Jacquelyn A. Fernandez Leyva began practicing law in 2005 after graduating from DePaul University College of Law. Since then she has focused on the area of personal injury, including general negligence, premises liability, and municipal liability. Prior to joining the firm she represented plaintiffs in their claims. She has consistently achieved favorable results for her clients at arbitration, mediation and trial.
As a seasoned trial attorney, her many successes have been published by The Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter and the Illinois Settlement Reporter. Ms. Fernandez Leyva has been recognized by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as an Emerging Lawyer. This distinction recognized her as being within the top two percent of lawyers age forty or younger practicing in the field of personal injury law.
Both during and after her legal studies, Ms. Fernandez Leyva focused her endeavors on Chicago’s southeast side community. During her time at DePaul, she taught Street Law to high school students at her public-school alma mater. This course focused on teaching the fundamentals of the legal process and training for the city-wide mock trial competition. She also served on the Board of Directors of the East Side Chamber of Commerce from 2010 to 2019, two terms of which she served as its president.
Aside from her strong litigation practice, Ms. Fernandez Leyva’s academic and professional background also include a focus in Latin American legal issues. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in Mexico with indigenous defense and human rights networks. She is fluent in written and conversational Spanish.
Ms. Fernandez Leyva is admitted to practice law in Indiana and Illinois and is admitted to the General and Trial Bars of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.