Title: Attorney
Company: Buchalter P.C.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Steven Jakubowski, attorney at Buchalter P.C., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Lawyers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in corporate restructuring, commercial litigation, and commercial bankruptcy.
Mr. Jakubowski has established an esteemed career spanning four decades in the legal profession, with a focus on corporate restructuring, commercial litigation and commercial bankruptcy. His expertise in these areas is widely recognized, reflecting a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of complex legal matters.
Since 2025, Mr. Jakubowski has excelled as an attorney and shareholder at Buchalter, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois. In this capacity, he advises clients on various restructuring matters, handles litigation ancillary to bankruptcy proceedings in Delaware and New York and represents unsecured creditors’ committees in bankruptcies, particularly within the agriculture and retail sectors. His work has been marked by significant achievements, including a landmark litigation victory in 2024. In that case, he intervened when a company with 100 employees faced liquidation after a buyer attempted to withdraw from a bankruptcy auction purchase. By filing a motion to compel the buyer to honor the agreement rather than pay damages for breach, Mr. Jakubowski secured a court order requiring the sale to proceed, ultimately preserving all 100 jobs.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Jakubowski found success as a shareholder at Robbins DiMonte, Ltd. in Chicago from 2012 to 2025. During this period, he continued to build his reputation as an authority in restructuring and insolvency law, representing clients in high-stakes bankruptcy cases and advocating for creditor rights.
From 2011 to 2012, Mr. Jakubowski worked as a partner specializing in restructuring and insolvency litigation at Levenfeld Pearlstein in Chicago. He further solidified his standing as an expert litigator capable of navigating intricate bankruptcy proceedings. Between 1998 and 2011, Mr. Jakubowski served as a member of Coleman Law Firm in Chicago. During this tenure, he handled numerous complex cases involving corporate reorganization and creditor representation.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Jakubowski held executive leadership roles outside traditional legal practice. He was formerly appointed as the chief operating officer of Magic Restaurants, Inc. from 1995 to 1996 and the chairman and chief executive officer of Commonwealth Snacks, Inc. in Lynn, Massachusetts from 1996 to 1997. These positions provided him with valuable business acumen that would later inform his legal strategies. From 1992 to 1995, Mr. Jakubowski was recruited as general outside and reorganization counsel for Enviropur Waste Refining & Technologies, Inc., where he managed legal affairs related to corporate restructuring.
Mr. Jakubowski began his legal career as an associate specializing in bankruptcy and corporate restructuring at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago from 1986 to 1989 and at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates from 1989 to 1992. For more than 20 years, he has been additionally affiliated with the American Bankruptcy Institute, underscoring his dedication to staying at the forefront of developments within his field.
Among Mr. Jakubowski’s most significant professional accomplishments is his ongoing advocacy for accident victims excluded from the General Motors bailout in 2009. Representing individuals suffering from severe injuries due to product liability claims—many of whom endured quadriplegia, paraplegia or death—he championed legislation requiring government recognition of their claims. The proposed legislation has been introduced in multiple sessions of U.S. Congress with continued efforts underway to secure broader support for compensation totaling approximately one billion dollars for around 650 victims.
Before embarking upon his path in the field of law, Mr. Jakubowski pursued an education at Union College in Schenectady, New York. earning a Bachelor of Science in biology and Middle East studies in 1979. He subsequently concluded his academic efforts at the University of Chicago Law School, graduating with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1985. Mr. Jakubowski credits his success to hard work, perseverance through setbacks and an optimistic outlook—qualities that have propelled him throughout his professional journey.
Beyond his legal practice, Mr. Jakubowski has demonstrated a strong commitment to civic engagement and community service. He has served as commissioner on the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Lincolnwood, Illinois. Additionally, he is an active supporter of the Chicago Chesed Fund, local Orthodox Jewish community initiatives, synagogues and various organizations within his community. Mr. Jakubowski is also noted for his thought leadership through authorship of the Bankruptcy Litigation Blog on LexBlog since 2005—a resource that shares insights on bankruptcy law with practitioners nationwide.
Mr. Jakubowski’s career reflects not only professional excellence but also enduring dedication to justice advocacy, community involvement and lifelong learning. His stellar contributions have been recognized with honors such as the Tree of Life Award from Chicago Community Kollel in 2001.
In his spare time, Mr. Jakubowski values time spent with his family—including three sons and one daughter—and enjoys studying ancient Jewish texts as well as creating an index to the Babylonian Talmud. He aspires to complete this index for publication both in print and digital formats while continuing efforts to secure compensation for General Motors accident victims. His personal goals include seeing his children established professionally and personally, welcoming several grandchildren into the family and contributing positively to both familial well-being and national prosperity in the years to come.
For more information, please visit:
LinkedIn
Contact Mr. Jakubowski:
