McCarthy & Jackson

John J. McCarthy

John has lived in Canton for more than 50 years and he has truly made Canton his home and been instrumental in projects that have bettered the community. John is originally from Chicago, Illinois and attended St. Ignatius High School before attending Holy Cross College. He then went on to study law at the University of Illinois School of Law.

Upon graduation John took a job at Western Illinois University teaching Business Law. John began practicing in Canton not long after and eventually opened his own practice in Canton. After 35 years of teaching at WIU he retired to practice law full time. During his over 50 years of service he has had many career highlights. John served as the City Attorney for Canton for several years. He helped establish the Wee-Ma-Tuk Drainage District and several municipality boards that were responsible for securing funding for projects that improved the lives of many throughout Fulton County.

John officially retired in 2024, but remains active in the community today. He enjoys spending time with his family and out on the lake. You may still see John around the office from time to time as he consults on cases, and continues to be a mentor and dear friend to McCarthy and Jackson, LLC.

Nate C. Jackson

Nate grew up in Canton and graduated from Canton High School before attending Bradley University. After graduating from Bradley he attended Drake University Law School. While at Drake, Nate was a an executive member of the Student Bar Association, Delta Theta Phi, and the Managing Editor of the Drake Law Review. While attending Drake Law School, he worked in the Middleton Center for Children’s Rights.

After graduating law school, Nate returned home to start his career. Nate has always had a passion for helping those in his community. He began his career at Prairie State Legal Services, helping provide free legal services to people who needed them most. He represented clients in a variety of areas including elder, housing, and education law.

In 2024, Nate joined John’s practice and established McCarthy and Jackson, LLC. Nate understands and cares about the needs of a small town and the people who live there. He wants to continue to be a part of improving the community through his legal practice.

Memberships, Boards, and Associations:

Canton Area Chamber of Commerce

Illinois Bar Association

President of the Fulton County Bar Association

Parlin-Ingersoll Public Library Board of Trustees