Mitchell on Law
Winter 2008WILLIAM MITCHELL COLLEGE OF LAW MAGAZINE SAINT PAUL | MINNESOTA
Scholarships Change Lives: Profile of Teri Carlisano 2L
Full-time student Teri Carlisano, the recipient of several scholarships and mother of two pre-teens, says the scholarships she received were a key factor in attending Mitchell.
By Lisa Harden
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Teri Carlisano 2L
Measuring the Difference
As a young girl, Teri Carlisano tuned in every afternoon to WCCO radio’s “Point of Law” segment.
The deep-voiced announcer presented a legal problem, broke for a commercial, and then came back with the judge’s decision. The segment was sponsored by Sieben, Gross, Von Holtum & Carey.
“When I was little, I wanted to be a lawyer. Then I changed my mind because I didn’t want to fight for a living,” she says. ”I don’t like winning at the expense of others.”
As an undergrad, Carlisano studied in Austria and East Germany. She earned a bachelor’s degree in management and German and a masters of international management and went to work in the import/export business, traveling frequently to Europe. She met with European artisans who handcrafted glass items in their basement studios and German factory workers who produced limited edition nutcrackers while working for Midwest of Cannon Falls, the Minnesota-based distributor of seasonal gifts.
After a successful 10-year career, Carlisano stayed home to raise her three children. Eight years later, she revived her childhood dream and began exploring other ways to resolve conflicts besides litigation. She attended an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program though Pepperdine Law School in London and Geneva and found an area of law that fit her desire to make a difference.
Today, Carlisano’s life has come full circle. The third-year student at William Mitchell College of Law is receiving a scholarship whose contributors include a founding partner of Sieben, Gross, Von Holtum & Carey—the law firm that sponsored the radio segment she listened to as a child in the 1970s. She also received Mitchell’s Presidential Scholarship and the Honorable Elizabeth Hoene Martin ’80 Scholarship Endowment for Women, created by Judge Hoene Martin and her husband, David G. Martin, with private gifts and matching gifts from Martin’s employer, Medtronic.
“When I’m in my ADR classes at Mitchell, I feel like I am in the right place,” Carlisano says. “My interest is in conflict resolution. Litigation is only one way to resolve conflict.”
Carlisano is also doing an externship at the Erickson Mediation Institute, helping people through divorce. “Alternatives to litigation, like mediation, are particularly appropriate in the family law setting, where the parties must maintain an ongoing relationship.”
As a former Minnesota Trade Association board member, Carlisano sees a link between ADR and her international background. “In my previous career, I helped people from different cultures reach common goals despite frequent obstacles to communication,” she says. “Similarly, I hope to use my conflict resolution skills to help people with different perspectives reach productive agreements.”
Carlisano, a two-time Twin Cities marathoner and dedicated volunteer at her children’s school, chose Mitchell because it fits her busy life. She has appreciated flexible scheduling options which have allowed her to maximize her time with her family.
“As I look forward to my career, I want to make a difference and still maintain my life balance. That’s non-negotiable.”
For more information about creating a scholarship at William Mitchell, contact Lisa C. Barton '97 by emailing lisa.barton@wmitchell.edu or call (651) 290-6357.