In light of the 2015 merger of William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law, Mark Gordon arrives at a key time as the first dean of the combined colleges. As the legal market changes, he believes that legal education needs to keep pace. Mitchell Hamline is seeing strong demand for its hybrid curriculum, a unique program nationally that allows students to complete up to half of their coursework online. He’s also looking to the medical school model, creating “residency” programs for third-year law students. Gordon is emphasizing hands-on experience and training to give students an edge in the job market upon graduation.