THE LEGAL WRITING
CORNER
Introducing Professor Kimberly Dasse
By Jennifer Cook and Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich
As we welcomed our newest class of students at the University of North Dakota ( UND ) School of Law this fall , we also extended a warm welcome to the newest faculty member of our Lawyering Skills Program – Professor Kimberly Dasse . In addition to teaching our required first-year sequence of Lawyering Skills courses , she will teach Transactional Drafting to our upper-level students in the spring . We are thrilled to have her , so let us introduce you to her !
Professor Dasse received her B . A . degree in political science from California Lutheran University and her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law . After law school , she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas J . Aquilino Jr . at the United States Court of International Trade . She then represented the state of New York in state and federal courts as an assistant attorney general .
Before transitioning to academia , Dasse spent 15 years in Hong Kong , where she accumulated substantial legal and teaching experience . While there , she practiced family law in local firms and served as an instructor for The Law Society of Hong Kong , providing training to the international legal community in the areas of anti-money laundering , fraud prevention , and conflicts and confidentiality . She joined the UND School of Law faculty after working as attorney development manager for Skadden , Arps , Slate , Meagher & Flom , in California .
In her new role as a law professor , Dasse has enthusiastically embraced her teaching , scholarship , and service obligations . Her dedication to enriching the educational experience of our students is evident both within and beyond the classroom . In the classroom , Dasse ’ s approach to teaching draws on best practices for legal education to prepare our students for the ethical and effective practice of law . Outside the classroom , she is actively involved in study abroad programming and will lead a group of students to Japan this summer for an immersive two-week program .
Dasse ’ s research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary . They encompass women ’ s rights , law firm culture , innovative teaching pedagogies , international law , wellness , and global ethics . She is currently researching the global status of menstrual rights as human rights and looks forward to contributing to this field .
When it comes to service , Dasse is a member of several key committees within the School of Law , including Strategic Planning & Budget ; Faculty Selection ; and Inclusion , Dialogue , Diversity , Equity , and Accessibility ( IDDEA ). She represents the law school on the University Senate , the University Council for Women +, and the university ’ s Faculty Mental Professor Kimberly Dasse Health Group , which she co-chairs . She also sings in UND ’ s choir , “ Hawks in Harmony .” Her engagement with professional organizations includes active participation in the Legal Writing Institute ’ s 2026 Conference Site Committee and Global Lawyering Committee .
We sat down with Dasse to talk about legal writing – here is what she said .
Why legal writing ?
What excites you about teaching the subject ?
Legal writing is foundational to all things “ lawyer ,” and I enjoy teaching this important skill to our 1Ls who are at the beginning of their journey in law school . I am privileged to walk with them part of the way .
Writing is fundamentally about the expression of ideas and , as a legal writing professor , I am , by necessity , exposed to many different areas of law . As my students and I work on various drafting projects , we discuss and debate the material . I find I learn as much as the students do , which I love .
It is also satisfying to see how the students develop over time . For instance , in class this week , one student remarked how excited he was to see what he has learned in only six weeks . I felt proud to be part of that process . Soon , I will see that student as a 2L who worked for a firm over the summer and used writing skills I helped him learn . There is no better feeling !
Jennifer Cook and Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich are faculty members in the Lawyering Skills Program at the University of North Dakota School of Law .
28 THE GAVEL