Jean Marie Harner is an associate attorney at Sefton Kelly Family Law, where her practice focuses exclusively on family law matters, including divorce, parenting time, child support, spousal support, asset division, and litigation. She understands that family law cases can feel overwhelming and deeply personal, and she believes clients deserve clear communication, practical guidance, and a better understanding of the legal process as they move through difficult transitions.

Jean Marie is known for her calm and grounded approach with clients. She believes that helping people understand the process and what to expect can transform a stressful experience into a calm one. Whether through negotiation or litigation, Jean Marie focuses on practical solutions while remaining mindful of the emotional and financial impact family law matters can have on everyday life.

Drawing on both professional and personal experience, Jean Marie brings a thoughtful and realistic perspective to her work. After beginning her legal career in New Jersey, she practiced with a small general practice firm for seven years before relocating to Illinois in 2005. While raising her children, she remained actively involved in her community through volunteer work with her children’s preschool and PTA before returning to the practice of law. In 2019, she resumed the full-time practice of family law with a DuPage County firm, where she practiced for seven years before joining Sefton Kelly Family Law.

Jean Marie grew up in New Jersey just outside of New York City. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, with a minor in History, from Drew University, where she was a Drew Scholar and Academic Assistant in the Sociology Department. She received her Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, where she earned the New Jersey State Bar Foundation Scholarship and served as Senior Managing Editor of the Women’s Rights Law Reporter. Following law school, Jean Marie clerked for a New Jersey state judge for one year before entering private practice.

A Naperville resident for more than 21 years, Jean Marie enjoys spending time with her husband, adult children, dog Lily, and longtime friends. Her firsthand experience raising a family gives her a practical understanding of the challenges, responsibilities, and changing dynamics families often face throughout different stages of life.

Jean Marie is a member of the Will County Bar Association and the DuPage County Bar Association.