Charleston, IL

Jacob N. Smallhorn was born and raised in Charleston, Illinois. He earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa member and James Scholar. He later obtained his law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law, receiving the CALI Award for Advanced Legal Research and a Pro Bono Notation. His legal experience includes business litigation, workers' compensation, and serving as legal counsel for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. He opened his own law firm in his hometown in 2018 and is actively involved in several community organizations.