MinnLawyer Blog

If you’ve been itching to wear a black robe but without leaving private practice or going through all that time-consuming gubernatorial appointment process, Hennepin County has a deal for you.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Jay Quam, who has recently begun presiding over mental health/probate court, told Minnesota Lawyer that when he came on,(and purely coincidentally,he hopes), the two stalwarts of the Probate Bench–Referees Richard Wolfson and Bruce Kruger-announced upcoming changes in their professional situations. Referee Wolfson decided to move to half-time status beginning in March of this past year, and Referee Kruger decided to retire from the bench in August.

Quam wrote to Minnesota Lawyer in an e-mail, “We are planning to address the immediate need created by the loss of ½ of Referee Wolfson’s time and all of Referee Kruger’s time by hiring two half-time referees (I know, I know, two 1/2s don’t make up for the loss of the 1 1/2 referees we are losing, but in this age of budget austerity and uncertainty it is the best we can do for now). Here’s where the opportunity for your readers may come in: it is a rare opportunity to preside over a range of matters as a judicial officer without having to give up all of the other opportunities available in private practice.”

The judge is looking for someone to work approximately half time for $55.65 per hour, with no benefits.

“Under the Rules of the Board of Judicial Standards, the candidate will not be able to appear in Probate or Mental Health Court in Hennepin County during the person’s appointment. I believe that two considerations will make this restriction a little easier for some people to address: First, I do not believe the candidate will be prohibited from appearing in Probate of Mental Health proceedings in other judicial districts; and second, I do not believe that other lawyers in the candidate’s firm will be disqualified from appearing in Hennepin County Probate or Mental Health proceedings (though obviously they cannot appear on any matter handled by the candidate),” Quam said.

Black robe wannabes may contact the judge at jay.quam@courts.state.mn.us or the Human Resource Coordinator, Thomas Pohl, at 612-348-8745 or thomas.pohl@courts.state.mn.us.