Nearly 100 lawyers, judges, and state and local bar leaders gathered in Bemidji (9th Judicial District) on March 22 for the MSBA’s One Profession event. The day-long conference, hosted by the MSBA and the 14th and 15th District Bar Associations, was part of a series of similar events being held throughout greater Minnesota to discuss the issues and opportunities affecting legal communities across the state.
The Bemidji event, introduced by MSBA President Paul Godfrey, featured a keynote talk by Dr. Michele Statz, an anthropologist of law and assistant professor at UMN Medical School/Duluth. Statz led a spirited conversation about access to legal services in the Northland. She was joined by Tamara L. Yon, assistant chief judge for the 9th Judicial District, who talked about the challenges of recruiting judges in her district; Karin Ciano, executive director of the Collaborative Community Law Initiative, who discussed draft legislation that she co-authored seeking to forgive student debt for attorneys who agree to live and work in greater Minnesota; Kelly Asche, a researcher for the Center for Rural Policy and Development, who talked about the reasons why families move to rural communities; and Leann Fuith, dean of career and professional development at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, who discussed how blended legal education—part online and part on-campus—is helping communities keep their local talent.
Justice G. Barry Anderson presented recent Minnesota Supreme Court cases, and Judges Heidi Schellhas and Renee Worke gave updates from the court of appeals. CLE breakout sessions covered employment law, legal technology, criminal law, and more.
Upcoming One Profession events will be held in the 3rd Judicial District (Rochester, April 26), the 7th (Long Prairie, May 17), and the 10th (Coon Rapids, July 11). The 1st Judicial District event will be held on October 25 at a location to be determined. Visit www.mnbar.org/one-profession for details.