FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 28, 2022
Contact: Claire Lancaster
claire.lancaster@state.mn.us
651-219-2975
Governor Walz Appoints Elise Larson to Minnesota Court of Appeals
[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the appointment of Elise Larson to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Ms. Larson will fill the vacancy that occurred upon the retirement of the Honorable James B. Florey. This seat is designated for a resident of the Eighth Congressional District.
“I am excited to appoint Elise Larson to the Minnesota Court of Appeals,” said Governor Walz. “She is a remarkable attorney who has excelled at every stage in her career. Her extensive background practicing civil and administrative law – and her experience clerking for some of the region’s most renowned judges – has prepared her well for the bench.”
“Ms. Larson will be a tremendous addition to our judiciary,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “She is highly qualified, civic-minded, and has a passion for public service and equity. I am confident that she will be an excellent judge.”
“Elise Larson is smart, hardworking, collegial, and she has a keen understanding of how the law must make common sense and serve the best interests of the people,” said Paul Anderson, retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and former Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals. “She is also a bona fide daughter of Northern Minnesota, an area she has been selected to represent. She will be an excellent addition to the court.”
“Elise Larson is an outstanding choice to serve as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals,” said Chief Judge John R. Tunheim of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. “She combines a brilliant intellect, an ethic of hard work, and a genuine compassionate understanding of people. She will be a great leader in our judiciary in the years to come.”
“Elise Larson is one of the most adept legal minds I know,” said Kevin Lee, Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Energy Resources at the Department of Commerce and former State Policy Director for Blue Green Alliance. “As a former colleague, I saw firsthand how she was able to navigate through complex, technical litigation and administrative matters involving new and evolving areas of law, always keeping her eye on her commitment to her clients and the interests of justice. She will be an incredible asset to the Court.”
About Elise Larson:
Ms. Larson serves as the Water Program Director and senior attorney at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. She also is an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, where she teaches environmental law and supervises the Environment and Energy Law Clinic. Ms. Larson was previously a law clerk for Chief Justice Lorie Gildea on the Minnesota Supreme Court, Judge Myron Bright on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and Chief Judge John Tunheim on the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. She was also an attorney at Briggs and Morgan P.A., where she represented private-sector clients in complex litigation matters. Ms. Larson’s community involvement includes service on the United States District Court’s Federal Practice Committee, the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Appellate and Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Sections, and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources Trust Fund Citizen Selection Committee. Ms. Larson earned her B.A. from Concordia College and J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.
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