Prior to joining the firm, Jalessa handled complex civil caseloads at prominent national and regional defense firms, as well as served as outside defense counsel for high-profile transit and municipal authorities, managing catastrophic injury, toxic tort, and wrongful death claims. Her practice also encompassed defending developers, general contractors, and insureds in multi-party infrastructure damage disputes, Labor Law actions, and contractual liability matters.

Jalessa began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Robert E. Brenner, J.S.C., in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Ocean Vicinage, where she evaluated motion dockets across commercial disputes, real property litigation, and catastrophic personal injury. Before pivoting to the law, she worked in television and media production, bringing a distinct perspective to her litigation and risk-assessment strategies.

Jalessa earned her J.D. from the University of Massachusetts School of Law, where she served as Associate Editor of the UMass Law Review and President of the Black Law Students Association. She is a recipient of the MBLA Judge Reginald Lindsay Public Service Award. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Media and Film, cum laude, from Kean University.