Blending legal expertise, community advocacy and an unwavering commitment to public service, Jessica Scheller, a proud, longtime Beverly resident and Barnabas mom, has built a distinguished career as one of Cook County’s most accomplished and experienced lawyers.

Jessica currently serves as a top legal advisor to State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, helping lead the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office’s strategy in complex civil litigation as Deputy Chief of the Civil Actions Bureau. She leads more than one hundred attorneys and personally handles high-stakes cases that have made headlines across the country, defending the County’s prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and laws while also leading affirmative litigation to protect taxpayer resources.

Before she was tapped for leadership within the State’s Attorney’s Office, Jessica served as a supervisor at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where she represented the Illinois State Police and other state agencies in complex civil litigation. She began her career representing both plaintiffs and defendants in private practice. Her experience on both sides of the courtroom gives her a balanced, practical perspective and a deep appreciation of the law’s real-world impact.

Outside the courtroom, Jessica is a leader in her profession and local community. She currently serves on the Board of the Federal Bar Association, formerly held leadership roles in the National Organization for Women, and was a founding member of Women’s March Chicago. She has received several awards for her commitment to justice, including the Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Service Award from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and recognition as one of the Top Women Lawyers in Leadership by the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.

But ask her what matters most, and she’ll tell you: family and community. Jessica and her husband Adam (a Morgan Park native who went to grammar school in Oak Lawn and high school in Palos Heights) have long resided in Beverly and they have two children, Charlotte and Grayson, who just graduated from St. Barnabas Catholic School.  Jessica was a collegiate soccer player, and continues to spend a lot of her free time on the field, at the rink, or in the gym, cheering on her kids.

Jessica earned both her J.D. and M.B.A. from Loyola University Chicago, and she’ll bring to the bench not just experience, but compassion, grit, and a deep understanding of what justice means for everyday people.