About Daniel
Daniel Kay trained first as a communicator and then as a lawyer. He earned a B.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1990. He stayed in the state for law school and received his J.D. from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1993.
He moved into public service early in his career. In 1997 he served as an assistant public defender in Jackson County. Two years later he joined the Illinois Attorney General's Office as an assistant lawyer general. In 2005 he took a position in Trial Defense Services in the United States Army Reserve as a JAG officer. Those roles placed him in courtrooms and military legal settings, where he gained repeated trial experience and exposure to a range of criminal and administrative matters.
Kay’s courtroom background shapes how he approaches cases. He spent formative years representing people charged with crimes at the county level. He later worked on matters for the state. His military service added a different set of procedural rules and disciplinary frameworks. That combination has given him familiarity with jury trials, case preparation, and courtroom procedure across civilian and military forums.
Outside of courtroom work, Kay participates in professional associations that connect him to colleagues across Illinois. He holds membership in the Illinois State Bar Association and is active in the Williamson County Bar Association. Those memberships keep him engaged with changes in state law and local practice issues.
Kay maintains an office in Herrin. He continues to handle matters that draw on his public defender and JAG experience. His practice includes trial work and case handling that reflects years spent in both county criminal courts and military legal settings.
He works from his Herrin office and remains involved in litigation and trial practice across Illinois. His current practice focuses on criminal defense and litigation arising from his years in public and military service.
