Angelica F. Russell-Johnson

Associate

Angel brings a wealth of experience in arts administration to the Private Clients, Trusts and Estates practice.

Angelica Russel-Johnson

Angel advises clients on a broad range of estate planning issues with a focus on charitable gift planning. She is committed to pro bono work and recently served as a Public Interest Law Initiative fellow for Just the Beginning: A Pipeline Organization, where she drafted law student curriculum, hypotheticals for mock oral arguments, and evaluation metrics for judges grading oral arguments.

Boards, Memberships & Certifications

  • Black Women Lawyers’ Association, Member
  • Howard University Alumni Association, Member
  • Law Students for the Creative Arts-Chicago, President (2018-2020)
  • Black Law Student Association-Chicago, Community Service Co-Chair (2018-2020)
  • Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center, Student Ambassador (2017-2018)
  • National Endowment for the Humanities (2016)

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “Illinois Estate Tax and Real Property: Best Practices for Residents and Non-Residents,” Illinois State Bar Association’s Real Property Newsletter (Jan. 2023)

Presentations

  • “AI in Estate Planning: Ethical and Practical Considerations,” Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section, Webinar (Oct. 12, 2023)
  • “Gendered Language Within the African American Community,” College Language Association Convention, Chicago, IL (Mar. 21, 2018)

Recognitions 

  • Eta Sigma Phi, Member
  • Phi Beta Kappa, Howard University Legacy Scholar  
  • As a Gilman International Scholar in 2017, Angel studied at the University of Hyderabad in Hyderabad, India, where she was a guest lecturer on the role that language plays in reinforcing oppressive sexist, racist, and heteronormative standards.

Professional Activities

As a PILI fellow, Angel worked with Just the Beginning: A Pipeline Organization, a multiracial, nonprofit organization that has served the legal community for over 25 years. She developed curriculum for the Summer Legal Institute, created a First Amendment free speech violation hypothetical for use in mock oral arguments, and drafted legal evaluation metrics for judges to use when grading oral arguments.

Perspectives