John R. Schleppenbach

Jay is originally from Quincy, Illinois, but has lived and worked in Chicago since graduating from law school in 2003. At Millikin, he was a double major in English and music with a minor in business. His diverse legal career has involved work for the state and federal governments, one of the top ten law schools in the country, a variety of leading legal publications, and two large international law firms. Currently, he serves as Counsel in the White Collar Criminal Defense & Investigations group at Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

Jay frequently writes and performs sketch and musical comedy in the Chicago area. He is a past committee chair for the Illinois State Bar Association, an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, and a legal volunteer for the National Immigrant Justice Center and Lawyers for the Creative Arts.

Jay and his husband, Ian, have a beagle, Aubrey, and enjoy spending time with Jay’s sister Megan Bates (a 2003 Millikin graduate) and her family, who also live in Chicago. They frequently travel with friends, including an annual trip to Vienna, Austria, where Jay’s law students take part in a moot court competition.