Jessica Caldera (Age: 40*)
Partner at Harper, Evans, Hilbrenner & Netemeyer
Jessica Caldera has an undeniable and unapologetic “bring it on” attitude.
As a partner at the law firm of Harper, Evans, Hilbrenner & Netemeyer, she has vast experience as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney.
“I’d love to tell a witness, ‘I was the president of a sorority. If you think you can out-manipulate me, you are wrong,’” she says. But more seriously, Jessica wants to be the go-to criminal defense attorney for Columbia and the surrounding area.
Jessica is a 2003 graduate of Parkway North High School, and she earned a journalism degree from Mizzou, graduating in 2007. She earned her Juris Doctor at Indiana Maurer School of Law.
“I would love to pioneer a restorative justice program in Columbia,” she says. “Too many people believe the system is against them. We often treat issues as all-or-nothing, or purely good versus purely evil. That leads to a vicious cycle in which both victims and defendants (and their families) lose trust in the system.”
In Jessica’s view, a restorative justice program could facilitate dialogue and community engagement.
“More so than a prison sentence or prohibition on hiring felons, we could foster real offender accountability, address the root causes of crime, and strengthen our community,” she says.
Fun fact: Jessica is only 5-feet, 2-inches tall … but she was an all-conference high jumper in high school.
