Background
French, John Dwyer was born on June 26, 1933 in Berkeley, California, United States. Son of Horton Irving and Gertrude Margery (Ritzen) French.
French, John Dwyer was born on June 26, 1933 in Berkeley, California, United States. Son of Horton Irving and Gertrude Margery (Ritzen) French.
Bachelor summa cum laude, University of Minnesota, 1955; postgrad, University of Oxford, England, 1955-1956; Bachelor of Laws magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1960.
Law clerk, Justice Felix Frankfurter, Supreme Court of the United States Court, 1960-1961;
legal assistant to commissioner, Federal Trade Commission, 1961-1962;
associate, Ropes & Gray, Boston, 1962-1963;
associate, Faegre & Benson, Minneapolis, 1963-1966;
partner, Faegre & Benson, Minneapolis, 1967-1975;
managing partner, Faegre & Benson, Minneapolis, 1975-1994;
chairman management committee, Faegre & Benson, Minneapolis, 1989-1994. Member adjunct faculty Law School University of Minnesota, 1965-1970, member search committee for dean of College of Liberal Arts, 1996. Member Executive Committee Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, since 1978.
Co-chairman United States District Judge Nominating Commission, 1979. Vice chairman advising committee, member director search committee, chairman devel.office search committee Hubert Humphrey Institute, 1979-1987.
Chairman or co-chairman Minnesota State Democratic Farm Labor Party Convention, 1970-1990, 94, chairman Mondale Volunteer Committee, 1972, treasurer, 1974. Associate chairman Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, 1985-1986. Member Democratic National Committee, 1985-1986.
Member Democratic National Convention, 1976, 78, 80, 84, 88. Trustee Twin Cities Public television, Inc., 1980-1986, member overseers committee to visit Harvard University Law School, 1970-1975, 77-82. Chairman Minnesota steering committee Dukakis for President, 1987-1988.
Member Secretary of State's Commission on Electoral Reform, Minnesota, 1994. Member Mayor's Commission on Regulatory Reform, Minneapolis, 1995. With United States Army, 1955-1956.
Member American Bar Association (editorial board journal 1976-1979, commission to study federal trade since 1969), Minnesota Bar Association, Hennepin County Bar Association, Judicial Council Minnesota, Lawyers Alliance for Nuclear Arms Control (national board directors 1982-1984), University Minnesota Alumni Association (executive committee 1985-1987, vice president 1989-1991, president 1991-1992, Volunteer of Year award 1988), Phi Beta Kappa.
Married Annette Richard, 1955. Married Berna Jo Mahling, 1986.