Former state Senator John Eklund was appointed today to the 11th District Court of Appeals.

Former state Senator John Eklund was appointed today to the 11th District Court of Appeals.

Former state Sen. John Eklund will join the 11th District Court of Appeals on July 1.

Judge-designate Eklund, of Munson Township in Geauga County, will replace Judge Matt Lynch, who won a different seat on the same court. Judge-designate Eklund must run for election in November 2022 to complete the unexpired term ending Feb. 8, 2025.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced the appointment Wednesday.

Judge-designate Eklund has worked at the Calfee, Halter and Griswold law firm in Cleveland since 1980 as a member of its antitrust and regulatory counseling and litigation group.

He served as the Ohio state senator for the 18th District, having been appointed in 2011, elected in 2012 and reelected in 2016.

Judge-designate Eklund received bachelor’s degrees in political science and in history from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia.