Amy Dawson (she/her) is a Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County) District Court Judge. She is currently assigned to the juvenile bench and is a member of the Equal Justice Committee, and helps to head a workgroup on improving outcomes for systems involved LGBTQ+ youth. Amy’s current and past professional memberships include: The Minnesota Lavender Bar Association; the National LGBT Bar Association; the National Association of Women Judges; the International Association of Women Judges; The International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges and, the Minnesota District Judges Association. Amy is a graduate of Oberlin College (B.A., 1989) and Indiana University School of Law (J.D. cum laude, 1992). Amy began her legal career at Faegre & Benson and later founded the Autism Advocacy & Law Center. She was elected to the bench in 2014. Since becoming a judge, Amy has been actively engaged in judicial training and education and has presented on: Understanding Autism; Trauma Responsive Courts for LGBTQ+ Youth; and, Courtroom Tips for Reducing Anti-LGBTQ+ Bias. She is also an adjunct professor at the Mitchell Hamline Law School in St. Paul where she teaches a class on Improving Outcomes for Systems Involved LGBTQ+ Youth. She can be reached at: Amy.Dawson@courts.state.mn.us.