J. Phil Gilbert is a lifelong resident of Carbondale, Illinois, and graduated from Carbondale Community High School in 1967 where he was co-captain of the CCHS basketball team that finished 2nd in the state. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois and Loyola University of Chicago School of Law in 1974. After law school, he returned to Carbondale and became a partner in the firm of Gilbert & Gilbert with his father, former state senator, John G. Gilbert, and his uncle, W. Philo Gilbert. He served as Special Assistant Attorney General from 1974-1975, and was Assistant City Attorney for Carbondale from 1975-1978. From 1978-1987 he was a member of the Illinois State Board of Elections and was Chairman from 1981-1983 and Vice Chairman from 1983-1985. Governor James Thompson appointed him to the Election Reform Commission in 1984 and he also served on the National Council on Governmental Ethics Laws from 1983-1987.

Gilbert was a partner in the firm of Gilbert, Kimmel, Huffman & Prosser, Ltd. from 1983 -1988 when he was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a Circuit Judge in the First Judicial Circuit and served as a state court judge until his appointment to the federal bench. Judge Gilbert was appointed United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois in September, 1992, by President George H. W. Bush. He served as Chief Judge of the Southern District of Illinois from October, 1993 to September, 2000. While on the federal bench, Judge Gilbert served a six-year term on the Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Criminal Law. He is currently a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Judicial Security.

In March, 2014, Judge Gilbert assumed Senior Status but continues his public service by rendering substantial service as a senior judge.
In 2008, Judge Gilbert received the Silver Gavel Award for his dedication to justice from the criminal defense bars of the Southern District of Illinois and the Eastern District of Missouri.

In 2009, Judge Gilbert received the SIU School of Law Founders’ Medal for distinguished service to the law school. In 2010, Judge Gilbert was the recipient of the Loyola School of Law’s Distinguished Jurist Award.

Judge Gilbert was appointed to the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees by Governor Bruce Rauner on February 27, 2015 and was re-appointed to the Board by Governor Pritzker in 2020. He was elected Chairman of the Board in February 2019 and re-elected as Chairman in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

In 1993, Judge Gilbert, along with his team, was inducted into the Illinois High School Basketball (IBCA) Hall of Fame. In 1995, he was inducted into the Carbondale Elementary School District #95 Hall of Fame. In 2014, he, along with his team, was inducted into the CCHS Athletic Hall of Fame. Judge Gilbert was inducted into the CCHS Hall of Achievement.

In 2015, Judge Gilbert was the recipient of the David Kenney Award which is presented to outstanding members of the community who have dedicated themselves to making the community, state and country a better place to live.