About Us
Session/Law reports on the latest in Minnesota law & governance.
Covering Minnesota law and politics for three decades
Kevin Featherly, Session/Law’s owner and primary writer, has covered Minnesota law and politics since the early 1990s. He has spent the last five years with the Minnesota Capitol press corps, covering the legislative committees on judiciary, public safety, civil law and data practices, as well as the executive branch. He also has covered key court decisions and other developments in the judiciary. Those areas are also his news beat at Session/Law.
Barbara L. Jones, former editor of Minnesota Lawyer and co-contributor to Session/Law, has just as much journalistic experience as Kevin. For Session/Law, she focuses on important judicial arguments and rulings. She is not just a brilliant veteran reporter and editor, she is an attorney who brings her unique training and expertise to bear here, from a legal practitioner’s perspective.
“Whatever branch of government you are watching—executive, legislative or judicial—get the inside scoop from Session/Law. Thorough, thoughtful coverage coming right to your inbox.”
“Session/Law empowers each reader with the key facts and insights to stay in the know. When you want to know the stories that matter most to Minnesotans, make sure you check out Session/Law.”
“As a lawyer and ex-politico, I value the insights of both Kevin Featherly and Barbara Jones in their quality reporting. Kevin captures the authenticity—and human side—of the political players, and he brings humor to ironies often inherent in politics. On complicated legal issues, Barbara delves more deeply than traditional media by raising unique questions, often resulting in different answers. Their digital publication is a welcome addition to our local media.”
“Kevin Featherly has a sure touch when it comes to covering legal matters in Minnesota courts and the Legislature. I rely on Session/Law to let me know when major cases are decided and key bills and political maneuvering can affect the rights of Minnesotans.”
Session/Law’s roots
Deep understanding of Minnesota
After spending the early years of his career in California, Kevin Featherly—owner and chief contributor to Session/Law—moved to Minnesota in 1993. He has sunk deep roots there, developing innumerable connections and cultivating many sources over the years. He has dabbled in everything from industry consulting to video production, podcasting and blogging, but at heart he always will be a reporter. Session/Law is a product of that life-long dedication.
Three decades of experience
Featherly is a former managing editor with Washington Post Newsweek Interactive and former news editor for McGraw-Hill’s Healthcare Informatics. In 1996, he was a founding staff member at Channel 4000, WCCO-TV’s pioneering website, and he helped launch a similar site at Los Angeles’ KCBS-TV the following year. Featherly has published thousands of news stories, features and commentaries, with emphasis on public policy, law and technology. Publications include Delta Sky, Editor and Publisher, Online Journalism Review, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonpost.com, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Monthly, Utne Reader, City Pages, Minnesota Law and Politics and numerous others.
“Session/Law is a must read news source covering the inner workings of the Legislature and the courts. They dive deep into stories that most news sources aren’t covering.”
“Session/Law is my go-to when I need to know what’s happening at the Capitol. Especially when it comes to public safety/judiciary issues, I can always depend on Kevin to break down the complex issues into common sense language that most people can understand.”
“Kevin Featherly’s Session/Law is a valuable source for legislative and judicial news. His reporting is always accurate, concise and it is an essential blog for keeping up with legislative news in this busy time. I highly recommend Kevin’s blog for those interested in policies and laws.”
“Kevin Featherly and Session/Law delivers some of the most incisive, in depth analysis of legislative and court news that I’ve seen. When you want to know what the major news outlets will cover tomorrow, you read Session/Law today.”
Why we do this
Kevin Featherly
Owner, chief contributor
In 7th grade I got a creative writing assignment. I wrote a short story that really was just a bad imitation of the sci-fi yarn, “The Omega Man” (except for some reason I made my main character a former Heisman Trophy winner). My teacher showered it with praise. I was hooked. I would become a writer! But how to get paid? Journalism! I still feel like there’s a novel kicking around in my head, but I remain a reporter. What I didn’t know as a kid was that I was born to tell stories—or if you want to get fancy about it, relate truths. I have a curiosity that sometimes borders on obsessive—just ask my wife about my three-year Civil War reading jag. It seems native to my character that I want to know things—about political systems, about the law, about people—and to share and explain what I learn. I guess that’s why I do this. Seems a better alternative than forcing people to look at my vacation photos.
Barbara L. Jones
Co-author
I was in journalism school at the University of Minnesota in about 1974 when the mass communications law professor, Don Gilmor, suggested I consider law school. The thought had never entered my mind, I didn’t know any lawyers. I considered it for a couple of years and then took the LSAT. I graduated from (then) William Mitchell College of Law in 1982. I enjoyed practicing law but I enjoyed writing more, and began with Minnesota Lawyer in 1999 when it spun off from Finance & Commerce. I am very fortunate that I found a way to combine both my interests, and I have such a great time talking to and getting to know lawyers. I also have been a faculty mentor at the University of St. Thomas Law School and an adjunct professor at Hamline University School of Law. Teaching is the best way to learn.
