Today we’d like to introduce you to JoDee Neil.
Hi JoDee, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
JoDee Neil is a former prosecutor and civil litigator who has built her career on the belief that children deserve fierce protection in a system that too often fails them. Her work is grounded in the conviction that justice is not an abstract idea but a daily act of courage and compassion. She brings that conviction to every courtroom, classroom, and stage where she speaks.
JoDee began her career in the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, becoming the youngest prosecutor assigned to the Crimes Against Children Division. The work was demanding and deeply personal, revealing how the justice system can both protect and harm the vulnerable. She later expanded her impact globally, partnering with a nonprofit in Indonesia to fight child trafficking and advocate for survivors. Returning to Texas, she joined legal teams that helped communities recover billions through opioid litigation, holding corporations accountable for the harm they caused.
Today, JoDee leads a practice built on empathy, truth, and reform. She represents children, families, and survivors with compassion and conviction, transforming painful experiences into movements for change. Beyond her law practice, she trains lawyers, educators, and advocates on trauma-informed justice and speaks nationwide about rebuilding trust in systems that have lost sight of humanity.
Her forthcoming book Outcry Witness expands on the themes she lives and teaches, challenging the legal community to reimagine what it means to advocate, to protect, and to truly care. She reminds every audience that the measure of justice begins with how we treat those who have the least power.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My mother died from alcoholism and a prescription drug overdose in 2010.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Silence around sexual abuse has left too many survivors carrying wounds in isolation. JoDee’s upcoming book Outcry Witness breaks that silence. A survivor and a seasoned courtroom lawyer, JoDee has written a book that blends story, research, and lived experience to show how disclosure can spark healing.
Whether you are a survivor, a parent, or a professional working with children and families, Outcry Witness offers insight, guidance, and a path forward. It’s a resource for anyone who believes that protecting children and supporting survivors is the key to changing our world for the better.
How do you think about happiness?
I love being with my daughters. They are so clear in the way they see the world, and their clarity results in a sharp and insightful sense of humor. I love discussing the big questions with them — the existence of a higher power, why adults hurt each other, what their mission is on this planet.
I also love discussing the lived experiences of survivors with the survivor themself. It helps me “get out of myself” and become invisible for a short while.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jodeeneil.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodeeneilattorney
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/jodeeneilattorney
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodeeneilattorney
- Twitter: https://x.com/jodeeneilattorney
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/jodeeneil
- Other: https://www.neilnowlegal.com
Image Credits
Dorly Roy at Goldenlight Creative
