ST. PAUL (AP) - Gov. Mark Dayton has appointed former U.S. Attorney David Lillehaug  to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Dayton announced his pick Tuesday. Lillehaug, of Minneapolis, has been working as a private attorney for the last decade and has longstanding ties to the Minnesota DFL.

He was Dayton's attorney during the governor's race recount in 2010 and also worked for U.S. Sen. Al Franken during his 2008 election recount. The South Dakota native and Harvard Law grad served as Minnesota's U.S. attorney under President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1998.

Dayton says Lillehaug has one of the most brilliant minds he's ever encountered.

Lillehaug is replacing Justice Paul Anderson, who will reach the court's mandatory retirement age of 70 in May. Lillehaug is 58.

More From AM 1240 WJON