Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Kerry W. Meyer, Jay M. Quam, and Susan M. Robiner to three trial court bench vacancies in the Fourth Judicial District in Hennepin County. The vacancies are as a result of the retirement of the Honorable LaJune Thomas Lange on February 21, 2006, the resignation of the Honorable Katherian D. Roe on March 22, 2006, and the retirement of the Honorable Catherine L. Anderson on May 1, 2006. Forty-eight people applied for these positions.

Meyer is an assistant Hennepin County Attorney in Minneapolis, a position she has held since 1992. She has been a prosecutor in the general violent crimes division since 2004, and has previously worked in the property division from 2002 to 2004, the gangs division from 1998 to 2002, and the juvenile division from 1992 through 1997. She was also a law clerk in the Hennepin County Attorney’s office in 1991. Meyer earned her juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990, and her bachelor of arts degree magna cum laude from Alma College in Alma, Michigan in 1987.

“Kerry has a tremendous reputation as a criminal prosecutor in the county attorney’s office,” Governor Pawlenty said. “She is very intelligent, has a common sense approach, and will be able to hit the ground running as a judge.”

Meyer has taught continuing legal education classes on material witness statutes, civil and criminal contempt, and administrative subpoenas, and has taught at a training program for suburban police investigators on property crimes and identity theft investigations and prosecutions. She has also served as a mock trial judge, Girl Scouts Troop Leader, Cub Scouts pack events volunteer, Sunday School Teacher with Calvin Presbyterian Church, and a Parent Teachers Organization volunteer and classroom and library volunteer for Orono Public Schools.

Meyer, 40, was born in Minneapolis, and lives in Orono with her husband, Daron, and their two children.

Quam is an attorney and shareholder in the litigation department at the Fredrikson and Byron law firm in Minneapolis. He has been a shareholder since 1995 and an associate attorney with the firm from 1988 to 1995. He has also been a Hennepin County Conciliation Court Judge as well as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at St. Thomas University School of Law in Minneapolis since 2005.

Quam earned his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1988, and his bachelor of arts degree summa cum laude from Moorhead State University in 1984.

“Jay has been able to balance a professional career as a well-respected litigator with a private-sector law firm with an impressive amount of volunteer legal work helping the less fortunate,” Governor Pawlenty said. “He will bring an incredible amount of intellect, energy and compassion to the position.”

Quam chairs Fredrikson and Byron’s Professional Development Committee, teaches trial advocacy at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and is an attorney coach for the Mounds View High School Mock Trial Team. He is a member of the Central Minnesota Legal Services Board, served on the Volunteer Lawyers Network Board of Directors and founded its summer associate program, and co-founded and is an advisor with the Educational and Representational Program for North Vista Education Center. Quam has also provided pro bono legal advice to clients of Catholic Charities/Branch III Homeless Shelter, and The City, Inc. He is a member of the American, Minnesota State, and Hennepin County Bar Associations.

Quam, 43, was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, raised in Detroit Lakes, and lives in Eden Prairie with his wife, Kristi Carlson, and their two children, Annika, 6, and Erik, 2.

Robiner is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Leonard, Street and Deinard in Minneapolis. She was a shareholder from 1993 to 2000 and again since 2001, and an associate attorney with the firm from 1985 to 1993. She was an attorney and partner with the Sprenger and Lang law firm in Minneapolis from 2000 to 2001. Robiner earned her juris doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC in 1985, and her bachelor of arts degree from Carleton College in Northfield in 1981.

“Susan has a reputation as a smart and successful attorney in a complex area of law who has risen to leadership positions within her law firm,” Governor Pawlenty said. “She also has a demonstrated commitment to public service and will bring her empathy for others with her to the bench.”

Robiner is a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee for the Rules of Civil Procedure; Hennepin County Bar Association, where she serves on the Speaker’s Bureau; Minnesota State Bar Association, where she serves on the Labor and Employment Law Section; and American Bar Association, where she serves on the Intellectual Property, and Labor and Employment Law Sections. She is also an adjunct professor with the University of St. Thomas School of Law; is a member of Minnesota Women Lawyers, where she serves on the student and attorney mentoring committees; American Intellectual Property Law Association; and Minnesota Justice Foundation. Robiner is also a parent volunteer at the Minneapolis Jewish Day School, a volunteer with the Patents’ Committee and Overnight Homeless Shelter at Mount Zion Temple, and a children’s ski instructor.

Robiner, 47, was born in Minneapolis, where she lives with her husband, William, and their three children, Eli, 14, Sonia, 12, and Noah, 9.