Hamline was born. This created one of the largest law schools in the Midwest. Mitchell Hamline continues its legacy of providing high-quality legal education. It also offers many opportunities for experiential learning. Its alumni have achieved great success. Many serve in the judiciary and government. They represent the excellence of this institution. So here we stand before Mitchell Hamline School of Law a place of legal learning and leadership.