Jaclyn R. DeSana

Jaclyn R. DeSana

also known as Jackie DeSana

4.9
Rating: 8.6

Licensed for 9 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Chicago, IL
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Child Custody

440 W Randolph St., 5th Floor, Chicago, IL

About Jaclyn

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Hourly Rates

$ 300-300 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 9 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 2016

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Location

Merel Family Law

440 W Randolph St., 5th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60606

Law Offices of Jonathan Merel - Highland Park Office

595 Elm Place, Suite 225, Highland Park, IL, 60035

Merel Family Law

40 E. Hinsdale Ave, Suite 202, Hinsdale, IL, 60521

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Jaclyn R. DeSana's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

28 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (28) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 11 reviews | Case Results

Posted by Benjamin | November 20, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Direct, honest, helpful, and professional

Jaclyn was the epitome of professionalism, bringing genuine care and guidance through a painful and difficult process. Jaclyn and her team helped me through my recent divorce proceedings and gave prudent council during some frazzling moments along the way. Once an agreement was reached, she was abl...e to very quickly move through the legal process and ensure the case was wrapped up in a very efficient and timely manner. If you're looking for someone who knows how to get the job done, look no further! I cannot recommend Jaclyn highly enough.

Posted by Sarah | January 26, 2025 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

This is the lawyer you're looking for!

Jaclyn got me through an absolutely heinous divorce. She saw me through the darkest of days and I always knew she had my back. She always provided the soundest advice and her strategic thinking helped wrap up a divorce that it seemed the other side would never let end. She was exceptional at answerin...g my myriad of questions (I’m a very technical person who wants to fully understand everything before signing) and I was always able to reach her for input, even on short-notice situations. If you’re going through the wringer with your divorce, I can’t recommend her enough.

Posted by Lilian | November 21, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Family

Family Law Case

I had the pleasure of working with Jaclyn & Colette and their team for my family law case, and I couldn't be more grateful for their professionalism, dedication, and support throughout the entire process. From the very beginning, they were clear and thorough in explaining my options and kept me infor...med every step of the way. They were responsive to all of my questions and made sure I understood everything, which gave me peace of mind during a difficult time. The team worked efficiently and effectively, ensuring that everything was handled properly, and they took the time to address any concerns I had. I truly appreciate their attention to detail and their commitment to achieving the best possible outcome for me and my family. I highly recommend Jaclyn & Colette and their team to anyone seeking legal help in family law matters. They truly care about their clients and work hard to get results.

Posted by Teshon | October 31, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Review for Jacklyn Desana

Review for Jacklyn Desana I am writing to share my experience with Jacklyn Desana, highlighting how she mishandled critical aspects of my divorce case. While she provided assistance with securing temporary child support and completing the allocation judgment for custody, her failure to manage the ...discovery process left significant gaps, ultimately undermining my case. Working with Jacklyn became increasingly difficult when I started raising questions about discovery-related documents from opposing counsel. I specifically asked for information regarding rental income, tenant payments, and my husband’s tax returns. Jacklyn assured me via email—correspondence I still have—that she had everything. However, when I asked her to send the requested documents, nothing was provided. Discovery was scheduled to close on September 27, 2024, but she withdrew from my case on September 13, 2024, leaving the process unfinished, even though I repeatedly expressed concerns about its completeness. Now, with pre-trial scheduled for December 2, 2024, I am left without an accurate valuation of the marital estate. After hiring new counsel to review the discovery process, we found numerous missing documents in the file she handed over. Key records, such as tax returns for 2021, 2022, and 2023, updated pay stubs for 2023-2024, pension information, property sale details, and bank statements from 2023-2024, were missing. Without these essential documents, I am unable to assess the full value of the marital estate. Jacklyn had an entire year to complete discovery, yet very little was accomplished. When my new attorney sent a 201K request for the missing information, opposing counsel refused to comply, citing Jacklyn’s prior agreement to prematurely close discovery. Despite my concerns, Jacklyn assured me that discovery was still open—an assertion I can verify with documentation. Unfortunately, this was untrue, and the discovery phase was never completed. I paid Jacklyn $50,000 from 2023 to 2024, only to receive incomplete work that has jeopardized my case. While the firm may attempt to portray me as a difficult client, it’s important to acknowledge that we successfully collaborated on temporary child support and reached a favorable custody agreement through a GAL. The real issue lies in Jacklyn's lack of professionalism and focus on billing rather than the case. She frequently sent itemized invoices totaling $5,000 per month, primarily for responding to my emails asking for updates on discovery. Instead of focusing on completing discovery, she seemed more interested in accessing my personal financial information, as if her objective was to drain my resources. I also expected her to inform the judge about opposing counsel’s lack of compliance, but instead, billing issues took precedence. Jacklyn failed to provide essential documents and resisted my request to be included in email exchanges with opposing counsel, which left me uncertain about the legitimacy of communications and further complicated the process. In my opinion, Jacklyn allowed personal feelings about me to interfere with her work. My new attorney confirmed that little to no progress was made on discovery under her supervision from October 2023 to September 2024. Due to this negligence, I am now forced to move forward with incomplete information. I plan to file a formal complaint with the ARDC regarding her mishandling of my case. Despite these setbacks, I am confident that my children and I will emerge stronger from this process, with God’s favor guiding us. My advice to Jacklyn is this: business should never be personal. If you simply do your job, you will not encounter complaints like mine. Best regards, A Client Moving Forward

Posted by Bianca | June 19, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Family

Best of The Best

Represented By Attorney Jaclyn DeSana for a family law case. She was always very informative and attentive to my needs and concerns. Communication was phenomenal the entire duration of my case. She made me feel 100% confident in this situation, always thorough and friendly. Her knowledge and dedicati...on resulted in not only a positive experience but also a successful outcome for me. Jaclyn DeSana will always be recommend by me for anyone looking for great legal representation!!

See All Client Reviews

Jaclyn R. DeSana's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Jaclyn
Kathleen Buchanan Bondi headshot
Kathleen Bondi

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 21

Relationship: Co-worker

"Jackie is very attentive to her client's needs and works diligently to protect their interests. She is a pleasure to work with."

Hannah Jane McKinney headshot
Hannah McKinney

Family lawyer | Jun 21

Relationship: Co-worker

"Jackie cares about her clients and works hard to advocate on their behalf."

Monika M. Blacha headshot
Monika Blacha

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 21

Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer."

Erin V. O'Connell headshot
Erin O'Connell

Divorce and separation lawyer | Jun 13

Relationship: Co-worker

"Jackie is a terrific attorney with great enthusiasm for this area of law and all of the matters she handles. She is extremely bright and hardworking and helps facilitate excellent results for her clients."

View All Endorsements
Colette Gallo headshot
Colette Gallo

Divorce and separation lawyer

Monika M. Blacha headshot
Monika Blacha

Family lawyer

Erin V. O'Connell headshot
Erin O'Connell

Family lawyer

Kathleen Buchanan Bondi headshot
Kathleen Bondi

Family lawyer

Hannah Jane McKinney headshot
Hannah McKinney

Divorce and separation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.6 (Excellent)

Honors

2026

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2025

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2024

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

Work Experience

2022 - Present

Adjunct Professor, DePaul University College of Law

2020 - Present

Attorney, Law Offices of Jonathan Merel, P.C.

2017 - 2020

Attorney, Blacha Law Office

2016 - 2017

Volunteer Recruitment Specialist, First Defense Legal Aid

2015 - 2016

Intern, Cook County Public Defender's Office

Associations

2018 - Present

DuPage County Bar Association

Member

2016 - Present

Women's Bar Association of Illinois

Member

2016 - Present

Chicago Bar Association

Trial Advocacy Committee

2016 - Present

Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section

Member

2013 - Present

Chicago Bar Association

Member

Education

2016

John Marshall Law School, Chicago

JD - Juris Doctor

2012

Wayne State University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2017

Illinois Appellate Defender Annual Training

Defending Client's Rights in Police Custody

2017

Chicago Bar Association, Criminal Law Committee Monthly Meeting

Knowing your Client's Rights When Stopped or Detained by Chicago Police

2017

ACLU Chicago Chapter Luncheon

Defending Client's Rights in Police Custody

Languages

English

Avvo Rating

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