Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Simon E. Sobeloff (1894-1973)
MSA SC 3520-1633

Biography:

Born in Baltimore City, December 3, 1894.  Son of Jacob and Mary Hilda (Kaplan) Sobeloff, Russian Jewish immigrants.  Attended public schools; Baltimore City College; the University of Maryland School of Law, 1915.  Admitted to the Maryland Bar, 1914.  Married Irene Ehrlich in May 1918. Two daughters:  Ruth J. S. (Sobeloff) Mayer; Evva S. (Sobeloff) Goldstone Vale.  Died July 11, 1973.  Buried in Friendship Cemetery, Baltimore City.

Page, U.S. House of Representatives, 1910.  Law clerk, Baltimore City, 1914.  Intermittent private law practice after 1915.  Assistant city solicitor, Baltimore, 1919-24; deputy city solicitor, Baltimore, 1927-31.  U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, 1931-34.  Baltimore city solicitor, 1943-47.  Special counsel to Baltimore City Housing Commission, 1947-52.  Chief judge, Maryland Court of Appeals, 1952-54.  Advisor to Baltimore mayor and Maryland Governor Theodore McKeldin.  Chair, Commission on Administrative Organization of the State of Maryland ("Sobeloff Commission"), 1952-53.  Solicitor general of the U.S., 1954-58.  Presented the government's arguments on implementation of the Supreme Court's decision of May, 1954, to outlaw segregation in public schools.  Associate judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1956-58; chief judge, 1958-64.  Member, board of directors, Associated Jewish Charities.  Chair, Commission on the Administrative Organization of the State.  Man of the Year, Independent Order Brith Shalom, 1952; Advertising Club of Baltimore, 1954.  Medal of the President, B'nai B'rith, 1955.  First Brandeis Medal, American Jewish Congress, 1956.  Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, 1956.  Award from the Federal Bar Association, Bar Association of Baltimore City, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Junior Bar Association, 1956.  Baltimore City College Hall of Fame, 1957.  Harlan Fiske Stone Memorial Award, Association of Trial Lawyers, City of New York, 1958.  Decalogue Society of Lawyers Award, Chicago, 1959.  Honorary president, Menorah Lodge of B'nai B'rith, Baltimore, 1958.  Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Maryland, 1972.  Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Maryland, Morgan State College, and Dropsie College.  Honorary Doctor of Letters, New School for Social Research.  Honorary Doctor of Humanities, Hebrew Union College.

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