St. Louis Park, MN - —mentor to many, organizer, trailblazing jurist, gifted teacher, and devoted mother and grandmother—passed away on December 24, 2025.

A retired judge, champion rider, public speaker, lecturer, business owner, and world traveler, Cara Lee lived a life defined by leadership and service. She was known for her good spirit, professional excellence, and her commitment to opening doors for others.

Cara Lee was raised in Cannon Falls, MN, before attending five high schools in four years. After high school, she lived and skied in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Palisades Tahoe, California, before returning to Minnesota where she attended the University of Minnesota and earned her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law, where she was the first woman elected president of the student body.

Following law school, Cara Lee served as both an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney and an Assistant Public Defender, experiences that shaped her deep respect for fairness, the rule of law, and love of trial lawyers! In 1983, she was appointed to the bench, beginning a judicial career that spanned almost 30 years, before obtaining senior judge status. After retiring from the bench, she founded and became President of an alternative dispute resolution business, where she found great joy in helping people resolve conflict.

A leader within the legal profession at every level, Cara Lee's influence was vast. She was active in the American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, Hennepin County Bar Association, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and was a Founding Mother of the Minnesota Women Lawyers. Her many leadership roles included serving as an Officer of the American Bar Association, President of the National Association of Women Judges, Chair of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, first woman President of the Amdahl Inn of Court, and the first woman President of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association. Cara Lee served for more than 30 years in the American Bar Association House of Delegates where she was the first woman elected as Minnesota State Delegate. She held positions on numerous boards, including the International Law Section of the ABA, Rule of Law Initiative, and the Board of Directors of the American Judicature Society, among many others.

One of Cara Lee's greatest passions was traveling the world to lecture on the importance of the rule of law, human rights, and the importance of judicial independence, particularly in developing countries and emerging democracies. She was involved in delegations and lectured in Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Moldova, Myanmar, The Hague/Netherlands, Poland, Rwanda, Scotland, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Ukraine, and many more places—leaving a lasting impact wherever she went.

Throughout her accomplished life, Cara Lee received countless honors. Among those she held most dear were:

- 100 Graduates Who Made a Difference from William Mitchell College of Law

- The Honorable Warren E. Burger Distinguished Alumni Award from William Mitchell College of Law

- Minnesota State Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award

- Minnesota State Bar Association Professional Excellence Award

- Myra Bradwell Award from Minnesota Women Lawyers

- #1 Best Mediator in the Minnesota Lawyer reader rankings

While her professional achievements were many, family was always her greatest joy. Cara Lee was a loving mother to her two sons, Michael Miller (Mackenzie) and Joshua Miller (Laycee), and a proud grandmother to Quinn, Leo, Hayden, and Lochlyn. She cherished time spent with them.

Outside of work, Cara Lee loved skiing, horseback riding (especially a nice 5-gaited Saddlebred!), dogs, socializing, and spirited conversations about politics with her wide circle of friends across the globe. She will be remembered for her courage, humor, mentorship, and her deep belief in justice and the rule of law.

Cara Lee Neville opened doors for countless others—and made sure they stayed open.

In that spirit, A Celebration of Life will be held on January 24, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Kieran's Irish Pub, 85 N 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN.