When Chad Nowlan ’24 began law school, he intended to focus on law related to education. Then he heard about the Gun Violence Prevention Clinic. It didn’t take long for the urgency of the clinic’s work and his passion for upholding gun laws to supersede his other interests. 

Through the clinic, Nowlan has argued several court cases in cooperation with the Minnesota Attorney General, including Minnesota v. Greenlee. In that case, the Second Judicial District Court agreed with Nowlan’s argument and upheld Minnesota gun laws that require a permit to carry a firearm in public and mandate that firearms have serial numbers. 

Nowlan, the first student to argue in front of a court on behalf of the clinic, was also part of the clinic team named one of Minnesota Lawyer’s Attorneys of the Year. 

“We have been very fortunate in the clinic to have a series of wins on a state level upholding state law,” says Nowlan, one of the clinic’s student directors. “Those have felt like victories. I do believe there are misapplications of current firearm regulations and disproportionate enforcement of them against Black and Brown individuals. Strong firearm regulations are our best bet for curbing gun violence, but the enforcement needs to be equitable and not fall along racial lines.” 

The clinic was launched in January 2023 by Megan Walsh, visiting assistant clinical professor of law. One of her goals with the clinic is to help students understand that there is something they, as lawyers, can do to affect the gun violence epidemic. 

Nowlan is a foundational part of the clinic, Walsh says. 

“Chad has a tremendous passion for gun violence prevention,” she says. “He comes at it as a former educator who has seen how his students and colleagues were affected in school settings by gun violence. This has become central to his life and his career. Chad is going to change the world one day with his lawyering.” 

As lead symposium articles editor of the Minnesota Law Review, Nowlan organized the journal’s annual symposium in fall 2023. This year’s symposium, “Aiming for Answers: Balancing Rights, Safety, and Justice in a Post-Bruen America,” focused on the future of gun violence prevention litigation. 

“Doing the work in court is great but hosting a space for conversations no one else wants to have but are important has become part of my passion,” he says. 

Walsh says she received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the symposium. 

“Chad was at the heart of it all,” she says. “He made it an incredible experience for the audience, the presenters, and the authors writing for the Minnesota Law Review.” 

A Massachusetts native with a B.A. in acting from Pace University and a master’s in higher education policy administration from Bowling Green State University, Nowlan was drawn to the law when he started working on Title IX and disability law in higher education. Eventually, he changed his focus to gun violence prevention, with Walsh as a mentor. Along with his clinical work, he has completed two successful summer internships with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He also interned with Brady: United Against Gun Violence in fall 2022. 

The stories he hears from victims of gun violence and their families motivate him in his work, which he considers a gift to be able to do. 

“I sincerely believe there is a future in which the everyday person doesn’t have to worry about gun violence,” he says. “Right now, that feels like a pipe dream. What’s worth fighting for is the idea I could leave this world or raise children in a world better than how I found it. I’m specifically thinking about it as it relates to firearms. I am happy to be a part of that fight.” 

Nowlan says he was initially drawn to Minnesota Law for its “stellar reputation.” So far, his time in law school and working with the Gun Violence Prevention clinic has exceeded his expectations. 

“It’s not something I ever would have imagined or dreamt of had I not come to Minnesota Law,” he says about his clinical work. “I feel I’m on this incredible path. Minnesota Law has met and exceeded all my expectations by opening all the right doors, equipping me with the right tools, and providing me with incredible mentorship opportunities. Great leadership is when those in charge are more focused on helping the next generation than just on their own success, and I found that to be true here in Minnesota.”