Anne McKeig '89 Appointed Judge

A long-time advocate for children, Anne McKeig ’89 has been selected by Governor Pawlenty to serve as one of four new judges in the Hennepin County courts. Pawlenty noted that McKeig and her colleagues “bring a wealth of professional experience and have the skills and demeanor for the position. Their commitment to public service, strong work ethic, and diverse backgrounds will be an asset to the Hennepin County bench.”

Photograph above: Newly appointed Judge Anne McKeig poses with her family and the governor: (left to right) Husband Jose Osuna, Xicotencatl Osuna , Judge McKeig with Caleb and Tayana Osuna, Governor Pawlenty, Balam Osuna, and Itzel Osuna.

Applying the Strengths Given to Her at St. Catherine's

Daughter of a Katie (Cecilia Wattles McKeig ’61), Anne grew up on the Leech Lake Reservation as her father, Monte, is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and her mother was director of Indian Education. Anne graduated from St. Kate’s in English and proceeded to Hamline Law School. “My education and training at CSC is the foundation for everything that I have accomplished,” McKeig acknowledged. “St. Kate’s gave me the leadership skills and the self confidence that I could take on any issue. St. Kate’s taught me the importance of community and the need to get involved and not just sit on the sidelines."

Passionate about Supporting Vulnerable Children and Families

With law degree in hand, McKeig traveled straight into the Child Protection Division of the Hennepin County Attorney's office as an assistant attorney in June 1992. “I really had no idea what I was in store for,” she admitted, “I had no concept of what child protection was or did. I soon learned that children and families were suffering in our communities from various serious problems. I have always had a great love for children and so I immediately felt like I was in the right place and that this was the work that I was meant to do.”

She Draws on Her Ojibwe Heritage for Advocacy for Indian Children

Because of her excellent work and ties to the Ojibwe community, she was asked to begin a project specializing in Indian Child Welfare Child Protection cases. “I felt lucky that I could now work with my home community and hopefully have an impact on bettering the relationship between Tribes and County agencies that had the common goal of bettering the lives of children and their families.”

The result of her work is now a team of four attorneys who deal solely with these concerns, along with a unit of social workers, specialized judges, defense attorneys, and guardian ad litems. “What I am most proud of is my work on that project. . . There is now a team of people who work together along with the Tribes to address the complex issues of chronic neglect and abuse that these children face.”

McKeig has played a key role on the Governor’s Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and other groups on this issue. She has also provided training and presentations on this issue and on judicial processes to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. McKeig is a member of the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association.

She Is Centered around Family

In addition to her professional work, McKeig is a wife and mother of five children. "With five kids you never do it alone. My mother raised five children and really made it look easy, so it is not something that I really look at as a daunting task -- it feels simple to me. I have a great family and everyone helps out. My mother comes down a lot, and my older boys are invaluable. My husband and I try to make the kids our priority. They come first as they should. We have a lot of fun at our house -- it is never boring. The kids make life interesting -- I cannot imagine life without them."

McKeig's love for children and intimate connection with them at home, enriches her professional life. “It is not difficult to be passionate about helping children,” she said. “I hope that I will someday return to Juvenile Court as a Judge so that I can continue working with these families only in a different aspect.”

She Brings Hard Work and Common Sense to the Bench
When asked what she hopes to bring to her courtroom as a judge, she replied: "Something simple and that is hard work. I want to be known as someone who worked hard every day but also brought a little fun to an overburdened system. Not everyone will like everything that I do so all
I can truly do is do the best that I can and hope that in the end I earn respect as a fair and well grounded Judge.

"I hope that my simple upbringing will help me as a Judge -- I think it will. I was raised by two great parents who did not have much money, so family was the focus. Both of my parents were born with great common sense and I think they blessed me with that. Good common sense is a
necessary requirement to being a good Judge so I hope that mine will serve me well."

Her strong ethical and academic background at St. Kate's, too, will provide guidance. "There is no doubt in my mind that my education at St. Kate’s opened doors for me, as it is a highly respected College. I am always proud to say that I am a graduate of St. Kate's.”