Summary

Jennifer is partner-in-charge of the Taft Dayton office. With more than 20 years of experience representing employers across diverse industries and sizes, Jennifer serves clients in all aspects of employment, labor relations, and workplace safety law. She represents clients in matters of accommodation, discrimination (including charges filed with the EEOC and OCCRC), retaliation, workers’ compensation, subrogation, wrongful discharge, manual classification, and self-insured audits. She also assists employers with self-insurance applications and advises employers on drug testing, drug-free workplace programs, medical and recreational marijuana laws, and COVID-19 issues. Her astute ability to deliver creative and impactful legal solutions to clients has earned her high recognition both locally and nationally. Jennifer enjoys serving as outside general counsel to closely held corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies.

She has successfully led numerous complex employment and labor relations matters, including leading an investigation of allegations of clergy misconduct for a large religious institution, a defense jury verdict in a retaliatory discharge claim for a food manufacturer, and many defense verdicts in workers’ compensation for companies in manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare industries. She also conducts compliance and safety training for clients and regularly speaks for various employer associations and organizations in Dayton.

Legal Experience

  • Served on a Senate task force that was convened to study privatization of the Ohio workers’ compensation system.
  • Led complex investigations of allegations of clergy misconduct for a large religious institution.
  • Obtained a defense jury verdict for a large food manufacturer in a retaliatory discharge claim.
  • Achieved multiple defense verdicts in appeals filed in state court pursuant to ORC § 4123.512.

Active within the Dayton community, Jennifer served as the 2020 chair of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce board. She is a member of the steering committee of the Dayton Area Logistics Association and serves as its general counsel. Jennifer also served on the board of trustees for The Dayton Art Institute and is past president of the Cox Arboretum Foundation board of trustees.

For her work, Jennifer is honored as the Best Lawyers in America 2021 Lawyer of the Year for Employment Law and has been recognized in their Workers’ Compensation Law, Labor and Employment Litigation, and Employment Management rankings since 2018.

Jennifer received her undergraduate degree from West Chester University and her J.D. from The Dickinson School of Law.

Awards

  • Honoree, Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers®, Employment Law – Management, Dayton (2021 & 2023)

  • Honoree, Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers®, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Dayton (2023)

  • Honoree, Best Lawyers in America, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers, Litigation –  Labor and Employment, Employment Law – Management

    (2018 – present)

  • Honoree, Ohio Super Lawyers, Employment & Labor

    (2021 – present)

  • Top 25 Women Cincinnati Super Lawyers Honoree (2015, 2022 – 2023)

  • Honoree, Ohio Super Lawyers, Workers’ Compensation 

    (2010 – 2017, 2019)

  • Volunteer of the Year Honoree, Dayton Chamber of Commerce (2017)

  • Top 50 Women Ohio Super Lawyers Honoree (2015, 2023)

  • Honoree, Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2005)

All Service Areas

Education

  • Dickinson School of Law (1995)
  • West Chester University (1992)

Admissions

  • Federal - Southern District of Ohio
  • State - Ohio

Notable Matters

  • Led an investigation of allegations of clergy misconduct for a large religious institution.
  • Defense jury verdict for a food manufacturer in a retaliatory discharge claim.
  • Numerous defense verdicts in a workers’ compensation right to participate and extent of disability claims for companies in manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare industries.

Professional Affiliations

  • Dayton Bar Association

    Past Member, Board of Trustees
    Former Chair, Certified Grievances Committee

  • Ohio State Bar Foundation

    Fellow (2009)

Community Involvement

  • Dayton Area Logistics Association

    Member, Steering Committee
    General Counsel

  • Dayton Art Institute

    Member, Board of Trustees

  • Cox Arboretum Foundation

    Past President, Board of Trustees