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Tamara G. Garcia
Originally published in
the
November 2008 issue.
Author: Matthew Frantzen
Tamara Garcia started honing her legal skills at
an early age. She often debated the news and politics of the day
with her parents and grandparents in her Tampa, Florida, home.
Garcia’s mother would often say to her, “Counsel, I am not on
the witness stand and therefore do not appreciate your cross
examination.” Garcia’s parents encouraged her to enter the
legal profession because she had a knack for arguing positions.
Although Garcia initially studied biology at college with an eye
toward medical school, she ultimately majored in political
science and obtained her law degree from the University of
Minnesota in 1986. Looking back, Garcia said, “I guess mom and
dad were right.” When asked why she was drawn to the legal
profession, Garcia said, “I always thought it [was] important to
use the skills I had, to help in some way if I could, and to
feel that the work I was doing was important in that it could
make a positive difference in the lives of others.”
Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced Garcia’s appointment
to the Fourth Judicial District on Feb. 6, 2008, and declared
that her “commitment to public service, strong work ethic, and
diverse background will be an asset to the Hennepin County
bench.” Although Garcia considers her judicial appointment to
be quite an honor, she is quick to point out that she did not
travel the road alone. Garcia has been encouraged and
strengthened by several individuals throughout her personal and
professional life.
After graduating from law school, Garcia worked
as a staff attorney for the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation
Court of Appeals, during which time she gained her first
judicial experience and met Judge Edward Toussaint, Jr. Judge
Toussaint taught Garcia how to properly analyze evidence and
draft well-reasoned opinions—the hallmark of any respected
judge. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, Judge
Toussaint imbued Garcia with a respect for both the judicial
process and the parties.
Garcia entered private practice with the firm
Pustorino, Pederson, Tilton & Parrington in 1989, her
professional home until hanging out her own shingle in 2000.
During her 11-year tenure at Pustorino, Garcia met her second
mentor, the Hon. William Pederson, a judge on the Workers’
Compensation Court of Appeals. Garcia worked closely with Judge
Pederson for several years while practicing in the area of
workers’ compensation, and he taught her to “first consider
carefully and then act reasonably and with compassion.”
In addition to the legal skills she learned from
Judges Toussaint and Pederson, Garcia learned valuable lessons
“by just being around these two fine men and watching their
interactions with people.” Garcia is excited to learn the ins
and outs of being a judge in the Fourth Judicial District from
her third professional mentor, Judge Mark Wernick.
In addition to the judicial experience
she gained while working for the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation
Court of Appeals, Garcia served as a workers’ compensation
hearing examiner for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
and AMERIND Risk Management Corporation. During her tenure as a
hearing examiner that Garcia was able to apply the two big
lessons she learned from Judges Toussaint and Pederson—respect
the process and the parties and act reasonably with compassion.
Although Garcia acknowledges the impact Judges
Toussaint and Pederson have had on her professional life, she
gives the lion’s share of the credit for her achievements to her
two most important role models, her father and mother. Her
father, Jerry (not that Jerry Garcia she is quick to point out),
is a recently retired architect and her mother, Angie, worked as
a schoolteacher and principal before retiring. Jerry and Angie
encouraged Garcia and her sister, Heidi, to choose any career
path they wanted. In fact, the decision of whether or not to
even have a professional career in the first place never entered
Garcia’s mind because she “had never known [her] mother not to
work.” Garcia is grateful for and “will forever appreciate” the
“power” of the words of encouragement her parents have given
throughout her life.
Throughout her legal career, Garcia has been
actively involved in volunteer and professional activities. She
served as co-chair of the Minnesota Women Lawyers Community
Relations Subcommittee from 1995 to 1996. For four years during
the mid-1990s Garcia served as the chairperson of the Awards
Subcommittee of the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Diversity
Committee and was appointed to serve on the association’s
Nominating Committee from 1996 to 1999. In 1997, Garcia was
appointed as an investigator to the Fourth District Ethics
Committee, a position she held until 2000. Garcia also served a
one-year term on the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Board of
Governors from 2000 to 2001. Garcia served as a board member
for the State of Minnesota Gambling Control Board from 2004 to
2008 and also as a director for State Fund Mutual Insurance
Company from 2000 until her judicial appointment in February
2008. Garcia is a current member of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar
Association, Minnesota Women Lawyers, the Minnesota State Bar
Association, the Hennepin County Bar Association, and the
University of Minnesota Alumni Association, and is a past member
of the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association. Although Garcia
had to let some of her volunteer and professional activities go
when she was elevated to the bench, she is on the lookout for
new ways to serve the community and be a mentor.
When not tending to her professional garden,
Garcia spends time with her husband of 22 years (who is also a
lawyer) and daughter by playing golf, skiing, reading, and
watching baseball and football. Garcia’s daughter has not yet
“expressed an interest in the legal profession” which might be a
blessing. Instead of another lawyer, Garcia said the family
could use a good plumber, doctor, or accountant.
Garcia has spent the first several months of her
judgeship on the criminal rotation, which is new but
“interesting and exciting” to her, and she is “enjoying the
whole judicial experience” and “focusing on doing my best
work.” Garcia is scheduled to begin a two-year juvenile court
assignment in March 2009 and is most excited about the
“opportunity to make a contribution to our community.” Staying
true to the lessons she learned from her mentors, Garcia has two
goals as a judge: “to have people leave my courtroom and, win or
lose, say they were treated fairly and with respect” and “to be
the best judge I can be.” Referring to Justice Joseph Story’s
famous quip about the law being a “jealous mistress,” Garcia
said, “After 20-plus years in the legal profession, I am still
paying her homage, singing her praises, and doing my best to
serve her now as a member of the Hennepin County bench.” With a
commitment like that, Garcia will surely exceed the goals she
has set for herself. |
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