Deric J. Orr

Deric Orr is a Tri-Cities native, having graduated from Hanford High School. In 2009, he graduated from the University of Washington. At the University of Washington, he majored in English and will never let you forget it. He then went on to attend the University of Illinois School of Law in Urbana-Champaign.

After earning his law degree, he decided to return to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to his family. He immediately began his legal career at the Benton County Office of Public Defense. He has always been interested in and committed to the practice of criminal law. After spending a year and a half with the Office of Public Defense, he was hired as an Associate at Mendoza & Johnson, where he expanded from misdemeanors to felony charges and became federally licensed in the Eastern District of Washington.

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

In private practice, he 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 transparency, to not only make decisions but to explain the reasoning behind those decisions. These are difficult choices to make; ones that require a collaborative effort with their clients. It is easy to forget that almost everyone seeking legal counsel is enduring one of the most trying times of their life, but it informs everything. He has always been passionate about his role as an advocate for his clients, and that doesn’t exist in a vacuum at the courthouse.

Deric also maintained a contract with the county to represent defendants in the Adult Drug Court program. Working in drug court for a decade cemented Deric’s experience handling issues of addiction, mental health, and the various personal crises of his clients.  Further, it was in Drug Court where Deric cemented his desire to help people who had often given up on themselves and further galvanized his belief in everyone’s worth of redemption.  Upon leaving the Drug Court, Deric was awarded the Hero of Hope award for his longstanding commitment to the program.  He prides himself on honest, clear communication that helps his clients find empowerment by understanding their options. Clients can look forward to accessible representation, vigorous preparation, and effective resolutions. Whether they have been accused of committing a misdemeanor or felony, Johnson & Orr provides skilled representation in a wide variety of criminal law matters.