At the end of July, Governor Scott Walker announced the appointment of Brian Hagedorn as Court of Appeals Judge for District II.

Prior to the appointment Hagedorn served as Chief Legal Counsel in the governor’s office. In this position, Hagedorn managed litigation and provided legal counsel on legislation.

The move from legal counsel to judicial appointment is a surprising one, as a vertical move of that sort is uncommon.

Before joining the governor’s team, Hagedorn served as an assistant attorney general at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, worked at Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee and was a law clerk in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Hagedorn will replace Judge Richard Brown, who retired on August 1 after 37 years on the bench.