John B. Simon will be sworn-in as a Justice for the 1st District Appellate Court on Friday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. This event will be held at the James R. Thompson Center Auditorium, Concourse Level, 100 W. Randolph. It will feature open seating and early arrival is suggested.

Mr. Simon fills the vacancy created by the death of Appellate Justice Michael J. Murphy who passed away Oct. 1. The appointment will terminate December 1, 2014 when the position will be filled by the November 2014 General Election.

Mr. Simon is a well known attorney with the Chicago firm of Jenner & Block and has a long record of public service. He is a former U.S. Assistant Attorney, former member of the Illinois Racing Board and has broad corporate and litigation experience with Jenner & Block. He will serve as the co-chair of the Illinois Bar Foundation's Gala on Oct. 19.

Mr. Simon is the son of the late Justice Seymour F. Simon, who served as a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court for eight years and as an Appellate Justice for six years.

Mr. Simon began his legal career as an Assistant United States Attorney where he handled a wide variety of civil and criminal trials, administrative matters and appeals. Mr. Simon was appointed Chief of the Civil Division at age 29, the youngest person ever to serve as a division supervisor.

Following seven years in the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Simon joined a corporate and litigation law firm where he continued his litigation experience and branched into corporate transactional as well as governmental law. Mr. Simon joined Jenner & Block as a Partner in 1986.

Mr. Simon brings more than four decades of legal expertise in a myriad of arenas. His extensive litigation experience includes leading teams of attorneys in every phase of trial work, including contract, securities, antitrust, trade regulation, health care, employment, environmental, constitutional, tax, insurance, construction, class action, governmental and real estate matters.

Mr. Simon graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He received his juris doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law, and served as a member of the University's Board of Trustees since 1990, as vice chair from 1993-2003 and as chair from 2004-2008. Mr. Simon has also chaired DePaul's Advisory Board for the Center for Dispute Resolution since 2008.