I was born in Chicago, Illinois, went to Chicago public schools through high school, and then attended and graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, with honors, in English Literature and Fine Arts and then attended the University of Chicago Law School, graduating with a Juris Doctor.

I worked for the United States Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, as a summer intern, and then as a law clerk to Justice Arthur J. Murphy of the Illinois Appellate Court for one term. I then went into private practice, working for one year with a medium sized corporate law firm in Chicago.

My private practice then developed into the law firm known as Fohrman, Lurie, Sklar & Simon, Ltd. The firm grew to 30 lawyers and approximately 40 support personnel. The firm's practice encompassed sophisticated corporate work with particular emphasis in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities and commodities law, banking, real estate and health care as well as general commercial and civil litigation in the fields of health care, product liability and construction law. I was, among my other duties, the senior managing partner of the firm, responsible for all aspects of administration and practice.

In addition to my law practice I was an investor in and attorney for various real estate projects and participated in various businesses around the country.

For many years, I have had a residence and law practice in Key West as well as an office and residence in Chicago. I travel to and from Chicago and Key West, serving clients in both places, as required.

In Key West, I restored an 1890 classic Greek Revival conch house in Old Town, doing all my own design and general contracting, for which I received an award for Excellence for Rehabilitation from the Historic Florida Keys Preservation Board. I have lived and practiced law from this structure.

In Key West I have served as member of the Board and the attorney for the Association for Tourist Development, the producing organization for Fantasy Fest; as the attorney for the Board of Directors of AIDS Help, Inc., the largest Key West and Monroe County AIDS service organization; as a member of the Board of the Key West Business Guild; as a member of Class I of Leadership Monroe, a program for people who are active in leadership roles in the private sector, government or community organizations conducted under the auspices of the Key West Chamber of Commerce; as a member of the Mayor's Committee to Select a City Attorney; as a member of the Monroe County, Florida and Illinois Bars; and as a member or on the boards of other local organizations and committees.