Jake A. Leahy is a tax attorney at Airdo Werwas who represents nonprofits, local governments, and businesses in tax, regulatory, and commercial matters.
He is a former Assistant Illinois Attorney General in the Revenue Litigation Bureau, where he handled estate tax litigation, collections audits, and matters involving various state agencies. He previously served as a Judicial Law Clerk in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Law Division, Tax & Miscellaneous Remedies Section, working on administrative review actions, commercial disputes, and tax-related litigation.
Jake previously served on the Board of Education for Bannockburn School District 106 from 2017 to 2023, including as Vice President from 2020 to 2023. His experience in local government informs his work with public-sector clients, boards, and nonprofit organizations.
Jake is active in professional and bar organizations. He serves as an Assembly Member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section Federal Tax Committee, and a member of the Editorial Board of the DuPage County Bar Association. He was recognized by the Illinois State Bar Association with its Law Student Public Service Award during law school, and by the Internal Revenue Service for his work with the Low-Income Tax Clinic at Holy Name Cathedral.
Jake earned his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center, his J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, and his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Outside of practice, Jake has completed three marathons, is a regular at Wrigley Field, and appreciates Chicago architecture.
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M. in Taxation, 2025
- University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, J.D., 2023
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.A. Political Science: Public Policy & Democratic Institutions, 2019
Admitted to Practice
- Northern District of Illinois, 2025
- U.S. Tax Court, 2024
- Illinois, 2023
Associations
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Tax Section
- DuPage County Bar Association
- Celtic Law Association
