[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. The vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable David A. Stofferahn.

Kathryn Hipp Carlson: Kathryn Hipp Carlson is an attorney at Hipp Carlson, PLLC, where she has practiced exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation since 1993. She was previously an attorney at Gilmore, Aafedt, Forde, Anderson & Gary. Throughout her career, Carlson has advised and advocated for injured workers, as well as employers and insurers, at all levels of the workers’ compensation system. She also represents several medical insurers in intervention matters and serves as a mediator in workers’ compensation disputes. Carlson is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars on workers’ compensation topics. She has also served on the board of directors for Minnesota Youth Athletic Services.

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 nonprofit 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. Grove practiced as a civil litigator for more than 25 years and has represented employees, employers, and 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 programs. Grove’s community involvement has included serving as a mentor to students and new attorneys through the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association. She 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.

For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.