Skip to Main Content

NEWS

Minnesota Lawyer Features Maslon UPLIFT in an Article Titled, "Maslon mock trial program takes on education gap"

January 10, 2018

Minnesota Lawyer featured Maslon UPLIFT in a January 10, 2018, article titled "Maslon mock trial program takes on education gap," which details the new mock trial program Maslon launched at St. Louis Park Middle School in October 2017. The article discusses who is participating in UPLIFT, what the students have learned, and the ways the program is working to engage students to think about higher education and a career.

"We're trying to give these kids the opportunity to learn about the profession, about criminal justice, and the court system, but also [to develop] really deep, strong speaking skills and analytical skills, and to foster a long-term vision for themselves through high school and into college," Catherine Ahlin-Halverson, Public Interest Counsel at Maslon and founder of Maslon UPLIFT, shared. The program currently has about 30 student participants who have been learning "why the justice system exists, why it's organized the way it is, who the players are, and about how a courtroom and a trial work."

Assistant principal Jason Boll notes, "About 45 percent of the school's 1,040 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders are students of color" adding "We're really big on racial equity, and this has been totally just a great partnership in that regard. As a middle school, we're always looking to do some more college and career-readiness stuff."

"It's my intention that we'll have two schools next year," Catherine said. "It's our goal that the program will grow in terms of the number of students we serve and the number of volunteers who get involved."

To read the full article, go to: Minnesota Lawyer, "Maslon mock trial program takes on education gap."

Maslon UPLIFT is led by Catherine Ahlin-Halverson, a former partner who transitioned to the role of Public Interest Counsel in 2016 specifically to spearhead Maslon's mock trial program for local students and to serve as a mentor and leader across the firm’s pro bono efforts overall. With more than 60 years dedicated to strengthening both the legal profession and the community, Maslon is proud to stand behind the mission and values of the UPLIFT program.

In addition to leading the mock trial program, Catherine serves as a mentor and leader across all of Maslon's pro bono efforts to address the rising incidence of unmet legal needs among the disadvantaged. Prior to becoming Public Interest Counsel, Catherine was a partner, practicing in the areas of complex and class action litigation for 16 years.


DISCLAIMER

Thank you for your interest in contacting us by email.

Please do not submit any confidential information to Maslon via email on this website. By communicating with us we are not establishing an attorney-client relationship, and information you submit will not be protected by the attorney-client privilege and cannot be treated as confidential. A client relationship will not be formed until we have entered into a formal agreement. You should also be aware that we may currently represent parties whose interests may be adverse to yours, and we reserve the right to continue to represent them notwithstanding any communication we receive from you.

If you would like to discuss possible representation, please call one of our attorneys directly or use our general line (p 612.672.8200). We can then fully discuss our intake procedures and, if appropriate, introduce you to an attorney suited to assist with your matter. Alternatively, you may send us an email containing a general inquiry subject to these terms.

If you accept the terms of this notice and would like to send an email, click on the "Accept" button below. Otherwise, please click "Decline."

MEDIA INQUIRIES

We welcome the opportunity to assist you with your media inquiry. To ensure we do so properly and promptly, please feel free to contact our representative below directly by phone or via the email option provided. We look forward to hearing from you.

Emily Gurnon, Marketing Communications Manager | Office: 612.672.8251 | Mobile: 651.785.3616

EMAIL DISCLAIMER

This email is intended for use by members of the media only.

Please do not submit any confidential information to Maslon via email on this website. By communicating with us we are not establishing an attorney-client relationship, and information you submit will not be protected by the attorney-client privilege and cannot be treated as confidential. A client relationship will not be formed until we have entered into a formal agreement. You should also be aware that we may currently represent parties whose interests may be adverse to yours, and we reserve the right to continue to represent them notwithstanding any communication we receive from you.

If you would like to discuss possible representation, please call one of our attorneys directly or use our general line (p 612.672.8200). We can then fully discuss our intake procedures and, if appropriate, introduce you to an attorney suited to assist with your matter. Alternatively, you may send an email containing a general inquiry subject to these terms.

If you are a member of the media, accept the terms of this notice, and would like to send an email, click on the "Accept" button below. Otherwise, please click "Decline."