**District Judge John J. Tharp Jr.** was appointed to the Northern District of Illinois by President Barack Obama in 2012. Judge Tharp was born on September 18, 1960. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1982 to 1987, reaching the rank of Captain, after completing Naval ROTC at Duke University. After law school, he clerked for Judge Joel Flaum of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1990 to 1991. He then worked as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis from 1991 to 1992, then served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois from 1992 to 1997. He was at Mayer Brown in Chicago from 1997 to 2012, where he was co-chair of the Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice. He also served as a Judge of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from 2018 to 2025. **Education** - Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1990 - Duke University, A.B., summa cum laude, 1982 **Career** - Judge, U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (2018–2025) - District Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (2012–present) - Partner/Co-Chair, Securities Litigation and Enforcement, Mayer Brown, Chicago (1997–2012) - Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Illinois (1992–1997) - Associate, Kirkland & Ellis (1991–1992) - Law Clerk, Hon. Joel Flaum, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit (1990–1991) - U.S. Marine Corps, Captain (1982–1987)

**Courthouse:** Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604 **Chambers:** Room 2388 **Phone:** (312) 435-5573 **Fax:** (312) 554-8198 **Chambers Staff** - Courtroom Deputy: Brenda Rinozzi, (312) 435-5861, Room 2308 - Court Reporter: Laura LaCien, (312) 408-5032, Room 2304A - Law Clerks: Kaitlyn Salyer, Alexandra Kilroy, Gillian Friedman