Isabel Breit

Isabel “Izzy” Breit is an experienced trial attorney, focusing primarily on criminal and youth defense. Izzy defends clients on matters ranging from misdemeanor traffic offenses to first degree murder. Her practice also includes defending children in direct file and transfer cases where the government moves to charge a child as an adult. Izzy has experience in civil litigation and legislative advocacy. Izzy leads with compassion and honesty as she recognizes the tremendous privilege and enormous responsibility of representing someone during perhaps one of the most stressful times of their life. She is strategic, realistic, and client-centered, which advances negotiations towards her clients’ bottom-line. Izzy recognizes the cascading effects of involvement in the legal system on a person’s life and she works to mitigate the direct and collateral consequences for each client.  

Izzy practiced as a public defender for six years prior to joining Recht Kornfeld, P.C where she represented thousands of clients in county, district, and juvenile court. Through her persuasive litigation skills, Izzy secured trial acquittals on first degree murder, vehicular homicide, felony assault, DUI, and many other felony and misdemeanor charges. She has a strong mitigation practice and begins every case by understanding her client’s goals and then analyzing viable avenues to achieve that outcome. Izzy was nominated by colleagues for attorney of the year while practicing as a public defender.

After law school, Izzy was selected from a pool of nation-wide candidates for the Polikoff-Gautreaux fellowship at Impact for Equity Chicago (formerly BPI) and launched her legal career as a staff attorney in the Housing and Criminal Legal System program areas. Here, she partnered with organizations throughout Illinois to advance community-driven racial, economic, and social justice. As a staff attorney and fellow, Izzy contributed to a court-approved settlement agreement of a decades-old housing desegregation case, which BPI won at the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976.

Izzy received her Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where she was honored with the Public Good Distinction. During law school Izzy was a Chancellor Scholar (full tuition scholarship provided to a select group of students who demonstrate academic excellence and social justice dedication), the co-president of the ACLU student group, a staff editor for the Criminal Law Review, and a Professor’s Assistant for the Legal Writing course. Izzy earned her undergraduate degree from Lehigh University where she received full-tuition academic merit scholarship and played Division 1 tennis. Izzy holds a Master of Science in education, which she earned while she was a teacher in Chicago.