About Abbey
Abbey Lerner Lockard is a trial attorney committed to helping those who have been harmed or unheard. She pairs compassionate counsel with relentless advocacy in pursuit of justice for her clients.
Justice Requires Persistence.
Abbey Lerner Lockard built her practice around a simple belief: people deserve to be heard—especially when they’ve been harmed, ignored, or denied accountability.
Known for her persistence and trial strength, Abbey approaches every case with deep personal investment and strategic focus. She believes legal representation should feel personal, accessible, and rooted in trust.
This is not a high-volume practice. It is a practice built on preparation, partnership, and the pursuit of meaningful outcomes.
Abbey's Bio
During law school, Abbey was a member of the DePaul Law Review and a judicial extern for the Honorable Richard D. Cudahy U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Honorable Mary L. Mikva in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. She was elected by her law school class to serve on the Dean’s Advisory Council.
Abbey received CALI Awards (highest grade) in Legal Writing I; Legal Writing II; Pre-trial Criminal Litigation Strategy; and Advanced Trial Advocacy.
Upon receiving her law degree in 2014, Abbey practiced criminal defense in both State and Federal Court. Abbey appeared before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court. She was admitted, pro hac vice, to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa and the Middle District of Florida. In 2017, on behalf of her client, Abbey petitioned the U.S. Department of Justice and obtained a Commutation of Sentence from President Barack Obama.
Abbey has practiced civil litigation since 2017, with her primary focus on personal injury matters. She has extensive experience conducting sexual abuse litigation. In 2019, Abbey was the first attorney in Cook County, Illinois to successfully obtain a verdict under the Illinois Gender Violence Act (“IGVA”).
Abbey has individually tried nearly 30 civil juries to verdict and continues to focus her practice on a wide range of personal injury matters. Abbey’s most recent notable settlements include a $1,490,000 wrongful death settlement on behalf of a 91-year-old woman struck by a delivery driver, and a $1,000,000 settlement on behalf of a client injured in a parking lot.
Education & Admissions
Bar Admissions
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State of Illinois (2014)
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Northern District of Illinois-Federal Trial Bar (2016)
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U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, pro hac vice (2017)
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U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, pro hac vice (2017)
Education:
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DePaul University College of Law Cum Laude, May 2014
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DePaul University: B.A. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, June 2011
Judicial Externships:
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Extern for Judge Richard D. Cudahy (2013-2014)
Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Extern for Judge Mary L. Mikva, now serving on the Illinois Appellate Court, First District (2013)
Four-time CALI Award winner:
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Legal Writing I
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Legal Writing II
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Pre-Trial Criminal Litigation Strategy
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Advanced Trial Advocacy
DePaul Law Review-Member (Top Ten Percent of First Year Law School Class)
Professional Memberships
