Overview

Jill is a veteran trial lawyer who leverages her skills and experience to deliver results that align with the business objectives of her clients. Be it successfully handling bench and jury trials and appeals in state and federal courts or leading arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings, Jill works efficiently with clients to achieve favorable outcomes.

She has extensive experience representing clients in commercial contract disputes, product liability matters, sanction proceedings, RICO matters, class actions, and toxic tort and bankruptcy litigation. Her diverse experience extends to pharmaceutical defense, asbestos multidistrict litigation, criminal defense and grand jury work.

Representing clients in the automotive industry has been a significant aspect of her practice. She defended and managed the occupant safety product liability litigation throughout the U.S. for a global automotive system supplier. She also served as national coordinating counsel for a client in defense of trailer product liability suits. Jill is co-chair of the firm’s Product Liability Practice Group and Unmanned and Autonomous Systems (drones and driverless vehicles) Practice Group.

Jill enjoys presenting on contemporary topics in the law. She recently presented on the tension companies face balancing the pressure to promote diversity, equity and inclusion while not running afoul of the law. An accomplished author, she has written on topics ranging from autonomous vehicles to 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

  • Ohio
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
  • Supreme Court of the United States

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
  • Product Liability Advisory Council, Women’s Forum

Honors & Awards

  • Robert Sill Leadership Award, ORT America, 2021
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
  • 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