Jorie K. Johnson

As founder of the Law Office of Jorie K. Johnson, LLC, Ms. Johnson is dedicated to serving clients in multiple counties within Illinois, including but not limited to Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Kendall, Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, Grundy, and LaSalle from her offices in Aurora, Lisle, and Chicago. She focuses her practice on restorative justice (e.g., criminal records law), post-conviction relief and general criminal defense.  With regards to petitions to expunge, seal and for executive clemency, Ms. Johnson represents clients throughout the entire State of Illinois.  Many of Ms. Johnson’s restorative justice clients no longer reside within Illinois.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Johnson has represented clients facing a wide range of criminal charges, ranging from petty traffic offenses to misdemeanors and felonies, both violent and non-violent.  She has handled active criminal cases of all levels, including charges of murder, sexual offenses, possession of controlled substances and cannabis, theft and/or retail theft, assault, battery, domestic violence and more.   With regard to her restorative justice practice, and petitions to expunge, seal, or for executive clemency (including commutations of sentences), Ms. Johnson has handled hundreds of cases since becoming an attorney in late 2008.  She has also obtained post-conviction relief for clients in the form of certificates of relief from disabilities and certificates of good conduct, as well as motions to vacate and petitions for relief from judgment.   Throughout the years Ms. Johnson has had considerable success in obtaining pardons with authorization to expunge for her clients, and some of these grants of clemency have also included restoration of firearm ownership “privileges,” or rights.  As an alternative method of restoring clients’ previously forfeited rights to possess firearms, Ms. Johnson has also prepared formal, written appeals to the Director of Illinois State Police, with success there as well.

Ms. Johnson graduated from the elite Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1992.  While employed full-time, Ms. Johnson studied at and graduated from Northwestern University in 2002, with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and business.   After pausing her education to gain considerable work experience as both a paralegal and contracts manager, Ms. Johnson enrolled full-time in law school, and earned a Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 2008.

As a lawyer, Ms. Johnson understands that, when facing criminal charges, her clients' futures, goals, and dreams are literally on the line. As such, she empathetically and analytically listens to each client in order to help him or her build a strong and strategic criminal defense. From the start of each case until its resolution, Ms. Johnson stands alongside every client and strives to ensure that his or her rights are upheld. Specifically, regarding her restorative justice and post-conviction clients, Ms. Johnson wholly understands that people make mistakes throughout their lives, and she firmly believes that none of us should be judged solely on a moment or two of bad judgment.  In short, she vehemently believes in second chances.

A former multi-year volunteer attorney with both Cabrini Green Legal Aid and First Defense Legal Aid, Ms. Johnson remains active within the legal community. She is a member of numerous professional associations, including the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, DuPage County Bar Association, and the Women's Criminal Defense Bar Association.   While not currently affiliated with any particular pro bono legal organization, Ms. Johnson continues to volunteer her legal expertise to individuals in need when and where possible.  Ms. Johnson lives in Aurora with her husband and two cats.