Founding Partner
Juanita B. Rodriguez
Juanita B. Rodriguez is the founder of JBR Law Group, LLC. Ms. Rodriguez partners with executives and businesses, ranging from startups to large multi-national corporations, to help them meet their business and strategic goals, while providing counseling on related legal issues, compliance and risk management. She possesses substantial experience representing private entities, institutions, and governmental bodies in the primary areas of business, construction and employment law.
Ms. Rodriguez began her legal career in a prominent large trial defense firm and has successfully defended Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized businesses, and governmental entities in a diverse array of business, construction, employment and municipal liability matters in state and federal forums throughout Illinois and neighboring jurisdictions. Ms. Rodriguez routinely counsels clients on sensitive workplace issues, employment policies/handbooks and compliance matters in various industries including retail, construction, healthcare, restaurant, and higher education. She routinely conducts internal investigations and defends her corporate clients in federal and state administrative claims and litigation.
For nearly three years of her legal career, Ms. Rodriguez served as general counsel to a fast-paced renewable energy company. As general counsel, Ms. Rodriguez handled the majority of the company’s legal affairs, oversaw human resources and counseled on all employment matters, advised on regulatory compliance, traveled frequently and handled international and cross-border negotiations and transactions, prepared business, construction and intellectual property agreements, assisted with mergers and acquisitions, and defended against litigation. In 2013, she was recognized for her success in the convergence of her business and legal functions by Hispanic Executive. http://hispanicexecutive.com/2013/bn2/
With respect to her business litigation practice, Ms. Rodriguez’s skills and acumen have been recognized on several occasions by Chicago Magazine and Illinois Super Lawyers Magazine. Due to her in-house experience and strong business litigation perspective, Ms. Rodriguez often represents corporate clients and executives in commercial transactions, general business agreements, due diligence and acquisitions, and intellectual property/licensing agreements and often serves as outside general counsel to various commercial clients.
Throughout her career, Ms. Rodriguez has often utilized her Spanish-speaking skills to assist with the preparation or translation of written communications in business and employment matters and has experience researching and analyzing foreign civil codes of various Latin American countries.
Ms. Rodriguez is an active and contributing member of a number of professional associations and has generously dedicated her time to a number of civic organizations and pro bono matters aimed at improving the legal system, civility within the legal profession, and promoting the rights of those that are disadvantaged. Ms. Rodriguez often serves as a frequent writer on peer reviewed publications and as a panelist on topics related to her practice areas.
Ms. Rodriguez received her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois in May 2005 and Bachelor of Science from Northeastern Illinois University in May 2001, graduating with a major in finance. While in law school, she was selected to serve as a judicial extern with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Admitted:
Illinois Supreme Court, November 2005
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2005
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 2006
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2007
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 2009
Admitted pro hac Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee
Professional Memberships:
Hispanic National Bar Association
Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois
Illinois State Bar Association
Appointed to serve on the Bench & Bar Section Council
Appointed to serve on the Labor & Employment Section Council
National Employment Law Council
Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois
Languages:
Fluent Spanish, including international work experience in Latin America
Additional:
Illinois Super Lawyers/Chicago Magazine, Employment & Labor Law Since 2019
“Who’s Who in Hispanic Chicago – Law 2018”, Negocios Now https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1003595-whos-who-in-hispanic-chicago-2018
“From Single Mother to Rising Star”, Hispanic Executive http://hispanicexecutive.com/2013/bn2/
Illinois Super Lawyers/Chicago Magazine, Rising Stars, Business Litigation 2012-2014, 2016. A distinction given to less than 2.5% of the attorneys in Illinois who are under the age of 40 and have practiced less than 10 years.
Featured in Chicago Magazine as one of the Top Women Attorneys in Illinois.