Senior Judge Lawrence R. Johnson
Senior Judge Lawrence R. Johnson

Education:

Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 1966-67

  • Phi Eta Sigma, academic honor society

Rochester State Jr. College, Rochester, Minnesota, 1967-68

University of Minnesota, B.A. 1970

  • Major: Journalism
  • Dual Minors: History, Political Science
  • Kappa Tau Alpha, journalism honor society

University of Minnesota Law School, J.D. 1975

  • Magna cum laude
  • American Jurisprudence Awards in Real Estate, Estate Planning, Insurance and Bankruptcy

National Judicial College, November 9, 2001, University of Nevada at Reno, General Jurisdiction Course

Professional Status:

Admitted to practice before the courts of:

  • State of Minnesota
  • United States District Courts for the State of Minnesota
  • United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Minnesota
  • United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • United States Tax Court
  • United States Supreme Court

Certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association as a specialist in real property law, 1990 - 2002

Career Synopsis:

Appointed April 2, 2001, by Gov. Jesse Ventura- Judge of District Court, Anoka County, MN

  • Elected in 2002, 2008, and 2014. ​Retired on Mar. 31, 2018. Appointed and assigned to serve statewide as Senior Judge from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025.
  • Anoka County Law Library Board of trustees 2001-Present
  • 10th Judicial District Finance/Administration Committee 2002
  • Anoka County Community Corrections Advisory Board 2002-Present

January 1991 - March 31, 2001 - Barney, Guzy & Steffen, Inc.

  • served as director, chief financial officer, member of management committee and chairperson of the commercial/business division
  • practice concentrated in the following areas:
    • real estate purchase, development and land use
    • common interest ownership communities
    • financing of real estate development
    • structuring of business organizations
    • representation of borrowers and lenders in loan transactions

January 1983 - December 1990

  • Partner/Shareholder in Steffen & Munstenteiger, P.A., and predecessor firms
  • served as President of Steffen & Munstenteiger and primary negotiator for merger with Barna, Guzy, Merrill & Hynes, P.A.
  • also served as chief financial officer of Steffen & Munstenteiger, P.A.,  and predecessors
  • served as chairman of the commerical/business division of Steffen & Munstenteiger, P.A., and predecessor firms

January 1980 - December 1982

  • associate attorney with Steffen, Mynstenteiger, Bearse, Beens, Parta & Peterson

May 1978 - December 1979

  • employee with West Publishing, Inc.
  • duties to review and write summaries of decisions of all courts, including the United States Supreme Court

October 1975 - May 1978

  • Associate attorney with Babcock, Locher, Neilsen and Menalla of Anoka, Minnesota
  • duties included family law, business law, wills, real estate, bankruptcy and prosecution for cities, including Champlin, St. Francis, Andover, Centerville and Lino Lakes

September 1972 - October 1975

  • law school education
  • independent contractor for various law firms and law clerk during the summer of 1974 for UDS Leasing Company

June 1970 - September 1972

  • Employed by Rochester, Minnesota, Post-Bulletin
    • started as copy editor and advanced to assistant news editor
    • as assistant news editor, had authority for editorial production in absence of news editor

Civic and Professional Activities:

Anoka County Bar Association 1975 - present

  • served in all offices, including president
  • member of Real Property Section

Minnesota State Bar Association

  • member, Real Estate Section
  • member, Business, Banking and Corporate Law Section

Judicare of Anoka County, Inc.

  • served as director and officer from 1978 - 1983

Anoka-Coon Rapids Optimist Club 1982 - 1990

  • president in 1984-85, and also served as director, secretary and treasurer

Coon Rapids Rotary Club

  • member since September 1991, served in all offices

Coon Rapids Charter Commission

  • member since 1991 - 1997
  • served as vice chair

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Foundation

  • member June 1990 - June 1996, including one term as president

Mercy/Unity Hospitals Board of Trustees

  • 1997 to 2001
  • finance committee - 1997 - 1999
  • chair, development committee - 2000 - 2001

Allina Health System

  • audit committee - 1999 - 2001

Guest speaker/teacher

  • Fridley High School
  • Anoka High School
  • Coon Rapids High School
  • Anoka Ramsey Community College
  • North Hennpin Chamber of Commerce
  • National Association of Public Purchasing Agents
  • 1998 Real Estate Institute of Minnesota Bar Assn.
  • 2002 Landlord/Tenant CLE program

U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society 1999 - present

Central Minnesota Development Company - a SBA certified development company

  • director 1999 - 2001