ST. PAUL, MN – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today it is recommending five candidates to Governor Mark Dayton for consideration to fill the current vacancies in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District. The vacancies were created upon the retirements of the Honorable Herbert P. Lefler and the Honorable John Q. McShane, and the appointment of the Honorable Diane B. Bratvold to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. These vacancies will be chambered at Minneapolis in Hennepin County.
Shereen Askalani Clemens: Ms. Askalani Clemens is an Assistant Ramsey County Attorney, where she works in the Prosecution Division primarily handling criminal sexual conduct, felony domestic assault, and homicide cases. Previously, she was an Assistant Ramsey County Attorney in the Juvenile and Child Support Divisions, a law clerk in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, and a senior law clerk in the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office. Ms. Askalani Clemens is the immediate past President of the Minnesota State University, Mankato - College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Board, volunteers as a Minnesota high school speech and debate judge, is a mentor for Minnesota Women Lawyers and at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and previously served on the Minnesota Supreme Court Juvenile Rules Committee.
Thomas J. Conley: T.J. Conley is a solo practitioner at the Law Office of Thomas J. Conley, where he handles employment discrimination cases and business disputes involving non-competition and confidentiality agreements, trade secrets, and contractual matters. Previously, he was a partner at Leonard, Street and Deinard, P.A., an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas Law School, and an attorney at Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance. Mr. Conley is a volunteer mediator for the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Loft Literary Center.
Charlene Hatcher: Ms. Hatcher is the Chief Civil Deputy Hennepin County Attorney, where she is the chief advisor and negotiator to the County Attorney for all county department legal issues. Previously, she was the managing attorney of the Human Services Division and assistant county attorney in the Civil Division in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, associate counsel at H.B. Fuller Company, special assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, and a business litigation associate at Robins Kaplan LLP. Ms. Hatcher was a volunteer at Simpson’s Women’s Shelter, a medical mission team member in Cairo, Egypt, a Service Information Center volunteer, and a Sunday school teacher at Substance Church.
Mark Kappelhoff: Mr. Kappelhoff is an Associate Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School and Special Counsel in the Civil Rights Division in the Office of the Assistant Attorney General of the of the U.S. Department of Justice. Previously, in the Civil Rights Division he was a Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Criminal Section. He was also a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and served as an Assistant Public Defender. Mr. Kappelhoff serves on the Women's Foundation of Minnesota's MN Girls Are Not For Sale Committee and is on the Board of 180 Degrees, Inc.
Monte Miller: Mr. Miller is an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney in the Criminal Division handling felony cases. He is also a military judge in the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary of the Department of the Navy. Previously, he was a military prosecutor in the Office of Military Commissions of the Department of Defense, an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, and General Counsel in the Office of Character Development at the United States Naval Academy. Mr. Miller is a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve, a member of the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association Enrollee Appeals Committee, and a member of the Coaches Advisory Committee for the Wayzata Youth Hockey Association.
Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District consists of Hennepin County.
An announcement of the appointments will be made following an interview process over the next few weeks.
