About L. Craig
L. Craig Atkinson trained across two Western institutions before entering practice. He earned an A.S. in Agronomy from Brigham Young University–Idaho in 1998, then returned to academics to complete a B.A. in Philosophy at Brigham Young University in 2005. He finished law school at the University of Idaho College of Law, receiving his J.D. in 2006.
His early legal work mixed public defense and prosecutorial exposure. In 2007 he served as a legal intern at the Ada County Public Defender’s Office. The following year he worked as a limited license legal intern for the Gem County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Those back-to-back placements put him inside two sides of the criminal justice system during his formative years as a lawyer.
After law school he moved into private practice. In 2009 he joined McKenzie Law Offices, PLLC as an associate. A year later he took on a leadership role at the firm that bears his name. Since 2010 he has been a senior partner at Atkinson Law Office, PLLC. His steady tenure there has shaped the firm’s approach to casework and client service.
He has also participated in professional circles that focus on criminal practice. He has been a member of the Idaho Criminal Defense Lawyers Association since 2009. That membership aligns with his earlier public defender and prosecutorial experience and offers him opportunities to stay current on litigation trends and defense strategies in Idaho.
Colleagues describe him as a lawyer who knows the local courts and judges after many years practicing in-state. He has handled matters that require courtroom experience and those that call for negotiation. His background gives him familiarity with procedure on both sides of criminal cases, and that familiarity informs how he evaluates cases and advises clients.
Outside court dockets, he draws on a varied educational background. The combination of agronomy, philosophy and law gives him a practical, analytical style. He tends to approach problems by breaking them into parts and then addressing the issues that have the clearest consequences for a client.
As of 2026 he continues to practice at Atkinson Law Office, PLLC in Idaho, where his practice focuses on criminal defense and related litigation matters.
