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Biography

Jen represents employers in all manner of labor and employment matters, including federal and state litigation, appeals, arbitrations, unfair labor practice charges, injunction hearings, EEOC charges, and unemployment hearings. Jen is also a trial attorney who regularly obtains defense verdicts, dismissals, and other positive outcomes for employers. Jen has successfully defended against claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, Kentucky wage and hour law, and other state and federal labor and employment laws. Jen also helps employers avoid litigation by providing training and counseling on a variety of topics, including terminations, investigations, employment policies, and other important workplace issues.

Jen graduated cum laude from Washington University School of Law in St Louis, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Washington University Journal of Law and Policy and Vice President of the Women’s Law Caucus. Before joining the firm, she worked as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County where she represented indigent juveniles and adults through all stages of litigation including trial. Jen is also a published poet with a master’s degree in poetry writing from Columbia University.

Jen's Relevant Experience

Successful Outcomes for Employers

Mitchell v. Osram Sylvania (2023): complete defense verdict after jury trial on race harassment and retaliation claims.

Carter v. Union College (2023): dismissal on summary judgment of sex discrimination, retaliation, and FMLA claims.

Hughes v. UPS et al. (2023): complete defense verdict after jury trial on disability discrimination and retaliation claims.

Weafer v. Heritage Installations (2023): dismissal for failure to state a claim of wrongful discharge in violation of public policy claim.

Oller v. Central Bank (2022): dismissal on summary judgement of sex discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, and breach of contract claims.

Gambrel v. Parkplace Homes (2022): dismissal of sex discrimination, hostile work environment, and unpaid commissions claims for failure to timely prosecute.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4 v. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Gvt. (2021): uphold the City’s right to enact an ordinance banning the use of no-knock warrants by obtaining dismissal of police union’s complaint seeking to invalidate the ordinance.

Simmons v. North American Stainless (2021): dismissal on summary judgment of disability discrimination and retaliation claims.

Lee v. Trace3, et al. (2021): dismissal and compelling arbitration of breach of contract and unjust enrichment claims.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #83 v. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Gvt. (2020): dismissal on summary judgment of claims that City failed to bargain and violated collective bargaining agreement.

Fitness Market v. Scheller’s Kentucky, et al. (2020): successfully oppose motion for temporary injunction and enforcement of non-compete agreement in favor of employer, leading to dismissal of complaint.

Wiggins v. Holley Performance Products (2019): defense judgment in favor of employer after bench trial on breach of contract claim.

In re Mike-Sell’s Potato Chip Company and International Brotherhood of Teamsters (2019): dismissal of complaint alleging unfair labor practices following remand hearing and appellate briefing.

Charles v. NGT (2019): dismissal on summary judgment of age discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, negligent retention, and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims.

Rose v. UPS (2019): dismissal on summary judgment of disability discrimination claim.

Johnson v. CCMA (2019): dismissal on summary judgment of sex discrimination claim.

Layman v. UPS (2019): dismissal on summary judgment of disability discrimination, sex discrimination, false light, and defamation claims.

McCoy v. Cambridge Franchise Holdings (2019): dismissal and compelling arbitration of discrimination, wrongful discharge, and wage and hour claims.

Wardlaw v. Autozone (2018): dismissal of retaliation and harassment claims for failure to timely prosecute.

Mullen v. Houston-Johnson (2018): dismissal on summary judgment of breach of contract and unpaid commissions claim.

Morton v. UPS (2018): dismissal on summary judgment of retaliation claim.

Crosby v. Ananda (2018): successfully oppose motion for temporary injunction and enforcement of non-compete agreement in favor of employer, leading to dismissal of complaint.

Vaughn v. Woodforest National Bank (2018): dismissal of wrongful termination in violation of public policy claim for failure to timely prosecute.

Rawls v. UPS (2018): dismissal of wrongful termination in violation of public policy claim for failure to timely prosecute.

Newell v. Ready Mix (2017): obtain preliminary injunction and enforcement of non-compete agreement in favor of employer.

Morcus v. Medicopy (2017): dismissal on summary judgment of fraud, tortious interference, negligent hiring, forgery, and consumer protection claims.

Other Info About Jen

Education

Law School

Washington University School of Law, J.D., 2014, cum laude

Graduate School

Columbia University, M.F.A., Poetry Writing, 2009

Undergraduate School

University of Florida, B.A., English, B.A., Sociology, 2006

Clerkships

Jen served as a clerk for the court(s) and judge(s) below:

Honorable Thomas H. Fulton, Chief Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Kentucky

Bar Memberships

Jen is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Kentucky, 2016

Florida, 2014

Courts

Jen is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Selected for inclusion in Kentucky Rising Stars® 2023-2024

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch®, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2023-2025; Labor and Employment Law – Management, 2024-2025

Don Carter-Earl Tedrow Memorial Award, selected by the law school senior class as the exemplification of the aims of all those entering the profession of law, 2014.

Mary Collier Hitchcock Prize for outstanding writing, 2014.

Equal Justice Works Award for public service, 2014.

Dean’s Service Award for public service, 2014.

CALI Award for Mediation, 2013.

Tamanaha-Honorata Public Interest Award, 2013.

Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy, 2012.

Scholar-in-Law Award, 2011-2014.

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Graduate, Focus Louisville, May 2019

Member, Friends of the Louisville Zoo Board, 2016 – 2022

Member, Coalition for the Homeless Associate Board, 2018 – 2022

Founding Member, Future Advocates in Training, St. Louis, MO., 2011 – 2014

Presentations

Jen was invited to speak at the following events:

February 5, 2020: National Business Institute: Guide to Human Resource Laws in the Workplace: Workplace Behavioral Issues: Appropriately Handling Thorny Situations and Workplace Privacy and Employee Monitoring

December 4, 2019: FMLA Master Class: FMLA/ADA/Workers’ Comp Overlap

November 14, 2019: Madisonville, KYSHRM: Labor and Employment Law Update

November 13, 2019: Webinar: 2019 FMLA/ADA Cases That Make You Say “Hmmm?”

November 15, 2018: National Business Institute: Human Resource Law from A to Z: Employment Law Update and Imperative Information That Every Employee Handbook Should Contain

November 6, 2018: FMLA Master Class: Mastering FMLA Fundamentals

July 24, 2018: Business Leaders and Bagels: Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations

February 13, 2018: National Business Institute: Guide to Human Resource Laws in the Workplace: Workplace Behavioral Issues: Appropriately Handling Thorny Situations and Workplace Privacy and Employee Monitoring

May 23, 2017: FMLA Master Class: Managing Serious Health Conditions and Medical Certification

April 10, 2017: Back by Popular Demand! Balancing Your FMLA, ADA and Workers’ Compensation Legal Obligations

March 14, 2017: 14th Annual Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Conference: Handling Absences while Maintaining Productivity: The FMLA, ADA, and Workers’ Compensation Conundrum

March 7, 2017: Labor and Employment Seminar: The Future of Labor Law Under A New NLRB

January 18, 2017: Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Remaining Union-Free Seminar

November 18, 2016: KYSHRM Leadership Conference: The Future of Right to Work in Kentucky

Major Publications

Jen is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Paper, The Hardship of Undue Hardship: Discharging Student Loans in Bankruptcy in the Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Circuits, 22d Annual Mid-South Conference on Bankruptcy Law, Feb. 5, 2016.

Note. For Those Who Do Not Speak: Protecting Class Arbitration as the Last Collective-Action Option for Women, 46 WASH. U. J. L. & POL’Y 245 (2015).

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