On December 21, 2010, President Obama signed a Commission, naming Judge Susan Richard Nelson as United States District Court Judge for the District of Minnesota. Judge Nelson previously served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of Minnesota for 10 years. Prior to her service on the bench, Judge Nelson was in private practice for 17 years with the Minneapolis law firm, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, litigating complex civil matters in state and federal court. From 1994 to 1998, she served on the trial team representing the State of Minnesota and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota against the tobacco industry.