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Ellis Murray Johnston III
also known as Trip Johnston
About Ellis
Biography
Trip Johnston began his legal career in 2001 as a law clerk on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. After completing his clerkship, he became a trial attorney with Federal Defenders of San Diego in 2002 and was promoted to a supervisory role in 2008. After 13 years at Federal Defenders, over 30 felony jury trials, a dozen oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit, and numerous trial and appellate victories, Trip entered private practice with the formation of Clarke Johnston Thorp & Rice.
Trip has represented clients in a vast array of criminal cases, from drug importation, alien smuggling, and illegal entry, to capital murder, wiretap cases, RICO conspiracies, and the representation of detainees at Guatanamo Bay, Cuba. For several years he chaired the training committee for Criminal Justice Act lawyers in the Southern District of California, and has given updates on Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit case law for four years.
Trip granduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, has a masters degree in English literature, and received his undergraduate degree cum laude from Duke University.
Practice Areas
1
Practice Area
Criminal Defense
100%
23 years
Fees and Rates
Cost
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 23 years
State: California
Acquired: 2002
No misconduct found
Location
Clarke, Johnston, Thorp & Rice
1010 Second Avenue, Suite 1800, San Diego, CA, 92101
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Ellis Murray Johnston III's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
1 Client Review
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Practice Areas
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Communication Style
Posted by Wesley | August 31, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Criminal Defense
Highly recommend
5 stars... Mr. Ellis Johnston (Trip) is a honest, no nonsense, straight forward lawyer. He answered all my calls I put into his office and had no problems coming to visit me when I requested it. It was recommended by the prosecutor that I receive 130 months and probation recommended 140 months for Co...
Ellis Murray Johnston III's Lawyer Endorsements
"Tripp Johnston is an excellent criminal-defense lawyer who has a sharp legal mind that is matched only by his dedication to his clients. A skilled writer as well as an outstanding courtroom advocate, Tripp is capable of handling sophisticated, high-stakes cases in any venue."
John Lemon
Federal crime lawyer
Experience
Honors
2009
E. Stanley Conant Award, The Defender Programs of San Diego
Work Experience
2016 - Present
Partner, Clarke, Johnston, Thorp & Rice
2002 - 2015
Supervisory Attorney, Federal Defenders Of San Diego, Inc.
Associations
2015 - Present
United States District Court for the Southern District of CaliforniaLawyer Representative
2014 - Present
Criminal Defense Lawyers Club
2013 - Present
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals: Attorney Admission Fund Committee
Criminal Defense Bar Association of San Diego
Education
2001
Georgetown Univ Law Ctr
JD - Juris Doctor
1998
Georgetown University
MA - Masters
1994
Duke Univ
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Publications
2016
Defending a Federal Criminal Case
Suppression of Statements
2001
Georgetown Law Journal
Once a Criminal, Always a Criminal? Unconstitutional Presumptions for the Mandatory Detention of Criminal Aliens
2000
Georgetown Law Journal
Twenty-Ninth Annual Review of Criminal Procedure: Double Jeopardy
Languages
English