Biography of Tamara N. Holder

Tamara Holder is the principal of The Law Firm of Tamara N. Holder, LLC. Her work includes: criminal defense (felony and misdemeanor), expungement and clemency, race discrimination, police brutality, personal injury and pro bono practices. See www.tamaraholder.com for more information.

Soon after Tamara's graduation from law school, she realized many of her clients found themselves facing lifetime bans on employment, education, adoption, even access to credit – all because of a prior arrest record that was long forgotten. Seeing the need for outreach in this area, Tamara created www.xpunged.com, to help offer a second chance to people who have expungeable or sealable offenses under Illinois law. She also helps people seek a Governor’s pardon for non-expungeable offenses.

Tamara also works closely with Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. in crafting and executing public policy initiatives, together with programs to increase opportunities for minorities and the economically disadvantaged. As a result of her work, she quickly caught the attention of not only Chicago’s civic leaders, but also of those nationwide.

Tamara was the first in the country to expose the railroad industry’s improper employment practices toward those with criminal records. She spearheaded a Congressional inquiry and a hearing before the Congressional Committee of Homeland Security in February of 2007. Then, in July of 2007, Tamara testified as an expert witness before the Congressional Committee of Transportation, Sub-Committee of Maritime and Infrastructure. Her testimony was crucial to preventing passage of an invasive, anti-worker, anti-business piece of legislation calling for mandatory identification cards for transportation workers, a statutory scheme criticized by organized labor and management alike.

Tamara created a pro bono expungement clinic at Rev. Jesse L. Jackson's Rainbow Push headquarters where she provides free legal advice and educates the public about the importance of clearing their criminal background.

Tamara has met privately with Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn and former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on the issue of pardons and IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan on criminal sentencing and expungement laws. She has worked with many of the nation’s top political leaders, such as Congressmen John Conyers and Bennie Thompson, to name a few.

Tamara is a frequent guest on CNN (Nancy Grace, Prime News, Showbiz Tonight), Fox News Channel (Neil Cavuto, Live Desk), and truTV (formerly CourtTV). She has been interviewed by local affiliates: Fox Chicago, NBC5, CBS2, ABC7, Fox Chicago and CLTV. Tamara is also a frequent guest on the radio including, Sirius/XM “Me and Vinnie”, “The Santita Jackson Show” and “The Cliff Kelly Show” (WVON 1690 AM).

Tamara sits on the advisory board of Women of Power (an organization within the Cook County Sheriff’s Office - womenofpoweraa.org), alongside some of the state’s most powerful leaders, including Congressmen Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson, Jr., as well as many judges and elected officials. The organization is devoted to helping women rehabilitate who are caught within the criminal justice system. She also sits on the board of Horizon Prison Ministries (horizoncommunities.org), a non-profit organization founded to establish faith and character-based residential programs in prisons. Tamara believes in rehabilitation over incarceration.

Tamara is an early graduate from college (The University of Arizona, 2000) and from law school (The John Marshall Law School, 2005). While in law school, she learned criminal trial practice as an intern for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and contract negotiation and mediation at Miramax Films in Los Angeles.