Berend, Theresa L.

Jacklyn "Jackie" Bentley handles her cases personally. There will seldom be a time when you do not find her in court.

As a young child, Jackie always had a fascination with the law and remembers telling her mother that she wanted to be an attorney (before she even started kindergarten).

Jackie attended undergraduate college in the small Pennsylvania town of Lancaster. Here she was highly involved with her college both academically and as a star sprinter on the track team. Although she will not tell you during an intake interview, Jackie still holds multiple school records for her achievements as an athlete. Some of her accomplishments include being elected the President of the Philosophy club and to the executive board of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Advocates organization (LGBTA).

After graduating with a degree in Philosophy, Jackie soon realized that it was time to pursue her dream of becoming an attorney. Jackie picked up and moved to California to attend Santa Clara University School of Law. Here, her passion for helping those in need led her to become the Vice-President of the Criminal Law Society and the President of the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Advocates group (BGLAd). Jackie worked throughout her years at Santa Clara University to develop her talent for oral advocacy including participating in multiple competitions. Jackie also took it upon herself to hone her negotiation skills in law school and, in so doing, won the school's ABA Negotiation Competition.

Since graduating from Santa Clara Law, Jackie has focused on fine tuning her powers of persuasion. She initially worked for the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office in both the Narcotics and Gang Units. This work allowed her to see the ins and outs of how our County's prosecutors work.

Jackie soon found a home at a local criminal defense firm, and has never looked back. At this firm, Jackie was the primary courtroom attorney. Once Jackie realized that she truly enjoyed working independently on cases and going the extra mile, she decided to venture out on her own.

Since founding the Law Office of Jacklyn Bentley, you can often find Jackie in court from early in the morning until the doors close. Jackie particularly enjoys discussing resolutions with the District Attorney's Office, where she gets to use her negotiation skills directly. Jackie prides herself on being the fighter in the courtroom, often arguing so passionately that it seems she is the client.

Jackie has also conducted multiple trials and is always hungry to try more cases. She does find herself gravitating towards narcotics cases still, and loves to help clients even outside the courtroom. She also enjoys visiting clients in custody and discussing their cases with them.