Jaclyn DeSana

Jaclyn DeSana is a skilled and compassionate attorney dedicated to helping clients navigate difficult family law situations. She believes one of the most important aspects of practicing family law is counseling clients through emotionally challenging times, and she ensures that she listens to her clients' needs while zealously advocating for them inside and outside of the courtroom. Jaclyn earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wayne State University before attending UIC Law School, where she received her Juris Doctor and a certificate in Trial Advocacy. During law school, she worked with the school's Pro Bono Clinic helping underserved communities by representing individuals in bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings as well as victims of excessive force in Federal Court. She also clerked at the Cook County Public Defender's Office Juvenile Justice Division. While still a student, she tried two jury trials in Federal Court with the Pro Bono Clinic and numerous bench trials at the Public Defender's Office. Following law school, Jaclyn spent a year of service with AmeriCorps VISTA at First Defense Legal Aid, where she helped greatly expand the organization's volunteer network and formed partnerships with law schools, large law firms, and the Cook County Public Defender's Office. She then began her career in family law at another boutique firm, where she worked on hundreds of family law matters before joining Merel Family Law. Jaclyn is currently teaching Legal Writing 3 to second-year law students at DePaul University College of Law, lending her expertise to the future of the legal profession and teaching students how to truly think and advocate like a lawyer. That kind of creativity and outside-the-box thinking is what has helped her excel in her professional life. Jaclyn is admitted to practice in Illinois and is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the DuPage County Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild.