Paul Thissen
Education and employment
Education:
University of Chicago Law School, J.D with honors, 1992
Harvard University, A.B. magna cum laude, 1989
Employment:
Minnesota State Representative, 2003-2018
Speaker of the Minnesota House, 2013-2014
Democratic House Leader, 2011-2016
Chair of the Health and Human Service Committee, 2007-2010
Ballard Spahr Law Firm (formerly Lindquist & Vennum), 2010-2018
Briggs and Morgan Law Firm, 1993-2010
Minnesota State Public Defenders Office, Appellate Division, 1998-1999
Federal Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Clerking for the Honorable Judge James Loken, 1992-1993
Professional Memberships:
Member of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) and Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA)
Executive Board Member, New Lawyers Division of the HCBA and MSBA
Coach, MSBA Mock Trial Competition
Professional and Community Activities:
Boards
Healthy and Happy Kids, Member of the Board, 2015-Present
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Trustee, 2011-2018
Minnesota AIDS Project Policy Board, 2006
Minnesota Justice Foundation, Member of the Board, 2000-2002
Women of Nations Shelter, 1998-2000
Access for Persons with Disabilities, Founder and Member of the Board, 1995-1997
Awards and Recognitions
Top 100 Influential Minnesotans in Health Care; 2016, 2013, 2009
Women’s Economic Security Champion, 2015
Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities Legislator of the Year, 2014
Standing Ovation Award, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, 2014
Minnesota High Tech Association Public Service Award, 2014
Legislator of the Year, Politics in Minnesota, 2012
ARRM Cares Leadership Award, 2009
Minnesota Nurses Association, Public Official Award, 2008
Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, Best Brains in the Twin Cities, 2008
ARC Minnesota, Legislator of the Year, 2008
"Forty Under 40" Top Twin Cities Professionals, Twin Cities Business Journal, 2006
Civic Leadership Award from Citizen's League, 2005
Judicial record
127 opinions where Paul Thissen sat on the panel, spanning 2019–2026.
By court
By disposition
Panel votes per year
How Paul Thissen's panel-seat count has shifted year by year. Overlaid with Gordon Moore, III for comparison (drop the overlay).
- Paul Thissen
- Gordon Moore, III
Most-frequent co-panelists
Judges who appeared on the same opinions. aligned = same bucket (both majority, both dissent); partial = concurred in result but wrote separately; split = the meaningful disagreement (majority vs dissent).
- Margaret H. Chutich 22 shared 8 aligned 6 partial 8 split compare
- Natalie Hudson 18 shared 7 aligned 4 partial 7 split compare
- Anne K. McKeig 17 shared 4 aligned 7 partial 6 split compare
- Lorie Skjerven Gildea 16 shared 4 aligned 3 partial 9 split compare
- Karl C. Procaccini 11 shared 7 aligned 4 split compare
- Gordon Moore, III 7 shared 3 aligned 2 partial 2 split compare
- Sarah E. Hennesy 5 shared 3 aligned 1 partial 1 split compare
- David L. Lillehaug 2 shared 1 aligned 1 partial compare
- Diane B. Bratvold 2 shared 2 aligned compare
- Jeanne M. Cochran 2 shared 2 aligned compare
Recent opinions
15 most recent opinions where Paul Thissen sat on the panel.