Appointed/Elected:
Appointed by Governor Mark Dayton on Oct. 20, 2014. Elected in 2016 and 2022. Current term expires Jan. 2029.
Education:
- University of Minnesota, double major- Psychology/English, B.A.
- William Mitchell School of Law, J.D. cum laude
- Mock trial team regional winner, national placement third, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1985
Past Employment:
Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office
- Assistant Hennepin County Public Defender, Oct. 1985-1996
- Senior Attorney, 1996-2014
- Supervised Felony/Juvenile/Misdemeanor, 1996-2008
- Supervision on Serious Felonies, 2008-2012
- Complex conflict case supervision, 2012-2014
Professional Memberships:
- Inns of Court
- MN Women’s Lawyers Association
- Minnesota District Judges Association member or alternate since 2015
- Criminal Jury Instruction Guide committee, 2016-present
- Minnesota District Judges Foundation education committee, 2015-present
- Co -Chairperson of the Judges Handbook since 2019
- Dakota County Pretrial screening committee, 2016-2020
Professional and Community Activities:
- Past President/Board of Directors, Minnetonka Anchor Club
- All American Swimmer, University of Minnesota, 1980
- Big Ten Champion, 200 free relay, 1980, University of MN
Additional Information:
- Adjunct professor, William Mitchell School of Law
- Advocacy class, 1990-present
- Advanced Advocacy, 1994-present
- Legal Practicum class, 1994-present
- Appellate Advocacy, fall 2012-present
- Advanced Constitutional Criminal Procedure, 1994
- Adjunct grading, Constitutional Law Powers and Liberties, 2018-present
- Mock trial coach, American Association for Justice and Texas Young Lawyers Association competitions, since 2006
- Hybrid Advocacy and Hybrid Appellate Advocacy, intermittent classes since 2018
- Hamline University School of Law Advocacy Class adjunct, 2003-2015
- Lead faculty and Co-Director, North Regional Trial Skills Program, National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), 1998-2015
- Program Director, NITA North Regional Program, 2015-present
- Faculty member, National NITA, 2008-2013
- Co Author; “DW’s Cautionary Tale;” William Mitchell Law Review, Vol. 37, No 2; 2011
- NITA Blog Post; Jury Selection Part 3: Don’t Pick Your Friends For A Jury; April 23, 2014