Camille Davidson beams as president and dean of Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
“Today we celebrate Mitchell Hamline.”
Camille Davidson beamed saying these words as the newly installed president and dean of Mitchell Hamline School of Law, presidential medallion glinting against her robes as she delivered her inaugural remarks. On Wednesday, Oct. 16, Davidson’s installation ceremony at the Landmark Center in St. Paul celebrated the rich legacy of Mitchell Hamline while looking toward its next chapter under Davidson’s leadership.
Each speaker of the night recognized the essential role of Mitchell Hamline in Minnesota’s legal landscape, including Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, who gave the keynote address.
“Mitchell Hamline is a special place. It is a jewel in our legal community, and that’s because it is more than an institution of learning. It is a beacon of hope and opportunity in Minnesota’s legal community,” Hudson said. “It is a place where students are molded into advocates for justice, and a place that has consistently been on the cutting edge of curricular reform and one that is focused on preparing its graduates for the current and future challenges of the legal profession.”
The school’s reputation for innovation and forward-thinking has gained national renown. In her role as executive director and CEO of the Association of American Law Schools, Kellye Testy works with the deans of all law schools across the country, and Mitchell Hamline stands out.
“This school has been a model for all of us in legal education for demonstrating particularly that excellence is not dependent on any one delivery mode for legal education but can be widely available to students in a variety of modes that meet their diverse learning needs. Certainly during the pandemic especially, we were all in the debt of this law school to help us all learn to adjust,” Testy said, lauding the blended-learning program Mitchell Hamline implemented in 2015, the first ABA-approved law school to offer an online/on-campus J.D. “As distinguished as your history has been—and it is—your future is even brighter, because tonight you install, as your president and dean, one of the most respected leaders in legal education, Camille Davidson.”
Prior to Mitchell Hamline, Davidson served as dean and professor of law at Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School, where she secured the largest gift in the university’s history. She also spent 11 years as a professor and administrator at Charlotte School of Law and Wake Forest University School of Law and worked as an attorney for 14 years, in both the public and private sectors. She took over as president and dean at Mitchell Hamline on July 1 from Jim Hilbert, the school’s interim leader.
“So how does a Mississippi native end up in Minnesota?” Davidson asked, to laughter from the audience. “My answer quite simply has been: Mitchell Hamline School of Law represents all that I believe the study of law should be. A perfect blend of theory and practice, along with multiple pathways to provide opportunity and access to the profession. The only way to true access to justice is to train people to serve their communities.”
Mitchell Hamline School of Law represents all that I believe the study of law should be.
This mission has been a core part of Mitchell Hamline since its roots with the founding of St. Paul College of Law in 1900. As a night school with tuition set at $60, this first predecessor school allowed working individuals to pursue the study of law at a time when law school was reserved for only the most elite individuals, Davidson said. Through combinations and name changes, Mitchell Hamline’s commitment to providing opportunities to those who may not have had them otherwise has grown, graduating many legal trailblazers along the way.
The accomplishments of Mitchell Hamline’s alumni demonstrate a principle that Chief Justice Hudson holds dear—that the law is not just a profession, but a noble calling to serve others.
“Mitchell Hamline has been and continues to be a critical institution for training the leaders who uphold our justice system not only in Minnesota but across the country,” she said. “Its graduates are serving in law firms, public offices, and nonprofit organizations, and they are deeply embedded in the fabric of our state’s legal community. This law school has shaped countless advocates for justice who have gone on to make a profound difference in our legal system.
“Simply put: When Mitchell Hamline thrives, Minnesota’s justice system thrives.”
Mitchell Hamline stands on the legacy of almost 125 years, and Davidson said she is prepared to lead the institution into a bright and thriving future. “Join me today,” she said at the conclusion of her remarks, “in toasting Mitchell Hamline as we shine our light in Minnesota and beyond.”
Davidson is the third president and dean of Mitchell Hamline, which was formed in 2015 with the combination of William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law. She is the first Black woman to hold these roles at the school or any of its predecessor institutions. Mark Gordon served as president and dean of Mitchell Hamline from 2015 to 2019, and Anthony Niedwiecki led the school from 2020 to 2023.
The installation ceremony also featured musical selections from Sounds of Blackness and remarks by community leaders including Greg Buck ’87, chair of the Mitchell Hamline board of trustees; Melvin Carter, mayor of the City of St. Paul; Samuel Edmunds ’07, president of the Minnesota State Bar Association; and video remarks from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
