Location: Scotch Plains, New Jersey Phone: 866-845-5571 Fax: 908-322-6997 E-mail:E-mail Me
John Richard Johnson, Esq., is a certified Criminal Trial Attorney with over thirty years of experience in criminal law. His unique approach, driven by his care and concern for the well-being of his clients, sets him apart. He takes the time to get to know and earn the trust of his clients, believing that a strong client-attorney relationship is crucial to achieving successful resolutions. “I need to know my client and for them to know me and develop a level of mutual respect, one must be that trusted advisor to a client.” This approach has enabled him to achieve many successful resolutions for his clients.
John is not just a highly skilled trial attorney, but also a dedicated community member. His strong negotiation skills, effective use of investigative techniques, and in-depth understanding of federal constitutional law, evidentiary issues, and criminal procedure have consistently yielded favorable outcomes for his clients. He has successfully represented clients in high-profile state and federal cases, having tried over one hundred jury trials to completion. Beyond his legal career, he dedicates his time and guidance as a mentor to men and is actively involved in his community in Union County, New Jersey. His community involvement is not just a part of his life, but a source of inspiration and connection for others.
He began his career as an Assistant Municipal Prosecutor and Assistant Corporation Counsel in Newark, NJ, and while in that capacity, he served as a liaison to the City’s Police and Fire Department. He served as an Assistant Prosecutor at the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. He was an associate with the highly regarded criminal defense attorney Brian Neary, Esq., in Bergen County and served as a public defender in Essex, Union, and Middlesex Counties. He was an appellate law clerk for the Honorable Robert Muir, Jr., J.A.D., where he prepared in-depth legal memoranda of law for use by appellate judges during oral arguments and reviewed appellate decisions.
John received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his varsity letter on the football team as a freshman. It was also at Cal that John developed his interest in the law. At the same time, he worked as a process server in the San Francisco Law Offices of Melvin Belli and Herbert Resner and was mentored by The Honorable Thelton Henderson, now an inactive senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. He sings Bass part in chorale groups and his aspiration is to one day perform a solo in a New York Musical.
United States District Court-District of New Jersey 1994
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2001
Education
University of California Berkeley, BA in Political Science 1988
Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark NJ JD 1994
Honors and Awards
2023 Middlesex County Bar Association Criminal Practitioner of the Year Award
Professional Associations and Memberships
Member:
Middlesex County Bar Association
Union County Bar Association
Garden State Bar Association
New Jersey State Bar Association
New Jersey Association for Justice
National Association Criminal Defense Lawyers
Associational Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey
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