[ST. PAUL, MN] – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that it is recommending three candidates for consideration to fill a vacancy on the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals. This vacancy occurs at the end of Chief Judge Patricia J. Milun’s term in January 2023.

Janis Douglass: Janis Douglass is a compensation attorney principal at the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals, where she assists in the resolution of workers’ compensation appeals. She also serves as a deputy court administrator, where she manages day-to-day court operations. Douglass currently volunteers her time to efforts that support the rights of gender nonconforming youth and to initiatives that increase diversity in the legal profession and in state employment. Her community involvement has included service on the boards of several non-profit community organizations in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood.

Sandra Grove: Judge Sandra Grove is a workers’ compensation judge at the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings. She was previously a lead attorney at the Law Offices of Stilp & Grove. Judge Grove practiced as a civil litigator for more than 25 years and has represented both employees and employers/insurers. She has also served as an adjunct professor of legal writing at William Mitchell College of Law and on the faculty for various continuing legal education (CLE) programs. Judge Grove’s community involvement has included serving as a mentor to students and new attorneys through the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association. Judge Grove has also served on the board of directors of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, including as chair in 2016. Her other volunteer work includes service on the MSBA Professionalism Committee and as a MSBA High School Mock Trial competition judge.

Patricia Milun: Chief Judge Patricia Milun serves as the Chief Judge of the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals. Governor Dayton initially appointed her to the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals in 2011, designating her as Chief Judge at the same time. She was reappointed by Governor Dayton to both positions in 2017. She previously was the chief workers’ compensation settlement judge for the Department of Labor and Industry. Chief Judge Milun has also served as a workers’ compensation and administrative law judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings. Her community involvement includes mentoring students at the University of St. Thomas School of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School. She also serves on the Customer Experience Certificate Program Advisory Panel at Minnesota State University, Mankato.