Laura Johnson was born and raised in Salem, Oregon. A lifelong Oregonian, Laura’s passion for criminal defense work was a long time in the making. Always one to fight for those who need her help most, Laura knew that the place for her was in public defense before she even submitted an application to law school.

Laura got her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University, where she focused her studies on philosophy and women’s studies. During her time at Portland State she worked at the School of Gender, Race, and Nation which was the final catalyst for her to attend law school and ultimately to work in public defense. Laura went on to attend Willamette Law School and graduated in 2020. During law school, Laura clerked at a private criminal defense firm before landing her clerk position at PDMC. Clerking at PDMC made Laura certain that this was the place she wanted to be. After a brief period representing injured workers, Laura joined PDMC as an attorney in August 2021.

Laura enjoys spending time with her husband and her corgi, contemplating existentialism, and making sarcastic comments.

To learn more about Laura: Click here!