Overview

Jen is a partner in the Labor & Employment Department with a practice focused on employment litigation and counseling. She has significant experience representing clients in state and federal courts and in proceedings before government agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Labor and the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Jen also routinely practices in the general commercial litigation space.

Jen represents employers in several areas of employment law, including defending claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and related laws. She also has significant experience in the areas of non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disclosure, trade secret, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty disputes. Jen's trial experience includes preparing witnesses for questioning, performing examinations at trial, preparing witness outlines, drafting trial briefs, motions in limine, jury instructions and verdict forms.

She also regularly counsels employers on a broad range of labor and employment issues, including sexual harassment and discrimination issues, wage and hour compliance, restrictive covenant enforcement, reductions in force, leaves of absence, policy compliance and terminations. She regularly drafts and negotiates employment agreements and provides advice and counsel on labor and employment issues arising in corporate transactions. Finally, Jen has extensive experience in negotiation and settlement, including employment separations and workplace issues.

Jen also represents clients in all phases of complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. Her experience includes a wide range of commercial cases, including litigation relating to breach of contract, construction, sexual abuse, fraud, trade secrets, restrictive covenants and other employment matters, such as retaliatory discharge, Title VII, ADEA and FLSA disputes. Her experience spans all stages of litigation, including and leading up to trial.

In addition to her general caseload, Jen regularly devotes time to pro bono matters. Recently, she served as a guardian ad litem through Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, which provides free Chicago Legal Aid for low income residents of Cook County and assisted a veteran with an adoption.

During law school, Jen worked as a judicial extern to the Hon. Charles P. Kocoras and the Hon. Morton Denlow, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois and as a law clerk in the Juvenile Division of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Prior to law school, she worked as a litigation consultant at FTI Consulting where she assisted with financial restatements and investigations for large national and international companies and assisted in drafting numerous expert opinions.

Education

  • Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law  (cum laude, 2012)
  • University of Notre Dame  (B.A., 2006)

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Professional Associations

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Northwestern University School of Law Center on Wrongful Convictions Justice Council, President

Honors & Awards

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®
  • 40 Under 40 Illinois Attorneys to Watch, Law Bulletin Media & Chicago Daily Law Bulletin