Education

J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School, 2001
B.A., Carleton College, 1997

Biography

Jennifer is an Associate Clinical Professor and the Director of the Family Court Clinic (FCC), a part of the larger Economic Justice Institute. FCC offers legal services in divorce, paternity, child placement and custody cases, and other matters related to family law. Law students provide basic one on one limited services to many and direct full and complex family law litigation representation to a few cases during their time with the clinic. 

Jennifer currently serves as Chair of the Dane County Bar Association’s Delivery of Legal Services Committee (DLSC). Jennifer has chaired the committee since 2004. During this time the DLSC has worked to develop, maintain, and coordinate pro bono and pro se projects, including pro se clinics and attorney training opportunities. This committee has won several awards for service.

Jennifer currently holds an Of Counsel position with Community Justice, Inc (CJI), and frequently serves as Guardian ad Litem for children and vulnerable adults in that role. Her GAL appointments permit the students enrolled in the FCC a chance at learning about the work of GALs in family law from a unique perspective. 

In 2007 Jennifer was honored as a Leader in the Law by the Wisconsin Law Journal and in 2013 was honored by the Pro Bono Society of the UW Law School for her pro bono work. In 2015 her firm, (CJI), was honored as a legal innovator by the State Bar of Wisconsin for the firm’s Restraining Order Program. In 2022 Jennifer became a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. In 2023 Jennifer received the State Bar of Wisconsin Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award and elected as a Fellow in the Wisconsin Bar Foundation.

Jennifer additionally volunteers her time to assist pro se litigants through the DCBA Family Law Assistance Center, the Small Claims Assistance Center, the Veterans Law Center and the Senior Wills Program. She was named the State Bar of Wisconsin Pro Bono Attorney of the Year in 2023.