Mr. Porter graduated from Illinois College , a small private liberal arts school, in 1998 and then proceeded to law school at Northern Illinois University College of Law and graduated from there in 2001. Mr. Porter began his legal career as a staff attorney for the Kane County Judiciary and then joined the Kane County prosecutor's office. While at the prosecutor's office, he took over a dozen cases to jury trial and also tried numerous bench trials.

From the prosecutor's office, Mr. Porter joined a civil defense firm in DuPage County where he represented companies and municipalities before the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Mr. Porter is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois , and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Porter is also admitted to the Trial Bar of the United States District Court of Northern Illinois.

Mr. Porter is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association and has been appointed to the Young Lawyers Division Council