Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the reappointment of Judge William R. Pederson to the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals (WCCA).

Pederson, of Minneapolis, has been a Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals judge since 1998. Prior to his appointment to the court, he was a co-founder, shareholder and managing partner with the Pustorino, Pederson, Tilton and Parrington law firm in Minneapolis from 1980 to 1998, a litigation associate and partner with the Marker and Pederson law firm in St. Louis Park from 1979 to 1980, a staff attorney with David K. Wendel and Associates in Minneapolis from 1977 to 1979, and a staff attorney with Bey, Ochs and Klimek in Minneapolis from 1975 to 1977. Pederson earned his juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1975 and his bachelor of arts degree from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1971.

Pederson is a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation issues at continuing legal education seminars, co-authored the first and second editions of The Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Deskbook, is a law student mentor with the University of St. Thomas School of Law and William Mitchell College of Law, a volunteer judge with the American Mock Trial Association, and a volunteer reading buddy with the Everybody Wins Reading Program. Pederson is reappointed to another six-year term on the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals that expires on January 4, 2016.

The Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals has statewide appellate jurisdiction over all workers’ compensation appeals. The court consists of five judges appointed by the Governor. Judges serve six-years terms on a full-time basis and are compensated $127,213 annually.