Michael H. Simon

Michael H. Simon
Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
Incumbent
Assumed office June 22, 2011
Appointed by	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Ancer L. Haggerty
Personal details
Born	1956 New York City
Spouse(s)	Suzanne Bonamici
Alma mater	University of California, Los Angeles Harvard Law School
Profession	Attorney

Michael Howard Simon (born 1956) is an American attorney and U.S. District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.^[1] The United States Senate confirmed Simon's nomination on June 21, 2011 in a 64–35 vote.^[2] He received his commission on June 22, 2011.^[3]

Early life and education

Born in New York City, Simon earned his B.A. summa cum laude in 1978 from the University of California, Los Angeles and his J.D. cum laude in 1981 from Harvard Law School.^[4] He is married to Democratic state senator Suzanne Bonamici.^[5]

Professional career

From 1981 until 1986, Simon served as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, in Washington, D.C., where he handled both civil and criminal antitrust matters.^[6] During his time with the DOJ, Simon also served in 1985 as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

In 1986, Simon joined the law firm of Perkins Coie, where he specialized in business litigation in both state and federal court and acted as head of litigation for the firm's Portland office. After becoming a partner with the firm in 1990, he handled several high-profile First Amendment cases on a pro bono basis.^[7]

Nomination to federal district court

On July 14, 2010, President Obama nominated Simon to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon to fill the seat vacated by Judge Ancer L. Haggerty, who had taken senior status in August 2009.^[8] Simon's nomination lapsed at the end of 2010, and Obama renominated him on January 5, 2011. On February 17, 2011, the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary reported Simon's nomination to the full United States Senate in a 14-4 vote.^[9] In his committee questionnaire, Simon encountered questions from Republican senators about his past work as a volunteer lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union.^[10]

On June 21, 2011, the United States Senate confirmed Simon in a 64–35 vote. He received his commission on June 22, 2011.^[11]

See also

• Marco A. Hernandez

References

1. ^ "President Obama Names Five to United States District Court". Office of the Press Secretary. The White House. July 14, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-five-united-states-district-court-0. Retrieved 16 August 2010. 
2. ^ http://judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/112thCongress.cfm
3. ^ Biographical Directory of Federal Judges
4. ^ http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-five-united-states-district-court-0
5. ^ Duin, Steve (August 6, 2011). "In the wake of David Wu case, accusations fly in Oregon's First District". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2011/08/in_the_wake_of_david_wu_case_a.html. Retrieved 9 August 2011. 
6. ^ http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-five-united-states-district-court-0
7. ^ http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-five-united-states-district-court-0
8. ^ http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-nominations-and-withdrawal-sent-senate-71410
9. ^ http://afjjusticewatch.blogspot.com/2011/02/obama-nominates-two-district-court.html
10. ^ http://judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/112thCongressJudicialNominations/upload/MichaelSimon-QFRs.pdf
11. ^ Biographical Directory of Federal Judges

External links

• Michael H. Simon at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Simon Profile on Judgepedia

Persondata
Name	Simon, Michael Howard
Alternative names
Short description	American judge
Date of birth	1956
Place of birth	New York, New York, United States
Date of death
Place of death