Title: Lawyer
Company: Law Office of Richard Fred Johnson
Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Richard F. Johnson, owner of the Law Office of Richard Fred Johnson, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Lawyers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in personal injury law.
Since 2014, Mr. Johnson has served as the owner of the Law Office of Richard Fred Johnson, where he continues over five decades of practice specializing in personal injury law, insurance claims and cases against railroad companies. His interest in legal service began as a young teen: after growing up with a speech impediment, he felt compelled to pursue a career involving public speaking to help him overcome this. Mr. Johnson graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in 1966 and studied law at Northwestern University, where he became the first person in his family to complete a graduate degree when he earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence, with honors, in 1969.
Mr. Johnson began his practice as a clerk for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In 1970, he joined the Chicago firm of Lord, Bissell & Brook, where he practiced as an associate for seven years before rising to become a partner in 1977. Mr. Johnson departed from Lord, Bissell & Brook in 2004 to mount a campaign for Cook County judge. Though he was ultimately not elected, he conducted his campaign with pride, and was one of just four candidates in a field of 86 participants to receive a highly qualified assessment from the Chicago Bar Association.
After his judicial run, Mr. Johnson continued his career as a partner of Hughes, Socol, Piers, Resnick and Dym Ltd., where he would continue to practice until opening his own firm in 2014. In a career suffused with highlights, he is most proud to have successfully represented a client against AMTRAK in a crossing collision claim that resulted in a six-week trial. Additionally, Mr. Johnson secured a positive verdict in a civil rights claim on behalf of a prison inmate.
In recognition of his commitment to upholding the highest legal standards, Mr. Johnson holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating and has been presented with a Meritorious Service Award by the Board of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the 2004 Edward J. Lewis II Award for Pro Bono Service from the Chicago Bar Foundation, among other honors. A prominent speaker in his field and a frequent contributor to professional publications, he is the author of “Interjurisdictional Depositions,” from the 2014 Illinois Civil Discovery Practice manual. Mr. Johnson was ordained as a deacon by the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago in 2006, and he is an active volunteer with numerous organizations, including the Center for Elder and Disability Law, the Northwestern Bluhm Legal Clinic, the Cook County Jail and the Old Irving Park Clinic. He attributes his long-term success to persistence and a respect for both his clients and the opposing legal team, and hopes to continue his work for as long as he is able.
For more information, please visit:
Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement
Contact Mr. Johnson
