Attorney Profile
James “JD” VanRheeden grew up loving a good challenge. A native of Tremont, Illinois, he was competitive in both sports and academics, but college was a game-changer. As he studied psychology and philosophy at Illinois Wesleyan his classmates complained that he “was a pain to argue with.” That ability to argue philosophical issues paved the path for his litigation future.
JD believes that the critical reading and writing skills developed throughout his study of philosophy prepared him for excellence in law. His approach to both work and life is to “study, learn and explore new and interesting fields – every day – to stay sharp and well-rounded.” An approach that paid off as JD graduated 8th in his class of more than 100 and earned full scholarships including the prize for achievement in corporate law class sequence.
Having joined Quinn Johnston in 2015, JD is looking to the future with intrigue and passion for personal injury defense litigation. “Defense is my calling. I watched my dad, a manager of a large retailer, struggle with frequent frivolous lawsuits. That familiarity with corporate challenges has prepared me to be part of a strong defense team.”
JD is thankful to remain in Central Illinois, close to his family and roots. Outside of his work supporting the efforts of the Quinn Johnston team, JD is on the St. Jude Harvest Moon Committee.
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Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., Northern Illinois University College of Law, DeKalb, Illinois, 2015
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Brian and Tamra McGough Prize Recipient, 2015
- B.A., Philosophy, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois, 2012
- Honors: cum laude
Admissions/Associations
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Peoria County Bar Association
- Young Professionals of Greater Peoria
Community Activities
St. Jude Harvest Moon Committee
Ratings/Recognitions
Only two percent of Illinois lawyers under the age of 40 or who have been licensed to practice for 10 years or less earn this distinction. 2018-present