Paul C. Thissen

Appointment

• Press Release issued Tuesday, April 17, 2018: Governor Dayton Appoints Paul Thissen to Serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
• Press Release issued Wednesday, July 25, 2018: Thissen sworn-in as 95th Supreme Court Justice. 
• Jon Schmidt, ‘My first few months have been amazing’: An interview with Justice Paul Thissen of the Minnesota Supreme Court, 76 Minn. Bench & Bar 24 (Mar. 2019).  

Education

• J.D., with honors, University of Chicago Law School, 1992
• A.B., magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1989

Past Employment

• Minnesota State Representative, 2003-2018
• Speaker of the Minnesota House, 2013-2014
• Democratic House Leader, 2011-2016
• Chair of the Health and Human Service Committee, 2007-2010
• Ballard Spahr Law Firm (formerly Lindquist & Vennum), 2010-2018
• Briggs and Morgan Law Firm, 1993-2010
• Minnesota State Public Defenders Office, Appellate Division, 1998-1999
• Federal Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Clerking for the Honorable Judge James Loken, 1992-1993

Professional Memberships

• Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA)
• Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA)
• Executive Board Member, New Lawyers Division of the HCBA and MSBA
• Coach, MSBA Mock Trial Competition 

Professional and Community Activities 

• Healthy and Happy Kids, Member of the Board, 2015-present
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Trustee, 2011-2018
• Minnesota AIDS Project Policy Board, 2006
• Minnesota Justice Foundation, Member of the Board, 2000-2002
• Women of Nations Shelter, 1998-2000
• Access for Persons with Disabilities, Founder and Member of the Board, 1995-1997

Additional Information

• Top 100 Influential Minnesotans in Health Care; 2016, 2013, 2009
• Women's Economic Security Champion, 2015
• Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities Legislator of the Year, 2014
• Standing Ovation Award, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, 2014
• Minnesota High Tech Association Public Service Award, 2014
• Legislator of the Year, Politics in Minnesota, 2012
• ARRM Cares Leadership Award, 2009
• Minnesota Nurses Association, Public Official Award, 2008
• Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, Best Brains in the Twin Cities, 2008
• ARC Minnesota, Legislator of the Year, 2008
• "Forty Under 40" Top Twin Cities Professionals, Twin Cities Business Journal, 2006
• Civic Leadership Award from Citizen's League, 2005