The answer is no. Even so, you may want to consider hiring one.
In order to file an Illinois pardon, certain critical documents are needed. You can probably get most of these with minimal difficulty. The harder part is writing your personal statement and explaining why you believe you need the pardon and, more importantly, why you deserve it. An attorney can help prepare your petition and help you present your life story in a compelling way.
A troubling issue for people seeking pardons is that it can be challenging to figure out what parts of your life story are more and less important. The prison review board carefully looks over each request for pardon that comes to their office, and it can be tough to decide what is important and what can be left out.
There is also a real need to accept responsibility for your conviction. In truth, pardons based on claims of actual innocence almost never happen unless a court has first cleared a defendant of the original conviction. And even then, a pardon is not automatic.
If you have questions about obtaining a pardon or executive clemency, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.
(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)