Biography

With over 28 years of experience, Jennifer Duggan is a senior partner at Duggan McHugh Law Corporation, where she specializes in representing employers of all sizes. Jennifer proactively works with employers to minimize the risk of employment lawsuits and ensures they are well-positioned to defend themselves should legal challenges arise. She has successfully defended a range of employment-related cases, including wage and hour class actions, PAGA claims, various harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims, and unfair competition and trade secret litigation. Jennifer also works closely with clients to avoid litigation in high-risk employment disputes and in everyday 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 impartial, thorough investigations for both public and private sector employers, helping them address sensitive workplace issues.

Jennifer earned her B.A. from the University of California at Davis in 1992 and graduated with a business law certificate from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1996. At Oregon, she served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation and received the Oregon State Bar Securities Regulation Scholarship.

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

Prior to founding Duggan McHugh, 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.

Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family and supporting Oregon Ducks Football.

Education

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

Bar Admissions

Honors

• Women Who Mean Business Award, Sacramento Business Journal, 2010
• Frances Newell Carr Award, Women Lawyers of Sacramento, 2017
• Super Lawyers, 2012-2025
• 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, 2015-2024
• Best Lawyers in America – California, 2020, 2024

Professional Associations

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