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Banquet

Annual Banquet

The Minnesota Law Review Annual Banquet celebrates the hard work of Editors and Staffers to publish the Minnesota Law Review and presents an opportunity for current members to engage with MLR alumni and other advocates, policymakers, and scholars from across the Twin Cities.

Volume 107 is reviving the Annual Banquet, and we are excited to celebrate with everyone in-person for the first time since 2019!

This year’s Banquet programming includes a number of exciting features, including: A cocktail hour and buffet dinner; welcome remarks from Dean Garry Jenkins; presentation of Student Awards and the MLR Distinguished Alumni Award; remarks by Volume 107 and Volume 108 Editors-in-Chief; and keynote remarks by Dan Weiner, Director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program.

The portal to purchase tickets or table sponsorships is now available. Any inquiries about the program or sponsorships may be directed to the Banquet Committee Chair, Lucy Chin, at chin0138@umn.edu.

Keynote Presentation Speaker, Dan Weiner

Daniel I. Weiner, a Minnesota native, serves as director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program, where he leads work on money in politics, voting and elections, government ethics, and other democracy and rule of law issues. He has authored a number of nationally recognized reports and law review articles on election law and related topics. He also writes and comments regularly for media outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, Politico, Slate, the Daily Beast, CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, and National Public Radio. He has testified before Congress, state legislatures, and other governmental bodies, and regularly provides legal and policy advice and other assistance to leaders in Washington and across the country.

Weiner previously served as senior counsel to Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub at the Federal Election Commission, including during her term as chair of the commission in 2013. In this role, Weiner assisted with managing the agency and advised the commissioner on a broad array of legal issues under federal campaign finance law, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the First Amendment. Before his service at the FEC, Weiner practiced law in the Washington office of Jenner & Block, LLP, where he litigated cases at the trial and appellate levels, counseled regulatory clients, and maintained an active pro bono practice focused on LGBTQ+ rights.

Weiner received his JD from Harvard Law School, after which he clerked for the Honorable Diana E. Murphy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He graduated magna cum laude with honors from Brown University with a degree in history. Outside of his work at the Brennan Center, Weiner has presided over attorney discipline cases as a hearing committee chairman for the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility.

Volume 107 Banquet Sponsors

Minnesota Law Review’s Volume 107 Banquet would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you to following firms and organizations for their support of this event:

Gold Sponsors:

  • Fredrikson & Byron P.A.

Silver Sponsors:

  • Jones Day

Bronze Sponsors:

  • Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP

Others Sponsors:

  • UMN Professional Student Government

If your firm or organization would be interested in serving a a sponsor for this event, please reach out to Banquet Committee Chair, Lucy Chin, at chin0138@umn.edu, to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Minnesota Law Review Volume 107 is now accepting nominations for the 2022–2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards to be presented at the Law Review Annual Banquet. We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of fellow Law Review members together at our Annual Banquet.

Created by the Volume 89 Board of Editors, the Distinguished Alumni Awards are granted each year by the current Board of Editors at the annual spring banquet. We ask Law Review alumni to nominate other alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to the profession and to society. Please tell us about colleagues who should be considered for an award this year by nominating them via this form or via email at mnlawrev@umn.edu.

 

Nominations

Nominations should be brief, but should contain:

Your name
Nominee’s name
Volumes the nominee participated in publishing
No more than 100 words why you believe the nominee should be honored

 

Past Recipients

2020 Award Recipient

  • Gregory Brooker

2019 Award Recipients

  • Nancy Brasel

2018 Award Recipients

  • Amy Bergquist ’07 (Vol. 91)
  • Barry Feld ’69 (Vol. 53)

2017 Award Recipients

  • Nicole A. Saharsky ’02 (Vols. 85–86)
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie E. Hudson ’82 (Vol. 65)

2016 Award Recipients

  • David Potter
  • Professor Grant Nelson

2015 Award Recipient

  • Mark Traynor

2014 Award Recipients

  • Tom Cranna
  • Brad Keil

2013 Award Recipients

  • The Honorable Donald Alsop
  • John Gould

2012 Award Recipients

  • Cheryl Heilman (Vols. 64–65)
  • Joseph M. Price (Vols. 55–56)

2011 Award Recipients

  • Allen I. Saeks (Vols. 38–39)
  • James D. Steiner (Vols. 55–56)

2010 Award Recipients

  • Ralph Strangis (Vols. 42–43)
  • Lee R. Mitau (Vols. 55–56)

2009 Award Recipients

  • Philip S. Garon (Vol. 55–56)
  • Ronald J. Schutz (Vol. 65)

2008 Award Recipients

  • The Honorable Diana Murphy
  • The Honorable David Doty

2007 Award Recipients

  • The Honorable Myron Bright
  • Sam Kaplan
  • John Mooty

2006 Award Recipients

  • James T. Hale
  • Robert A. Stein
  • The Honorable John R. Tunheim

2005 Award Recipients

  • The Honorable William C. Canby, Jr.
  • Stanley Efron
  • Professor Joyce A. Hughes
  • Richard G. Lareau
  • Vice President Walter F. Mondale