Samuel D. Heins

Outstanding Achievement Award Recipient

Law School, March 4, 2010

Samuel D. Heins received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1968 and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1972. He is described as one of Minnesota's most talented and successful plaintiffs' lawyers. Through his leadership, Minnesota is considered a leading center for the protection and promotion of human rights. In 1993, he founded Advocates for Human Rights, an organization that documents human rights abuses, represents individual victims, educates on human rights issues, and provides training and technical assistance to address and prevent human rights. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the Center for Victims of Torture and in developing the profession of human rights work. He served as the first chairperson of the Board of Directors for both the Advocates for Human Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture. In addition to his human rights work, he has been a successful legal practitioner in complex litigation, particularly in security fraud and antitrust class actions. His law firm, Heins, Mills & Olson, has served as lead or co-lead counsel in dozens of class actions including, the Time Warner Securities Litigation in which he was lead counsel and represented the Minnesota State Retirement System. He is also a dedicated and generous supporter of the University of Minnesota. He supports scholarships in the name of the professor who contributed most to his legal education (Professor Donald Marshall) and he has endowed the Heins Human Rights Fellowship Fund.

Biographies are as-of time of award presentation.