In October 2007 David R. Herndon was elected Chief Judge, United States District Judge, Southern District of Illinois, 
he graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Law in 1977. 
His trial practice spanned fourteen years between two firms, the St. Louis firm of Haley, Fredrickson, Walsh and Herndon and the 
Wood River, Illinois firm, of Lakin and Herndon, 
and consisted primarily of the representation of FELA plaintiffs. 
In 1991, he was appointed to the position of Associate Judge in Madison County, Illinois, 
where he remained until appointed to the federal bench by President Clinton in 1998. 
He is a member of the American Bar Association, serving on the Executive Committee of the Federal Trial Judges Division, 
the Illinois State Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, the Madison Bar Association, 
the Alton-Wood River-Jerseyville Bar Association and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis.

The Honorable John Baricevic, Chief Judge, 20th Judicial Circuit 
Elmer D. Jones, Chairman
Edna R. Allen, Vice Chairman
Joseph H. McCaskill, Secretary
James Lewis, Executive Director