Jenna Kobernus
Jenna defends Workers' Compensation claims in Illinois and Missouri from the investigation phase through trial and appeal, believing in the importance of thoroughly investigating claims and aggressively defending her clients.
- St. Louis University School of Law graduate
- Interned for Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, James Shadid
Jenna Kobernus
Attorney in St. Louis, MO
Working diligently to represent clients and see claims from the investigation phase through trial and appeal, Jenna dedicates her practice to defending employers in Workers' Compensation cases throughout Missouri and Illinois. She understands that investigating claims thoroughly and taking an aggressive approach to defending her clients is crucial to achieving successful outcomes.
Jenna joined the firm's St. Louis office when it opened in 2018. Early in her career, she experienced a wide array of cases, including casualty and tort litigation, medical malpractice, toxic tort, professional liability, and trucking. In her time at Heyl, Jenna has found her niche working primarily with the Workers' Compensation Practice Group. She has gained valuable experience handling cases from the file intake phase through trial and the appellate process.
While in law school, Jenna held multiple leadership positions, including Public Interest Law Group (Two-time Auction Co-Chair), Student Bar Association (Chief of Staff), Business Law Association (Treasurer), Student Mentor, and Admissions Student Ambassador. After her 1L year, Jenna gained valuable legal experience as an intern for Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, James Shadid, in Peoria. Jenna also gained courtroom experience by using her 7-11 license the summer after her 2L year as an intern at the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office, prosecuting traffic and misdemeanor courts. In her final year of law school, Jenna was a member of the Civil Litigation Clinic. In that role, she argued in front of the Western District of Missouri Court of Appeals, drafted a Missouri Court of Appeals Appellate Brief, researched and drafted a federal court reply brief, and handled civil litigation cases throughout St. Louis County.
A Peoria native, Jenna maintains close relationships with the community where she and her sister grew up watching their parents volunteer at Easter Seals Central Illinois. At a very young age, they followed their parents' footsteps and have remained volunteers for over 15 years. In her free time, Jenna enjoys running and biking on her Peloton. She resides in St. Louis with her husband, Kent, and their Sheepadoodle puppy, Millie.
Practices
Credentials
Education
J.D., Saint Louis University School of Law
B.S., Bradley University, Accounting
Licensure(s) and Admission(s)
State Courts of Illinois
State Courts of Missouri
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
Professional Affiliations
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Illinois State Bar Association
The Missouri Bar
Presentations/Publications
Presentations
“Understanding Workers’ Compensation,” Society for Human Resource Management Seminar (2022)
“Workers’ Compensation for Human Resources,” Society for Human Resource Management Seminar (2022)
Publications
“Voluntary Arbitration Under Section 19(p): What’s Old Is New Again,” Below the Red Line - Heyl Royster Workers' Compensation Newsletter (2023)
"The Second Injury Fund: What You Need To Know," Below the Red Line - Heyl Royster Workers' Compensation Newsletter (2021)
Events
Public Profile
Working diligently to represent clients and see claims from the investigation phase through trial and appeal, Jenna dedicates her practice to defending employers in Workers' Compensation cases throughout Missouri and Illinois. She understands that investigating claims thoroughly and taking an aggressive approach to defending her clients is crucial to achieving successful outcomes.
Jenna joined the firm's St. Louis office when it opened in 2018. Early in her career, she experienced a wide array of cases, including casualty and tort litigation, medical malpractice, toxic tort, professional liability, and trucking. In her time at Heyl, Jenna has found her niche working primarily with the Workers' Compensation Practice Group. She has gained valuable experience handling cases from the file intake phase through trial and the appellate process.
While in law school, Jenna held multiple leadership positions, including Public Interest Law Group (Two-time Auction Co-Chair), Student Bar Association (Chief of Staff), Business Law Association (Treasurer), Student Mentor, and Admissions Student Ambassador. After her 1L year, Jenna gained valuable legal experience as an intern for Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, James Shadid, in Peoria. Jenna also gained courtroom experience by using her 7-11 license the summer after her 2L year as an intern at the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office, prosecuting traffic and misdemeanor courts. In her final year of law school, Jenna was a member of the Civil Litigation Clinic. In that role, she argued in front of the Western District of Missouri Court of Appeals, drafted a Missouri Court of Appeals Appellate Brief, researched and drafted a federal court reply brief, and handled civil litigation cases throughout St. Louis County.
A Peoria native, Jenna maintains close relationships with the community where she and her sister grew up watching their parents volunteer at Easter Seals Central Illinois. At a very young age, they followed their parents' footsteps and have remained volunteers for over 15 years. In her free time, Jenna enjoys running and biking on her Peloton. She resides in St. Louis with her husband, Kent, and their Sheepadoodle puppy, Millie.
