Jessica Fairchild

Practice Areas

• Mergers & Acquisitions

• SEC, Corporate Governance & Business Counseling

• Venture Capital & Founders

• Family Enterprise

Career

Jessica Fairchild has established a reputation as a thoughtful, practical advisor who provides business-focused solutions for her clients. As the Co-Chair of the Firm’s Management Committee and partner at Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC, Jessica is a Chambers-ranked M&A lawyer, law firm leader, women’s advocate, and entrepreneur.

Jessica co-founded Croke Fairchild in 2019, after having worked in several other law firms which she founded and managed. Over her 25-year legal career, Jessica’s principal legal focus has been on corporate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and governance matters, where she counsels founders, boards, private equity sponsors, family enterprises and corporations on their most strategic transactions, primarily in the middle market. Jessica’s focus on building relationships and her client-centered approach has helped her garner many long-term clients whom she has worked with on M&A matters and beyond, including as general counsel for their growing organizations.

Jessica has frequently been recognized as one of Chicago’s top women lawyers, including being named to Crain’s Chicago Business’ Notable Women in Law list in 2026, 2024 and 2022.

From 2007 to 2009, Jessica served as General Counsel to Chicago 2016, the non-profit and civic organization that led Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In that role, Jessica was a direct advisor to the board of directors and senior management and oversaw all legal aspects for the organization which had over 200 employees and staff. She also worked closely with the chief legal officers of the City of Chicago and the United States Olympic Committee. Prior to that, she was a corporate attorney at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago where her work focused on M&A, corporate, governance and securities matters.

Jessica has worked in several environments (large law, in-house, and now as a founder of her own firm). In her large law firm, there were not enough women role models. In her current role of running her firm, Jessica works to create opportunities and champions women to help them on their career paths. She also works on matters with international reach, and hopes to help businesses grow roots in the US and to help US companies expand globally.

Jessica is passionate about developing other attorneys, and is involved in mentoring and assisting women both at the Firm and outside of the Firm. Jessica is an angel investor and limited partner in various organizations and funds which support women founders, including How Women Invest and The Josephine Collective.

Jessica received her J.D. in 2000 from The University of Chicago Law School, where she graduated with high honors and her B.S. in Accounting in 1997 from the University of Illinois, where she was recognized on the Bronze Tablet. Jessica also played four years of varsity tennis at the University of Illinois.

Professional Memberships

• Member, The Chicago Network

• Member, Economic Club of Chicago

• Member, International Women’s Forum Chicago

• Member, Executive Council of Advisors, Executives’ Club of Chicago

• Chicago Executive Board Member, How Women Lead, 2025

• Mentor, One-on-One Mentorship Initiative, Executives’ Club of Chicago, 2024

• Member, Vistage

• Member, Chief, 2023 -2024

• Member, Board of Directors, Gorton Community Center

• Co-Chair of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois’ mentor/mentee committee, 2022 and 2023

• Member, Board of Directors, Girls in the Game, 2010 to 2014

Education

Awards