Jacqueline is a lawyer and doula working to advance birth justice. By bridging her legal knowledge with her passion for birth, Jacqueline brings a unique perspective to the problems that plague the perinatal healthcare system in the United States. Grounded in a reproductive justice framework, Jacqueline’s work supports and promotes the human rights of pregnant, birthing, and lactating individuals.
A dedicated, diligent attorney, Jacqueline is accustomed to problem-solving in fast-paced, high stakes environments. As a solo practitioner, Jacqueline has developed a niche practice at the intersection of health law and public policy focused on the perinatal care system. She has previously served as a judicial law clerk at both the trial and appellate court level, and litigated claims in federal and state courts. Having worked in the legal system for 20 years, Jacqueline draws on her extensive experience to effectively analyze and strategically resolve complex legal problems.
Jacqueline is an adept researcher, an accomplished analytical writer, and a published author. She is highly organized and extremely detail-oriented. Skilled at managing competing priorities, Jacqueline is able to work on multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
A clear and effective communicator, Jacqueline possesses strong interpersonal, collaboration, and leadership skills. Whether supervising, training, or mediating, her calm and perceptive demeanor elicits productive, authentic engagement. Jacqueline is naturally conscientious and enthusiastic and easily transitions from a team environment to working independently. Bringing her doula training to every interaction, Jacqueline adeptly navigates delicate group dynamics and holds space for vulnerability.
Jacqueline serves as President of the Birth Rights Bar Association, and as the Public Board Member of the North American Registry of Midwives. She is a Collaborator with the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and a Trainer with Elephant Circle. Jacqueline was a Class 2 fellow in the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network with the Center for Creative Leadership®, an inaugural fellow of the Mississippi Women’s Policy Institute, and a member of The Mississippi Bar’s Leadership Forum Class of 2020.
A first-generation university student and the first lawyer in her family, Jacqueline is a graduate of Tulane University Law School, Jackson State University, and Holmes Community College. She is a Madriella trained doula and an accredited La Leche League Leader who currently lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York. A firm believer in human interdependence, Jacqueline lives in an extended household with her two children, spouse of two decades, Silent Generation mother-in-law, and Millennial brother.