Stephen L. Richards

Stephen L. Richards is a Chicago, Illinois criminal defense and appellate attorney with extensive experience in murder cases, complex felony trials, post-conviction proceedings, and civil rights litigation. He represents people challenging criminal convictions and defending against serious charges, including cases where the evidence, trial procedure, or treatment of defendants raises important constitutional questions. His work spans trial courts and appeals, with a particular record in overturning murder convictions and pursuing legal protections for people accused or convicted of crimes.

Stephen earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Chicago in 1976, followed by his Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 1983. He taught legal writing at Chicago-Kent College of Law from 1984 to 1986 and then served as a judicial law clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice William G. Clark from 1986 to 1989. These positions gave him experience with legal research, written advocacy, and appellate court procedures before he began his public defense career.

From 1989 to 2000, Stephen served as an assistant Cook County public defender, handling appeals, felony trials, and cases assigned to the murder task force. He later worked as Deputy Defender of the Office of the State Appellate Defender’s Death Penalty Trial Division from 2000 to 2008, supervising a 30-person office that provided capital trial defense throughout Illinois. Since 2008, he has practiced privately and litigated alongside trial partner Joshua S.M. Richards. His background includes courtroom advocacy, supervising defense teams, and challenging serious criminal convictions on appeal.

Stephen L. Richards has secured reversals of 13 murder convictions on appeal and won dozens of jury verdicts. His appellate work has helped establish legal protections involving access to retained counsel, limits on preliminary hearing testimony, and filing deadlines for claims involving coerced confessions. He received the Defender Prize under the National Legal Aid & Defender Association’s Kutak-Dodds Awards in 2003 and has been recognized by Super Lawyers since 2012. Admitted before the United States Supreme Court and several federal courts, he brings extensive trial and appellate experience to cases involving serious charges and fundamental legal rights.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Law Office of Stephen L. Richards
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association

Licensed State

• Illinois

Education

• Brooklyn Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Chicago
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges