Justice Nathaniel R. Howse, Jr. received his undergraduate and law degrees from Loyola University of Chicago. He was in private practice for 22 years before becoming a judge. He represented clients before the Illinois Circuit Court, the Illinois Appellate Court, the Illinois Supreme Court, the Federal District Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In November 1998, Justice Howse was elected to a six-year term to the Office of Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. In November 2004, he was retained by the voters of Cook County for another six-year term. In August 2009, Justice Howse was assigned to serve as an Appellate Court Justice for the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, by the Illinois Supreme Court. In November 2012, Justice Howse was elected as a Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, where he currently serves.