From Defense to Prosecuting Attorney for County -

 

Kathryn Lorsbach, the new Clearwater County Attorney, just finished her job as a trial attorney here, and is transitioning into wearing a new hat as the Prosecuting Attorney. 

"I'm new to this position, and very excited about being here after three and a half years as Defense Attorney, first for Beltrami, Hubbard, and then Clearwater County. Now I change sides to become the Prosecuting Attorney here," she says. "I want to grow with the office, and provide a sense of longevity."

Before that, Kathryn (who prefers to be called Katy) spent two years working for Judge Jonathan Jasper in the 10th District in Anoka. He watched via Zoom as she took her oath of office on January 5th to serve as  Clearwater County Attorney. 

"I am very lucky to have Nic Arneson as my Deputy Assistant Attorney, and to have the collegial relationship with the Clearwater County staff, judges, court, and Department of Corrections. Many other counties don't have this," she says. "It makes this a more just system."

At just 31 years of age, Katy is among the youngest County Attorneys in the State of Minnesota. 

Katy graduated Cum Laude at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul (now known as Mitchell Hamline College of Law) in 2015. 

Challenges in a smaller county like Clearwater include having limited resources. 

"People have to be more creative. But I am so impressed with how resourceful the people are here."

Specialty Courts are among the goals the Legal Department has for the future. Previous County Attorney Al Rogalla applied for a DWI Court Grant. When this is implemented, it will provide ways to circumvent the local needs of accountability, treating addictions, then help with getting a driver's license back. Beltrami County has a DWI Court that it is very successful. 

What drew her to the legal field started with growing up in Duluth with an aunt who worked for the Attorney General's office, and an uncle who was a Defense Attorney. 

 "I like the community here and the sense of values and traditions," Katy explains. Eventually, she and her husband, who is a Deputy Sheriff for Beltrami County, want to raise a family and settle down between Bemidji and Bagley to have access to both of their jobs. For now, family consists of their two German Shepherds. She is very dedicated to community. 

Katy's parents reside in Duluth. Her mother is a nurse at Essentia, and her father works as an engineer for the Department of Sanitation. She is oldest of four siblings, a brother who is a welder, a sister who works for the Aerospace industry, and her youngest sister is a certified teacher, graduating from UWS.

"I couldn't be more honored to accept this position. Community comes first, and I want to be fair and just."