Chelsy L. Van Overmeiren is an Senior Associate with Breen & Pugh. Her practice focuses on criminal defense, Section 1983 civil rights acts, and Title IX defense.
Ms. Van Overmeiren is an athlete and a scholar. She was born and raised in Chicago’s western suburbs and attended Iowa State University where she graduated cum laude with a double major in political science and international studies. While attending Iowa State, Ms. Van Overmeiren placed first at Indiana University’s European Union Competition. She also studied abroad at Swansea University in Swansea, Wales, where she played soccer for the university’s women’s football (soccer) team.
As an undergraduate student, Ms. Van Overmeiren developed an interest in criminal law while interning at the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office (KCSAO). During her time at KCSAO, she worked at the Child Advocacy Center where Ms. Van Overmeiren supported the attorneys and learned about child sexual abuse investigations and prosecutions. After graduating from college, she worked for a global legal risk and consulting firm where she gained experience in leading eDiscovery platforms and compiled litigation and investigation reports for clients.
Ms. Van Overmeiren entered Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2016. While in law school, she clerked for an Illinois Circuit Court Judge, earned a CALI award of excellence in Conflict of Laws, and competed across the nation for Chicago-Kent’s nationally-ranked trial team. Ms. Van Overmeiren continues her commitment to Chicago-Kent’s Trial Advocacy Program coaching students on the trial team and teaching trial advocacy courses as an adjunct professor.
In her second year of law school, Ms. Van Overmeiren accepted a position as a law clerk at Breen & Pugh, where she supported the attorneys in discovery management and trial preparation. After earning her law degree, Ms. Van Overmeiren joined Breen & Pugh as an associate attorney where she continues to hone her skills as an advocate for the firm’s clients. She is a skilled researcher and public speaker who has already amassed courtroom experience in complicated federal and state jury trials, bench trials, and motion hearings.