LANSING — On Wednesday, Gov. Snyder appointed Joan L. Larsen, a University of Michigan attorney, to the Michigan Supreme Court.

Larsen, who has experience in both the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Justice Department, fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Justice Mary Beth Kelly.

“Joan is a superb attorney who brings experience from the highest levels of government, private practice and academia to the state’s highest court,” Snyder said. “She is highly regarded by her peers and is a nationally recognized constitutional scholar. I’m confident she’ll be an invaluable addition to the Michigan Supreme Court.” 

Larsen is a law professor and special counsel to the dean at the University’s law school.

Early in her career, she served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia for two years.

She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. Larsen earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1990 and received her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1993.