Overview
Jill is a trial lawyer with extensive experience representing clients in matters related to commercial contracts, product liability, sanction proceedings, RICO, litigation management, toxic tort, class actions and bankruptcy litigation. She has significant experience representing clients in the automotive industry, and has defended and managed the occupant safety product liability litigation throughout the U.S. for a leading global automotive system supplier. She also served as national coordinating counsel for a client in defense of trailer product liability suits. Jill co-chairs the firm’s Product Liability Practice Group and Unmanned and Autonomous Systems (drones and driverless vehicles) Practice Group.
Her diverse experience includes pharmaceutical defense, asbestos multidistrict litigation, criminal defense and grand jury work.
Jill has successfully handled numerous bench and jury trials and appeals in state and federal courts and participated in many arbitration and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
Jill is an accomplished author having recently written on the topics of autonomous vehicles and litigation protective orders.
She served on the Board of Trustees for the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA) and serves on the CMBA’s Judicial Selection Committee for which she is the former chair. She is also a former chair and active member of the CMBA’s Certified Grievance Committee. Jill is a member of the Judicial Candidate’s Rating Coalition (JCRC), and a Master Bencher in the John M. Manos American Inn of Court.
Education
- Boston College (J.D., cum laude, 1982)
- Tufts University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1979)
Bar Admissions
Professional Associations
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Judicial Selection Committee, Chairperson; Grievance Committee, Executive Committee
- Judicial Candidate’s Rating Coalition (JCRC)
- American Inn of Courts, Judge John M. Manos, Master Bencher
- American Arbitration Association, Commercial Litigation Panelist
Honors & Awards
- Robert Sill Leadership Award, ORT America, 2021
- Best Lawyers®, Commercial Litigation
- YWCA Greater Cleveland, Women of Professional Excellence Award, 2016
Community
- Supreme Court of Ohio, Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program, Mentor
- ORT America - Northeast Ohio Region, Trustee and Treasurer