There were 24 lawyers with active licenses to practice law in cities within Jackson County as of November, according to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois.
The figure was unchanged from the previous month.
The highest number of these licenses was registered in Murphysboro (22).
According to the ABA’s 2025 National Lawyer Population Survey, Illinois had one of the highest concentrations of lawyers in the United States, with 61,945 resident active attorneys statewide.
That total places Illinois among a small group of states accounting for a significant share of the nation’s legal workforce, reflecting its importance within the broader U.S. legal system.
As of December 2025, average lawyer salaries in Illinois ranged from $102,021 for an entry-level attorney handling routine legal work to $258,030 for highly experienced attorneys managing complex cases with significant autonomy. Mid-level attorneys, such as those in Attorney III roles—who handle highly complex legal work with moderate supervision—earned on average $191,066 in Illinois, compared to $187,448 nationwide.
Data refers to all lawyers who were actively practicing during this period.
| Lawyer Name | Date of Admission |
|---|---|
| Aaron Thomas Wise | 09/05/2013 |
| Andrew Wilson Suthard | 07/05/2009 |
| Arryn A. Carson | 06/11/2014 |
| Benjamin William Reed | 01/11/2012 |
| Carol McCann Samarah | 01/05/2014 |
| Courtney Elizabeth Jakobsen | 31/10/2013 |
| Dana Sue Frazier | 06/11/1997 |
| Diane Marie Speir | 05/11/1992 |
| Donna White McCann | 10/05/2001 |
| Edward J. Heller | 05/11/1979 |
| Guice George Strong III | 23/11/1976 |
| Jill Elaine Adams | 08/05/1986 |
| Joseph Alan Cervantez | 01/05/2014 |
| Julian Manuel Valdes | 25/03/2021 |
| Mary Christine Heins | 04/05/1993 |
| Michael Louis Wepsiec | 05/11/1981 |
| Peggy Lynn Reiman | 04/11/1999 |
| Penelope S. Smith | 07/11/1985 |
| Penny J. Pierson | 07/11/1996 |
| Raymond Neil Holley | 06/11/1997 |
| Rex Gordon Burke | 13/11/1975 |
| Richard L. Blake | 05/11/1992 |
| Thomas W. Mansfield | 03/11/1978 |
| Thomas William Moyer | 04/11/1993 |
Information in this article was obtained from the ARDC of the Supreme Court of Illinois. The source data can be found here.
