FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 30, 2021
Contact: Claire Lancaster
claire.lancaster@state.mn.us
651-402-8841
Commission on Judicial Selection Recommends Second Judicial District Candidates to Governor Walz
[ST. PAUL, MN] – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today it is recommending three candidates for consideration to fill a vacancy in Minnesota’s Second Judicial District. The vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable Lezlie Ott Marek. The seat will be chambered in St. Paul in Ramsey County.
Anthony Brown: Mr. Brown currently serves as a corporate counsel at ECMC Shared Services, a part-time public defender for the Dakota County Public Defender’s Office, and the owner of Capitol City Law Group, LLC, where he represents individuals in both civil and criminal matters. Previously, Mr. Brown practiced at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, LLP and clerked for the Honorable Michael J. Davis in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. His community involvement includes serving as a board member, and former co-chair, for the Innocence Project of Minnesota, and participating in a community group designed to help ex-offenders, primarily black men, succeed in life while in the community.
Andrew Gordon: Mr. Gordon is the Deputy Director of Community Legal Services at the Legal Rights Center (LRC), where his responsibilities include the direct representation of indigent clients in criminal and delinquency courts, the supervision of the LRC’s community centered legal work, and advocacy for the empowerment of communities of color, immigrant, and other marginalized communities. Mr. Gordon has litigated complex legal issues and tried cases across a wide spectrum of charges and situations. He has served as a mentor to newer attorneys and students in a variety of different capacities and currently works on several committees—alongside criminal justice partners and other system stakeholders—on issues of racial justice, equity, and access to justice. Born and raised in Jamaica, Mr. Gordon is a Board Member of Green Card Voices, a local non-profit dedicated to empowering and uplifting the voices of immigrants.
Katherine (Katie) Moerke: Ms. Moerke is an Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, where she serves the public interest by regulating and enforcing matters related to nonprofit organizations, charitable solicitations, and charitable trusts. Previously, Ms. Moerke was a partner at Stinson LLP, where she handled complex civil litigation in state and federal courts in Minnesota and throughout the United States. While in private practice, Ms. Moerke also provided pro bono legal services to help low-income individuals with divorces, custody disputes, and other family law matters. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable James M. Rosenbaum in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Ms. Moerke has mentored junior attorneys and students and worked to increase diversity in the legal field, including judging moot courts and leading the women partners’ group at Stinson. Ms. Moerke’s community involvement includes previously serving on the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund Board.
For inquiries concerning the application process, please contact the Office of the Governor and Lt. Governor at Judicial.Selection@state.mn.us.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit our website: https://mn.gov/governor/administration/judicialappointments/
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