John W. Herron

Judge Herron's career spans a number of areas of legal practice giving him a vast knowledge of legal issues and the Commonwealth’s judicial system. His career began in the trust and estate’s department at White and Williams until he accepted an offer to join the DA Arlen Spector’s office where he tried criminal cases before juries and judges.

From there, he was courted by Bar leaders to head the newly formed office of Disciplinary Counsel in Philadelphia and rose through the ranks to become Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Throughout that association he practiced regularly before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court arguing many precedent setting disciplinary cases.

In 1986, he accepted an offer to join then DA Castile’s administration as Deputy of Investigations, the third highest position in an office of 175 assistant district attorneys. In that role, he focused on grand jury investigations, white collar crime, drug enforcement, and economic crime. There were several high profile investigations undertaken including the Move prosecution and judicial corruption.

From there he was selected by Governor Casey as a merit judicial nominee and was successfully elected to the Bench in 1988.

As judge, he has had a remarkable career progressing through criminal and civil assignments presiding over a combined total of over 300 jury trials, all the while holding high administrative positions, including judicial team leader, as well as three 3-year terms as Administrative Judge supervising 73 judges and 1,200 employees of the Trial Division. He was also appointed as Chair of the Administrative Governing Board, the governing body for all courts in Philadelphia with over 100 judges, 2,400 employees and a budget of $110 million dollars.

At the mid-point of his judicial career, he taught legal ethics and trial advocacy for five years to law students at Temple University's Beasley School of Law.

As a judge in the civil program, he tried every type of claim in the system including medical malpractice, products liability, personal injury, premises liability, state RICO claims, libel actions, property disputes, contract claims, injunctions, UCC claims, and many others.

In the year 2000, he created and launched the first and only commerce court in Pennsylvania with his close friend Judge Sheppard. There he took the inaugural assignment for several years presiding over complex commercial matters, class actions and TRO actions.

Upon the conclusion of his Commerce assignment, he accepted assignment in the Orphans’ Court where he had an individual calendar of probate and trust litigation until his retirement in 2022.

He brings to his mediation practice vast and unparalleled knowledge of the law and its procedures.