Camille Davidson was installed as the new president and dean of Mitchell Hamline School of Law on Wednesday — the first Black woman to serve in these positions for the St. Paul school or its predecessor institutions.
“Mitchell Hamline has a proud legacy spanning almost 125 years and a proud tradition as a beacon of opportunity and excellence,” Davidson said in remarks before the ceremony. “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to add to that history.”
Davidson took over on July 1 from Jim Hilbert, then-interim president and dean. According to school officials, she spent the first few months meeting with students, faculty, staff, alumni, board members and community partners.
Camille M. Davidson speaks to the crowd gathered at her installation as the third president and dean of Mitchell Hamline School of Law during a ceremony at Landmark Center in St. Paul on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (Ryo Hamasaki / Mitchell Hamline School of Law)
Wednesday’s event at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul included a keynote address by Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. Hudson previously was an assistant dean at Hamline University School of Law, which combined with William Mitchell College of Law in 2015 to form Mitchell Hamline.
Davidson, born and raised in Mississippi, graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., and earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She also served as a dean and professor of law at Southern Illinois University School of Law — where she also was the first Black woman to hold these positions. Davidson taught courses as a professor and administrator at Charlotte School of Law and Wake Forest University School of Law for 11 years.
Mark C. Gordon was Mitchell Hamline’s first president and dean from 2015 to 2019. After an interim period led by Peter Knapp, Anthony S. Niedwiecki was president and dean from 2020 to 2023, followed by Hilbert.
With its beginnings going back to 1900, Mitchell Hamline School of Law has more than 1,000 students and more than 50 full-time faculty on its Summit Avenue campus.
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