After graduating from law school, Caitlinrose Fisher ’15 spent a few years immersed in appellate practice. As a student, she was a summer law intern at the United States Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General, where she worked on merits cases before the United States Supreme Court. She clerked for the then-Chief Judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Sidney Thomas, in Billings, Montana, and then returned to her hometown of Minneapolis to clerk for the late Diana Murphy ’74 of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. After clerking, she spent a few years at Greene Espel in Minneapolis before co-founding her current law firm, Forsgren Fisher McCalmont DeMarea Tysver. Fisher’s firm practices in the areas of trials, investigations, and intellectual property. 

Since law school, Fisher has remained an active member of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and is a current board member and past chair of LCL’s Board of Directors. Fisher says, “I’m a strong believer in the well-being of members of the judicial system.” 

For Fisher, one of the main reasons she gives is Minnesota Law’s world-class faculty. “Time and again, faculty went out of their way to create opportunities and experiences that set me up to succeed as a lawyer,” Fisher says. “I was taught both rigorous legal analysis and practical skills. The faculty is a large part of what drew me to Minnesota Law, and I want the same caliber of professors and educational experiences to be available to future students.” 

Fisher fondly remembers participating in the Mellouli v. Lynch case in connection with the Immigrant Law Center and the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic. “The student team was involved in all stages of the merits Supreme Court briefing, including strategizing with amicus,” Fisher says. “A group of us was able to attend oral argument at the United States Supreme Court. It was an amazing experience and, of course, wonderful to win in a case that had such a broad, positive impact for many individuals facing removal.” 

Hometown: Minneapolis 

Giving Level: Murphy Society, William B. Lockhart Club 

What won't we find on your resume?

I almost went to a music conservatory to study bassoon after graduating from high school, instead of pursuing a liberal arts college education. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to first-year law students?

Be kind to each other. Not only is it the right thing to do, but also the legal community is small. Your classmates will quickly become referral sources, clients, opposing parties, and decisionmakers. 

Ways to Give

There are many ways to give back to the University of Minnesota Law School. For more information, visit www.law.umn.edu/giving. Or send your gift directly to the University of Minnesota Foundation, P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis, MN 55486-0266, noting “Law School” in the memo line. 

Annual Fund

Student scholarships, clinics, and faculty support are just a few areas that benefit from annual gifts made to the Law School. Please contact Lizzy Beghelli, director of alumni relations and annual giving, at beghelli@ umn.edu or call 612-626-8671 to learn more about how you can support the Annual Fund.