Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced that he has accepted the recommendations of the Commission on Judicial Selection for two Sixth Judicial District trial court bench vacancies in the city of Duluth in St. Louis County. The vacancies will occur with the retirement of the Honorable David P. Sullivan on December 16, 2006, and the retirement of the Honorable John T. Oswald on December 31, 2006. The finalists are Michael J. Cuzzo, Susan Ginsburg, Eric Hylden, Thomas H. Pertler, and Sally L. Tarnowski.

Cuzzo, of Duluth, is an attorney and partner in the Duluth law firm of Cuzzo and Envall, a position he has held since 1999. He was an attorney with the Sieben, Grose and Von Holtum law firm in Duluth from 1994 to 1999, an attorney and partner with the Duluth law firm of Petersen, Sage, Cuzzo and Graves from 1987 to 1994, and an attorney with the firm’s predecessor, Gruesen, Petersen and Sage from 1983 to 1987. Cuzzo earned his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1983, and his bachelor of science degree magna cum laude in 1980.

Ginsburg, of Duluth, is a self-employed attorney and a part-time Sixth Judicial District assistant Public Defender in Duluth. She has been an assistant public defender since 1983, and a solo practitioner since 1982. From 1995 to 1996, she was also a child support magistrate. Ginsburg was also a staff attorney with Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota from 1979 to 1982. Ginsburg earned her juris doctorate degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington in 1979, and her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1975.

Hylden, of Duluth, is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Reyelts, Leighton, Bateman, Hylden and Sturdevant in Duluth, a position he has held since 1992. He was an associate attorney with the firm from 1987 to 1992. Hylden earned his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1987 and his bachelor of arts degree magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota – Duluth, in 1984.

Pertler, of Cloquet, is the Carlton County Attorney, a position he has held since 2005. He is also an adjunct instructor at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Carlton. Pertler was an assistant Carlton County Attorney from 1995 to 2005, an associate attorney with the Anoka law firm of Randall, Dehn and Goodrich from 1991 to 1995, and an associate attorney with the Taylor Law Firm in Minneapolis from 1990 to 1991. Pertler earned his juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1989, and his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in 1986.

Tarnowski, of Duluth, is an attorney in private practice in Duluth, a position she has held since 2003. Previously, she was a law clerk, associate attorney, and shareholder with the law firm of Johnson, Killen and Seiler in Duluth from 1986 to 2003. Tarnowski earned her juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1986, and her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in 1982.