Deric John Orr

I’m a Tri-Cities native, having graduated from Hanford High School.  In 2009, I graduated from the University of Washington after having to witness entirely too many losing football seasons. At the University of Washington, I majored in English and will never let you forget it. I then went on to attend the University of Illinois School of Law in Urbana-Champaign.

 After earning my law degree, I decided to return to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to my family.  I immediately began my legal career at the Benton County Office of Public Defense. I have always been exclusively interested in and committed to the practice of criminal law. While at the Office of Public Defense, I spent time in District Court handling misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors for indigent clients.  After spending a year and a half with the Office of Public Defense, I was hired as an Associate at Mendoza & Johnson, where I expanded from misdemeanors to felony charges and became federally licensed in the Eastern District of Washington.  

 In 2015, I partnered with Scott Johnson to form the Johnson & Orr Law Firm, where we spent weeks fighting over the logo.

In private practice, I quickly realized that often what separates a good attorney is not necessarily legal prowess, but communication.  Too many attorneys are unable or simply unwilling to allow for transparency, to not only make decisions, but the reasoning behind those decisions. These are difficult choices to make; one that requires a collaborative effort with our clients. It is easy to forget that most everyone seeking legal counsel is enduring one of the most trying times of their life, but it shapes everything. I have always been passionate about my role as an advocate for my clients, and that doesn’t exist in a vacuum at the courthouse.

 Outside of my private practice, I hold a position on the Benton & Franklin County Adult Drug Court.  This has provided me an opportunity to secure close ties to the treatment community, while also allowing me to work towards criminal justice reform. I will unabashedly advocate for any all reforms to our justice system and I rarely will bite my tongue about it. I like to believe that advocacy helps guide me in my individual relationships with my client. In addition to this position, I have helped coach the Richland High School Mock-Trial team for the last two years in a futile effort to appear youthful.

I pride myself on honest, clear communication that helps my clients find empowerment by understanding their options. Clients can look forward to accessible representation, vigorous preparation, and effective resolutions. Whether you have been accused of committing a misdemeanor or felony, Johnson & Orr provides skilled representation in a wide variety of criminal law matters.