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Jennifer E. Duggan

  • Senior Partner

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Practice Areas:

  • Employment Law Advice & Counsel
  • Workplace Investigations
  • Employment Litigation - Employer
  • Mediation
  • ADA Access Litigation

Biography

Jennifer Duggan specializes in employment law and litigation. She brings more than 27 years of experience representing employers of all sizes. Jennifer founded the firm in 2013 with a focus on representing employers to proactively minimize their risk of employment lawsuits, and to make sure that, in the event of a legal claim, they are in the strongest possible position to defend themselves. Jennifer and her team have successfully defended wage and hour class action lawsuits, PAGA claims, as well as individual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims of all kinds, contract and tort-based employment litigation, and unfair competition and trade secret litigation. Jennifer also works closely with clients to avoid litigation in high-risk employment disputes and in every day personnel challenges.

Jennifer is also a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI) and has passed the rigorous test to obtain a certificate in workplace investigations from AWI. She conducts independent and neutral investigations for both public and private employers.

Jennifer graduated with a B.A. in 1992 from the University of California at Davis. She then graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1996 with a business law certificate. While at the University of Oregon School of Law, Jennifer served as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation and was awarded the Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Scholarship.

From 2004 to 2013, Jennifer served as an adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law where she taught civil pretrial litigation. In 2015, Jennifer taught the inaugural class, “The Business of Lawyering” at UC Davis School of Law. Jennifer has participated extensively as a moderator and panelist in a number of MCLE presentations, including CEB seminars. She has successfully argued before both the Third District Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit. Since 2001, Jennifer has also served as an arbitrator and private mediator.

Previously, Jennifer practiced employment law at one of Sacramento's largest law firms. There, she represented employers in a broad range of industries, drafted employer policies, handbooks, severance agreements, employment contracts, and appeared in both state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. She also represented a variety of private and public entity clients in a broad range of litigation matters, in the areas of civil rights and governmental tort Iiability, general negligence/personal injury work, auto liability, wrongful death, and ADA public accommodation and disability access law.

When she's not at work, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family and cheering for Oregon Ducks Football.

Education

  • University of Oregon School of Law, Eugene, Oregon
    • 1996
    • Honors: Business Law Certificate
    • Honors: Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Scholarship
    • Law Journal: Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation, Editor-in-Chief
  • University of California at Davis
    • 1992
  • Association of Workplace Investigators Training Institute, 2022
    • Certificate Holder

Bar Admissions

  • Supreme Court of the United States of America
  • California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California

Honors

  • Women Who Mean Business Award, Sacramento Business Journal, 2010
  • Frances Newell Carr Award, Women Lawyers of Sacramento, 2017
  • Super Lawyers, 2012-2023
  • Top 25: Sacramento Super Lawyers, 2014-2017, 2020-2023
  • Top 50: Women Northern California Super Lawyers, 2014-2017, 2020-2023
  • Top 100: Northern California Super Lawyers, 2014-2017
  • Sacramento Business Journal’s Best of the Bar 2015-2019
  • Sacramento Magazine’s Top Lawyers, 2015-2023
  • Best Lawyers in America – California, 2020, 2024

Professional Associations

  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Association of Workplace Investigators
  • Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California
  • Barristers' Club of Sacramento, President, 2005
  • Defense Research Institute, Past Member
  • Federal Bar Association, Past Member
  • Sacramento Area Human Resource Association
  • Sacramento County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
  • Sacramento's No Glass Ceiling Task Force
  • University of Oregon Law and Entrepreneurship Center, Advisory Board, 1997 to 2004
  • Westlake Charter School, Founding Parent
  • Women Lawyers of Sacramento
  • Women Up, Sacramento, Founding Member

Published Decisions

  • Blanford v. Sacramento County (2005) 406 F.3d 1110
  • Miller v. California (2004) 355 F.3d 1172
  • Watts v. County of Sacramento (2001) 256 F.3d 886