Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton named workers' compensation attorney Sean Quinn to take over as Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals judge early next year.

Sean Quinn

Quinn, a partner with the Duluth firm of Falsani, Balmer, Peterson & Quinn since 1998, will replace Judge Manuel Cervantes, whose term expires in January 2019.

Quinn's "professional experience and volunteer service on behalf of hardworking Minnesotans have prepared him well for this important role," Dayton, a Democrat, said in a news release.

Quinn earned his bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University and his law degree from the University of Minnesota.

The Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals is considered part of Minnesota’s executive branch. It reviews cases decided by compensation judges at the Office of Administrative Hearings as well as some cases decided by the Workers’ Compensation Division at the Department of Labor and Industry.