Former MMLA Lawyer Sworn in as Associate Justice on Minnesota Supreme Court

On July 25th, former legal aid attorney Sarah Hennesy took the oath of office as a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice. Following law school and a career start in the eastern U.S., Hennesy’s first job in Minnesota was with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) in its St. Cloud office. Under the leadership of deputy director Ann Cofell, Hennesy was one of the first to counsel clients in the Stearns County Felony Domestic Violence Court. Later, she became Stearns County district judge.

Hennesy was appointed by Governor Walz to succeed Justice G. Barry Anderson, and she has served on the bench since mid-May ahead of her official swearing-in ceremony with Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. In her remarks, Hennesy promised to continue to be a voice for greater Minnesota and trial judges. In acknowledging the limitations of the justice system, she noted in the Star Tribune, “The reality is, the legal system is an institution that is built on a foundation of inequality by people who were themselves biased. And despite the fact that we call it a justice system, far too often it is not just.”

Of her time with MMLA, she can't say enough about what a supportive environment it was, especially for women. "Ann let me bring my young son to work on occasion. I had a pack and play in my office. She modeled how to help women do well — that made me a better leader, better mom and better lawyer."

Read more in Justice Sarah Hennesy formally sworn in as the newest member of the Minnesota Supreme Court (startribune.com). Photo credit: © Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune