LEGAL EXPERIENCE:

Judge, Minnesota Court of Appeals

• Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson in 1998; elected in 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018. Retired in 2019. Appointed to serve as Court of Appeals Senior Judge through June 30, 2025.
• Member of a 19-person court with statewide jurisdiction of appeals from all final decisions of the administrative agencies and the district courts, with the exception of first-degree murder convictions, legislative or statewide election contests, workers’ compensation cases, and tax cases.

Rider Bennett, LLC, Minneapolis, MN   1985 – 1998

• Partner 1992 – 1998; Associate   1985 – 1991
• Management Committee Member   1992 – 1995
• Practice focused on civil trial work in the areas of railroad, insurance, product liability, and employment law.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Minnesota Supreme Court Civil Appellate Rules Committee, Chair   2008 – present

Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society Board of Directors   2011 – present

• Vice-chair   2018-2019
• Secretary    2017-2018

Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards   2009-2017

• Appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2009; reappointed by Governor Mark Dayton in 2012
• Chair   September 2013 – December 2014

Minnesota Supreme Court Juvenile Delinquency Rules Committee   2001 – 2004
 
Minnesota Supreme Court Constitution Day Committee   1999 – 2003
 
YMCA Youth in Government Board   2013 – present
 
William Mitchell College of Law Alumni Board of Directors   1990 – 1996; 2006 – 2011
 
William Mitchell College of Law Board of Trustees   2011 –  present
 
American Board of Trial Advocates

• Inducted   1997
• President, MN Chapter   2000
• National Board Representative   2006 – 2016
• Judicial Independence National Committee Co-Chair   2010 – 2016

International Society of Barristers

• Inducted   1997

Warren E. Burger Inn of Court

• Member   1989-1991; 1999 – present
• Group Leader   1999 – present
• President   2003 – 2004

Minnesota State Bar Association   1985 – present

• Civil Litigation Section Governing Council   1994 – 2015
• Chair   2005 – 2006
• Secretary   2004 – 2005
• Treasurer   2003 – 2004

Adjunct Faculty Member

• William Mitchell College of Law   1998 – present
• Hamline University School of Law   2002 – 2004

AWARDS:

William Mitchell College of Law, Distinguished Alumni/ae Award   1998

Minnesota State Bar Association, Civil Litigation Section, Advocate’s Award   2018
 

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Lay Care Ministry – Seniors, Christ Presbyterian Church   2009 – 2015

Everybody Wins Minnesota, Reading Volunteer

• Benjamin E. Mays Elementary School, St. Paul, MN   1999 – 2016

Minnesota Court of Appeals Annual Dorothy Day Center Cookout Co-Chair

Minnesota Court of Appeals Shakopee Correctional Facility Law & Literature Program

Memorial Blood Bank, Volunteer Donor

South View Middle School, Edina, MN

• Career Day Parent Coordinator   1997 – 2002

Hospice, Boulder, CO, Volunteer on Grief Counseling Team   1977 – 1981

EDUCATION: 

William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, MN

• J.D., cum laude   1985
• Semi-finalist, 1984 Client Counseling National Competition

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

• M.A., Guidance and Counseling   1976

University of California, Davis, CA

• Counseling Practicum   1975 – 1976

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

• B.A., Sociology with Secondary Teaching Certification   1971