ST. PAUL, MN – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today it is recommending four candidates to Governor Mark Dayton for consideration to fill the current vacancies in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District. The vacancies were created upon the retirement of the Honorable James T. Swenson, and the resignation of the Honorable William J. Fisher upon his appointment to the United States Bankruptcy Court. These vacancies will be chambered at Minneapolis in Hennepin County.
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, and also serves as a mediator and arbitrator. 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 has been a volunteer mediator for the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and is the Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment.
Lisa Janzen: Lisa Janzen is a managing attorney in the First Judicial District Public Defender’s Office, where she supervises attorneys in the Dakota County Adult Criminal Division and also serves as the public defender representative in the Dakota County Adult Drug Court. She has previously been a solo practitioner, and an assistant public defender and managing attorney in the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender’s Office. Ms. Janzen is a high school mock trial competition judge, participates in the University of St. Thomas Law School Mentor Program, and has served as a volunteer attorney for Veterans Stand Down.
Judge Ann O’Reilly: Ann O’Reilly is an Administrative Law Judge in the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings. Previously, she was an attorney and shareholder at LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A., an adjunct judicial officer for the Hennepin County Probate/Mental Health Division, and a judicial law clerk to the Honorable John Sommerville. Judge O’Reilly is a member of the Judiciary Committee of the Minnesota State Bar Association, and previously was a member of the Professional Enrichment Committee, the Nominations Committee, and the Parity Taskforce of Minnesota Women Lawyers.
Christian Sande: Christian Sande is the principal attorney at Christian Sande LLC, where his practice includes securities fraud and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration, class action lawsuits, and commercial litigation. Previously, he was an attorney at Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P. Mr. Sande is a GED tutor in North Minneapolis through the Minnesota Literacy Council, serves on the Board of Directors of Consumer Credit of Minnesota, volunteers as a high school mock trial judge through the Minnesota State Bar Association, and is the Chair of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
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.
