John Lee was confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit on September 7, 2022. He previously served as a federal district court judge for the U.S. Northern District of Illinois from 2012-2022. Upon confirmation, he became the first Asian American judge to serve on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to serving as a federal judge, Lee was a partner at the law firm Freeborn and Peters.