National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys - IL Chapter

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Jennifer Wu

Law Office of Jennifer Y. Wu

Member profile details

First name

Jennifer

Middle Name

Yee-Men

Last name

jen@jenwulaw.com

Company

Law Office of Jennifer Y. Wu

Company Logo

Address 1

5424 W Devon Ave #46592

City

Chicago

State/Province

Zip

60646

Phone

(773) 234-3560

Bio

I have over 20 years of experience advocating for my clients. I began my legal career in the Office of the State Appellate Defender in 2002, where I filed numerous appellate court briefs on a multitude of criminal law and constitutional issues. I also served as an assistant attorney general under Lisa Madigan where I represented the Illinois Department of Labor and prosecuted violations of Illinois labor laws. I also represented a number of state agencies against claims of employment discrimination. I represented state agencies in guardianship matters and hearings before the Civil Service Commission and Illinois State Police Merit Board.

In 2006, I joined the Chicago Board of Education as an assistant general counsel. I defended the Board and its agents against claims of employment discrimination in federal court and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the Chicago Commission on Human Rights. I also represented the CEO in administrative matters before the Illinois State Board of Education and in state court relating to teacher dismissals. I represented the Board and its agents in federal court in matters arising under the First and Fourth Amendments (i.e., free speech and excessive force). I handled all aspects of litigation and have argued before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

After I decided to stay home with my children, I had a lot of time on my hands to think about my career and how to balance it with my family life. In my search to feel “relevant” in my field, I came across an organization providing pro bono legal services. At its inception, Pro Bono Network was a group of women lawyers who were home with their children. These women knew that there was a need for legal services and that they had the legal skills to meet that need. PBN provided a workable model for me to provide legal services to those in need. My first foray into pro bono legal services came in the form of the Social Security disability project. I provided assistance to clients whose applications for disability have been denied by the Social Security Administration. As time went on and my flexibility increased, I was able to participate in other projects, assisting clients in estate planning, immigration, and guardianship matters. Despite the varying practice areas, I was able to use my extensive litigation skills to provide efficient yet thorough representation to my clients.

I currently am the project manager for PBN’s Guardianship Litigation Project, which partners with the Legal Council for Health Justice to provide assistance in obtaining guardianship of disabled young adults. I also volunteer with CVLS’s Probate Court Assistance Program (PCAP) to help low-income individuals obtain closure through the probate process.

I have spent my entire legal career in public service. I strongly believe everyone should access affordable and quality legal services.

Website

https://jenwulaw.com/

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. (NAELA) was founded in 1987 as a professional association of attorneys who are dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to people as they age and people with special needs.