Gov. Tim Walz announced the appointment of Elizabeth Bentley to an at-large seat on the Minnesota Court of Appeals on April 30, 2024. (Courtesy of the Office of Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan)

Gov. Tim Walz named Elizabeth Bentley to an at-large seat on the Minnesota Court of Appeals in an announcement Tuesday.

Bentley fills a vacancy that will occur when Theodora Gaïtas takes a seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court.

“It is my honor to appoint Elizabeth Bentley to the Minnesota Court of Appeals,” said Walz in a statement. “Her appellate experience at all levels of our state and federal courts will make her a valuable asset to the judiciary. Her work in advancing and promoting Minnesotans’ civil rights through appellate advocacy demonstrates her deep understanding of the law and commitment to improving the common good.”

Bentley is the founder and director of the Civil Rights Appellate Clinic and a visiting assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. She previously served as special counsel to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar during the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and as an attorney in the appellate practice group at Jones Day.

Bentley also served as law clerk to Sonia Sotomayor on the U.S. Supreme Court, the Honorable Robert A. Katzmann on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the Honorable Jed S. Rakoff on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Bentley received her B.A. from Northwestern University and her J.D. from Harvard Law School.

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