Top Rated Criminal Defense Attorney in Aurora, IL

Educational Background

• Phillips Exeter Academy, Liberal Arts Graduate, Exeter, NH, 1992
• Northwestern University, Bachelor of Science, Major: Psychology; Minor: Business, Evanston, IL, 2002

Representative Clients

• Client with multiple arrests (total of eleven (11)), for various offenses, and convictions for residential burglary and aggravated battery with great bodily harm, granted sealing, over State's objections, on multiple cases in Lake County (Illinois), along with expungement of two (2) cases which did not result in convictions. Client now able to progress within his profession of choice and put these old cases behind him, once and for all., 2020
• Ms. Johnson and co-counsel secured a not-guilty verdict on a high-profile murder case in Chicago where client was charged with killing his four (4) month old son while the latter was in his care.  The not-guilty verdict included all charges brought against the client and, after a long, arduous battle in court, the client was released from custody and eligible to expunge his record., 2013
• Ms. Johnson and co-counsel, after a four (4) day trial in Cook County, Illinois, received a not-guilty verdict on charges of first-degree murder on a high-profile case where her client was charged with killing a seventeen (17) year old girl.  Her client was found guilty on a lesser-included charge of second-degree murder, thus resulting in a much shorter sentence which is currently being served at fifty percent (50%) instead of one hunderd percent (100%). The difference in sentencing, due to Ms. Johnson and her co-counsel's work, was literally decades., 2012

Special Licenses/Certifications

• In April 2020 Ms. Johnson was sworn into the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (general practice)., 2020
• In December 2018 Ms. Johnson was sworn into the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (general practice)., 2018

Pro bono/Community Service

• Volunteer attorney at DuPage County Expungement Clinic., 2021
• Volunteer attorney supervisor for Dorothy Brown, Cook County Clerk of Court's Annual Second Chance Summit in Chicago, Illinois., 2018
• First Defense Legal Aid in Chicago, Volunteer Attorney and Part-Time Staff Attorney, 2013
• Pro Bono Attorney for Cabrini Green Legal Aid in Chicago, 2012

Other Outstanding Achievements

• Ms. Johnson has had numerous in-court victories stemming from plea negotiations due to submission of mitigation on clients' behalf; she was able to get many misdemeanor and felony clients alike into deferred prosecution programs in various counties throughout Illinois, she has negotiated outright dismissal of charges with the prosecution on several cases, and, in general, has negotiated many sentences that do not equate to convictions (e.g., deferred prosecution/pre-trial diversion, First Offender Probation, Second Chance Probation, court supervision, etc.) so as to avoid immigration consequences and other negative ramifications for clients., 2022

Honors/Awards

• , Second consecutive year named Illinois Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2022
• Top Attorneys in Illinois, Chicago Lawyer magazine, 2022
• , Top Attorneys in Illinois, American Registry, 2022
• In 2021, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Super Lawyer" by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2021
• , Second consecutive year named Top 100 Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, National Trial Lawyers, 2021
• , Biographical listee, Marquis Who's Who, 2021
• In 2018, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Rising Star" attorney by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2018
• In 2017, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Rising Star" attorney by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2017
• In 2016, Ms. Johnson was named an Illinois "Rising Star" attorney by Thomson Reuters., Illinois Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2016

Verdicts/Settlements

• As of January 31, 2022, Ms. Johnson has gotten a total of thirteen (13) petitions for executive clemency with authorization to expunge, some with restoration of firearm ownership privileges restored, granted from past and current Illinois governors.  She also assisted these clients in pursuing expungement of their respective records in the circuit court where the conviction(s) occurred.  The pardoned offenses included originally non-expungeable misdemeanor and felony offenses, both violent and non-violent; Ms. Johnson sincerely hopes that her work has helped these deserving individuals move forward with their lives., 2022
• DuPage County. State filed "public policy" objection to client's Petition to Seal misdemeanor indecent exposure conviction (reduced from felony sex offense) filed but after court hearing was held and arguments presented, Judge sided with my client, granting his Petition to Seal., 2021
• Woman convicted in 2013 of one (1) count of violating 720 ILCS 5/12-3.05(d)(1) (she was originally charged with a total of eight (8) counts of aggravated battery to an elderly/handicapped individual but ultimately was only convicted of a single count of agg. batt. to an elderly person) sealed by Court so Petitioner can move forward with obtaining employment, something she has been struggling with since the conviction. State attempted to object but did not timely file its objection under the Illinois Criminal Identification Act; Judge agreed with my Response to State's objection and did not allow State to argue at hearing nor did she consider any of State's arguments in rendering her decision in my client's favor., 2021
• Ms. Johnson was able to seal a client's 2004 conviction for aggravated arson in DuPage County, Illinois, over the State's Attorney's Office's objection and after hearing, on September 2, 2020., 2020

Bar/Professional Activity

• American Bar Association, 2022
• Illinois State Bar Association, 2022
• DuPage County Bar Association, 2020
• Women's Criminal Defense Bar Association, 2020