Waukegan attorney chosen as new Lake County judge

Waukegan attorney Paul B. Novak has been named associate judge in Lake County, officials from the 19th Judicial Circuit of Illinois announced this week.

With Novak's appointment, the circuit will have a full complement of associate judges. He fills a vacancy created when the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Christen L. Bishop as a circuit judge.

Admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1996, Novak began his legal career as a staff attorney in the office of the Chief Judge of Cook County. He then was hired as a Lake County assistant state's attorney, serving in the criminal division, before entering private practice with a concentration in family law, juvenile abuse and neglect matters. Novak received an undergraduate degree from Illinois State University and earned his law degree from John Marshall Law School in 1996. He is a member of the Lake County Bar Association and recently received the rating of "highly recommended" from members of association.