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Spotlight on Jennifer Bunker
Jennifer Bunker is a new member to the Women and the Law Committee. She had an exciting year in 2017 as she was planning her wedding. Jennifer married Scott Skerston on October 7, 2017. Scott is a Superintendent at Riverstone Group rock quarry.
Jennifer was raised on a small farm in Oglesby, IL. Jennifer states that life experience taught her responsibility, accountability and hard work. The evidence of that is clear in Jennifer’s academic record. She received her undergraduate degree graduating With Highest Honors, from DePaul University where she majored in American Studies and minored in Professional Writing. Jennifer then graduated Cum Laude from Michigan State University College of Law with a concentration in Environmental and Natural Resources Law in May 2009 and was a Merit Scholarship recipient. Jennifer was on the Dean’s List throughout both undergraduate and law school.
After law school Jennifer worked for Justice Robert Carter at the Third District Appellate Court and practiced school law. Currently she practices at Reilly Law Office, LLC in Streator IL, a two-person law firm where she is engaged in the general practice of law including estate planning and administration, family law, business law, social security disability and criminal and civil litigation.
Jennifer states her parents have continued to be the biggest influences in her life because of the values they instilled in her and because of their strong support for her education from preschool through law school.
I asked Jennifer when she decided to become an attorney and what made her decide that was the right career choice for her. Jennifer related that after high school she worked for a local law firm while attending community college. Jennifer said she admired the attorneys that she worked for due to the importance of the work that they did and the results they were able to obtain for their clients. Jennifer states she likes being an attorney because she is excited by the challenging nature of the legal profession and that no two days are the same, which requires her to continually be learning and growing.
Jennifer first became involved with the ISBA when she was appointed to the Trusts and Estates section council in 2013, a position she continues to hold. Jennifer likes the services offered by the ISBA including the listserves, eClips and free CLE. She feels these services are very useful in keeping current on new laws and that they help her enhance her practice.
I asked Jennifer what she felt was the biggest obstacle for women in the legal profession? Jennifer responded that she believed an appropriate work-life balance for both women and men is difficult to achieve in any profession, but specifically the legal profession.
When asked about networking strategies, Jennifer relates that she has found that networking can easily be achieved by service in her community saying that enables her to meet new people and help others at the same time.
In her leisure time Jennifer enjoys traveling and photography. She has traveled throughout the United States and have visited Europe multiple times as well as Central America, Asia, and Australia.