Leadership & Board

Our Executive Director and Board of Directors are responsible for the daily operations and governance of LegalWise respectively.

Meet Executive Director Carla Tourin

Thank you for your interest in LegalWise, Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s incubator program for graduates who want to open solo or small community-based practices. Operating since 2013, first as the Bricker Lavik Community Law Firm, then as the Collaborative Community Law Initiative (CCLI), the program was originally a standalone non-profit organization housed in a brick-and-mortar building in the Twin Cities. In this early iteration, the program provided resources to graduates opening practices in the Twin Cities area, who were able to avail themselves of CCLI’s office space, in-person mentoring and networking opportunities, and interface with colleagues.

Like so many legal incubator programs across the nation, LegalWise became dormant during the COVID shutdowns. It re-launched in March of 2023 as a virtual program available to all Mitchell Hamline graduates. While we no longer have a brick-and-mortar presence, we are able to expand our ability to serve as a resource for our graduates who want to launch their own solo and small practices in service to their communities, wherever they are located.

Past LegalWise advocates have successful practices throughout Minnesota serving clients with a wide range of legal needs, from Animal Law to Wills, and everything in-between, including Criminal Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, and General Civil Practice (see our Attorney Referral page for more details).

Due to the expansion of our service area outside of Minnesota, we are thrilled to be talking with a group of potential advocates that includes a student who wants to open the only legal practice in her rural Alaska hometown serving the Native American and local communities, a graduate who wants to serve his community in Appalachia, and a graduate who wants to provide estate planning services and education to her community in urban Indianapolis in an effort to close the racial wealth gap. In addition to our experienced Board of Directors and Mitchell Hamline staff, our past advocates and nationwide alumni network are on-hand to provide support and resources to the newest members of LegalWise.

We are proud to serve as a resource for community-based legal services both to new solo/small practitioners as well as to those who are looking for affordable and accessible legal services – wherever Mitchell Hamline graduates are hanging a shingle.

All the best,

Carla Tourin, J.D. ’09
Executive Director, LegalWise

Our Board

  • Peter B. Knapp has been involved with LegalWise from the very first planning meeting in 2013. He is a Professor of Law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where he has taught since 1989, and where he served as Interim Dean and President during the 2019- 2020 academic year. He has taught Evidence, Torts, Civil Advocacy Clinic, and Advocacy, the College’s required courses in basic trial and appellate skills. He and Prof. Michael Steenson serve as the co-reporters for the Minnesota Civil Jury Instruction Guide. Before joining the faculty at Mitchell Hamline, Prof. Knapp practiced law with Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly.

  • Senior Assistant Director, Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility

    I've practiced in Biglaw, small law, government, and academia. In 2011, I found myself starting my own practice alongside my former law students doing the same, which made me realize how essential it is for all new solos to have support.

    Done right, solo and small firm practice not only is incredibly fun and rewarding, but also is the most effective way to serve underserved communities. I'm proud of Mitchell Hamline for its active support of graduates who want to start their own practices, and honored to be part of the LegalWise community.

  • Attorney at Kate Z. Graham, PLLC

    Kate is an attorney practicing in the areas of estate planning, elder law, and probate, with a special focus on farm succession planning. She has a solo law practice based in Roseville, Minnesota and enjoys helping other attorneys find success in solo and small firm practice.

    Kate received her Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell College of Law. In addition, Kate earned an LL.M. in agriculture and food law from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.