Arti Joshi serves as an Assistant Public Defender with the Will County Public Defender’s Office. She joined the office in April 2023 and was promoted to the Felony Division in January 2026. Her path to criminal defense reflects an uncommon professional journey shaped by both medicine and law, two fields devoted in different ways to serving people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
Before entering the legal profession, Ms. Joshi earned a medical degree and worked as a physician, including providing care in underserved communities for individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. That experience shaped her understanding of people facing difficult and vulnerable moments in their lives and gave her a deep appreciation for professions that have the ability to meaningfully improve the lives of those who are underprivileged or in distress.
Ms. Joshi later earned her law degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 2014. Prior to joining the Will County Public Defender’s Office, she worked at personal injury and elder law firms. While these experiences broadened her legal perspective, her passion has always been indigent defense and advocating for individuals navigating the criminal justice system.
Ms. Joshi has lived in three different countries and brings a broad cultural perspective to her work. She is fluent in Punjabi and familiar with Hindi. She values building trust with clients from diverse backgrounds. Her varied professional and life experiences have reinforced her belief that every person deserves dignity, fairness, and a strong advocate when facing the justice system.
Outside of work, Ms. Joshi enjoys traveling and is an avid reader. She participates in a neighborhood book club and is also involved in Gavel and Grub, a book club within the public defender’s office where colleagues gather to discuss books and share meals. Her love of reading reflects a lifelong curiosity about people, stories, and perspectives—an outlook that continues to shape both her understanding of the world and her commitment to thoughtful advocacy for her clients.