Early life and education

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Simon received a B.A.

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 from the University of Iowa

University of Iowa

The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...

 in 1984. He earned a J.D.

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 from Indiana University School of Law

Indiana University School of Law

Indiana University School of Law may refer to either of two independent law schools operated by the Indiana University system, namely:*Indiana University Maurer School of Law , located on the campus of Indiana University Bloomington...

in 1987.

Professional career

Simon worked in private practice of law in Chicago, Illinois for the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland & Ellis

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is an international law firm with headquarters in Chicago, known for its profitability and its litigation, bankruptcy, intellectual property and private equity departments. Kirkland & Ellis is currently ranked as the ninth most prestigious law firm in the United States by...

 from 1987 until 1990. Simon then served as an assistant U.S. Attorney of Northern District of Indiana from 1990 to 1997. He was an Adjunct professor of law at Valparaiso University School of Law

Valparaiso University School of Law

The Valparaiso University School of Law is located on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, a community located less than an hour from Chicago...

 from 1996 to 1997 and from 1999 to 2000. Simon served as an assistant U.S. Attorney of the District of Arizona from 1997 to 1999. He was an assistant U.S. Attorney of chief of criminal division, Northern District of Indiana from 1999 to 2003.

Simon is a federal judge sitting on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana was created in 1928 by an act of Congress that split Indiana into two separate districts, northern and southern. As part of the act, the Northern District was divided into three divisions, South Bend, Fort Wayne and Hammond...

. Simon was nominated by President George W. Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

 on January 29, 2003, to a seat vacated by William C. Lee

William C. Lee

Major General William Carey "Bill" Lee was an American U.S. Army soldier and general. Lee is often referred to as the "Father of the U.S. Airborne".-Biography:...

. He was confirmed by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 on March 27, 2003, and received his commission the same day.

Seventh Circuit nomination

On September 26, 2008, President George W. Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

 nominated Simon to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...

 vacated by Judge Kenneth F. Ripple

Kenneth Francis Ripple

Kenneth Francis Ripple is a Senior Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He received an A.B...

, who took senior status

Senior status

Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...

 on September 1, 2008. Since Simon was nominated after July 1, 2008, which is the unofficial start date of the Thurmond Rule

Thurmond Rule

The Thurmond Rule is an informal and somewhat amorphous rule of thumb in the United States Senate. While it originated with former Senator Strom Thurmond's opposition to President Lyndon Johnson's nomination of Justice Abe Fortas to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in June of 1968, its...

 during a presidential election year, no hearings were scheduled by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 on Simon's nomination, and the nomination was returned to Bush at the end of his presidential term. In March 2009, President Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 announced his intention to nominate Simon's colleague, United States District Judge David Hamilton

David Hamilton (judge)

David Frank Hamilton is a United States federal judge, currently serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He previously was the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. On March 17, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated...

to the vacancy, and Hamilton was confirmed to the seat on November 19, 2009.