Resume

Jorie K. Johnson
Attorney at Law
The Law Office of Jorie K. Johnson, LLC
3015 East New York Street, Suite A2-178
Aurora, Illinois 60504
Tel.: (847) 922-8683 ~ Fax: (630) 499-9635
E-mail: jkj@jorielaw.com
Website: www.illinoisexpungementlawyerblog.com

EMPLOYMENT
EXPERIENCE:

• Practice areas include criminal records law (i.e., expungement, sealing and clemency), DUI law, traffic law and general criminal defense.
• Bulk of practice currently consists of drafting and filing petitions for expungement, sealing and/or clemency of individuals’ criminal records, as appropriate pursuant to the Illinois Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/5.2 et seq.) to thereby assist individuals in obtaining employment, housing, financial loans, etc.
• Representation of criminal records clients in court, as necessary, to argue Petitions for Expungement and/or Sealing and/or Motions to Reconsider Denial of said petitions, if necessary.
• Also focusing on Petitions for Executive Clemency, which are sent to Governor Quinn, and argued before members of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in Chicago or Springfield.
• General criminal defense representation in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Kendall and Kankakee Counties (among others) as needed.

• When on-call, respond to calls from FDLA’s hotline available to members of the Chicago community requesting free, quality legal representation for individuals in Chicago police custody.
• When it has been determined that an individual is currently in Chicago police custody under investigation for a felony criminal offense, determine where said individual has been detained, meet said individual at police district/area headquarters to represent him/her, thus protecting against unfair interrogation techniques.
• Keep family members informed of any developments pertaining to individual’s detention.
• Keep detailed records of all contact with detained individual and various Chicago police personnel, which may be forwarded to the Cook County Public Defender’s Office to assist in the defense of said individual, if he/she is ultimately charged with a crime.

• Determine if individuals are eligible for expungement and/or sealing of criminal records pursuant to Illinois Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630/5.2 et seq.)
• Assist eligible individuals in filling out and filing pro se expungement and/or sealing petitions, as well as applicable court notices.
• When necessary, advise individuals of requirements for petitioning Governor for executive clemency.
• Currently representing multiple clients on Petitions for Executive Clemency. This includes drafting the aforementioned petitions, as well as representing clients before the Prisoner Review Board.
• Conduct general criminal and criminal records client intakes and presenting recommendations to panel as to whether case should be accepted.

• Provided daily trial call assistance to three (3) Assistant State’s Attorneys, including but not limited to presenting facts to sitting judge, as stipulated to during guilty plea negotiations, argued Motions to Suppress Evidence and/or Quash Arrest, participated in 402 conferences with judge, and participated in felony bench trials.
• Prepared daily trial call before court session, updated docket during court session using “Books and Cards” system, prepared daily disposition worksheet and supporting documentation for Wing Supervisor after court session.
• Conducted legal research and wrote supporting memoranda for variety of felony offenses.
• Reviewed Chicago Police Department Video Evidence DVDs for key admissions by defendant(s).

• Researched civil and criminal law issues for nineteen (19) associate and full-time judges.
• Wrote legal memoranda on various issues, including statutory analysis, sentencing recommendations, and procedural issues.
• Engaged in discussions with judges regarding a full range of legal issues to aid in the resolution of legal disputes.
• Attended motion hearings, trials, sentencing hearings, and status calls.
• Reviewed case files and drafted preliminary opinions.

LICENSES:

• 04/2020
  Admitted to the General Bar of the United States District Court
  for the Northern District of Illinois
• 12/2018
  Admitted to the General Bar of the United States District Court
  for the Southern District of Illinois
• 11/2008
  Admitted to the Illinois Bar

EDUCATION:

• 05/2008
  The John Marshall Law School (Chicago, IL)
  Juris Doctor

• 08/2002
  Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
  Bachelor of Science (Psychology, Business)

• 06/1992
  Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH)
  Liberal Arts Graduate

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

• Women’s Criminal Defense Bar Association
• Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• DuPage County Bar Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• American Bar Association