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  • Department Honors, Research & Awards

    Legal Research

    Our Legal Studies students actively engage in legal research culminating in their Senior Seminar in Legal Studies or Practicum. Students have access to a first-class law library and an incredible array of electronic resources through Bush Library. We also provide Westlaw access to our students. 

    The students in our Senior Seminar produce legal scholarship in the form of a mini-law review article and present their research to their peers and Legal Studies faculty each semester. Some students’ work has been selected for publication in our department newsletter and at least one student has published in a national law journal:

    Jenna Yauch, When Home is Where the Hurt Is: Minnesota’s Address Confidentiality Program Keeps Battered Women Safer, 6 Dartmouth L. J. 217 (2008).

    Departmental Honors Student Research

    Students wishing to be considered for honors should begin discussions about their project with a Legal Studies faculty member early in their junior year. It is recommended that students have a GPA of 3.5 or better in the major. Students must submit a proposal to their faculty advisor as well as a portfolio of writing samples and personal statement.  Honors projects should exhibit distinctive scholarship, originality of thought, and a high degree of relevance to a major issue in the discipline. Project proposals must be approved by a majority of department faculty and on approval, submitted to the registrar. Students should request the Legal Studies Departmental Honors Guidelines for details on the proposal process, requirements, and project timeline.

    In addition to these Legal Studies Department guidelines, there are also University guidelines that must be followed. University guidelines can be found on the University Honors webpage.

    Recent Departmental Honors Projects include:

    Allison Capaul, An Examination of Prostitution and Sex Trafficking Laws within the United States (2013).
     
    Natalie M. Lamphier, Battered Lives: Addressing the Collateral Effects of Domestic Violence on College Campuses (2010).

    Jessica M. Eidsmoe, Arrested for Swearing: Why Minnesota Needs to Redefine Disorderly Conduct (2009).

    Joao da Fonseca, Law and Policy in Brazil: Protecting the Forest and Enhancing Communities (2008)

    Randi Williams, Evolving Issues in Tort Law (2007)

    Collaborative Research

    Legal Studies students may also consider engaging in collaborative research and applying to participate in the Summer Collaborative Research Seminar.

    2018 Legal Studies Departmental Awards  

    All awards are sponsored by SiebenCarey P.A.

    Jazlyn Bradley, Postbaccalaureate Legal Studies Departmental Service Award

    Laurence Caldwell, Legal Studies Departmental Service Award

     Matt Swartzer, Legal Studies Classroom Contribution Award

     Isreal Wilson, Outstanding Mock Trial Student Award

     Alex Schmidt, Legal Research and Writing Award

    Kelsey HendersonOutstanding Postbaccalaureate Student Award

    Meredith Badenoch, Outstanding Paralegal Internship Award

    Emily Salmon, Eliza Drew Prize

    Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX)

    Hamline's paralegal program participates in the American Association for Paralegal Education's (AAFPE) National Paralegal Honor Society, Labda Epsilon Chi (LEX). The purpose of LEX is to recognize persons who have demonstrated superior academic performance in an established paralegal program at an institution in good standing with AAFPE.

    Application to LEX

    At Hamline, students with the following qualifications may apply for LEX induction:

    • Paralegal certificate student in good standing with the university. 
    • Completion of all paralegal certificate requirements at time of induction.
    • Cumulative GPA 3.75 or higher (Hamline coursework only).
    • Commitment to the Hamline University mission statement.

    Students have the opportunity to apply for induction in the fall and spring of each academic year, and the legal studies faculty select exceptional students for induction at the department’s award and certificate ceremony.

    2017-2018 LEX Inductees

    Meredith Badenoch
    Jazlyn E. Bradley
    Kevin Deno
    Jennifer Rovick Idema
    Holly Lynn Hankins
    Catherine H.C. Kleindl
    Kelsey Henderson
    Emily N. Salmon
    Alexander P. Sharp
    Amy Marie Welch
    Thea Marie Anderson
    Laurie L. Pahssen