Overview
Jennifer (Jen) Aronoff focuses her practice on civil and criminal government enforcement actions, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation. A former journalist, Jen uses her experience at gathering and deploying facts to help tell clients’ stories, and she has helped clients succeed at both the trial and appellate levels through clear and persuasive written and oral advocacy and keen legal analysis. Jen is also versed in advising clients on compliance questions.
Jen has drafted a range of winning dispositive motions and appellate briefs in both state and federal court, aided by her knowledge of jurisdiction, civil procedure, and administrative law. She represents and counsels clients in matters involving the False Claims Act, federal securities and healthcare law, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, among other areas, as well as commercial disputes. She also advises clients on and manages responses to civil investigative demands and government subpoenas.
Jen has an active pro bono practice and received the 2018 McDermott Will & Emery Award for Outstanding Achievement and Commitment to Pro Bono and Service to the Community. Jen was part of a McDermott team that successfully defended a pharmacist charged with racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, and federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act violations, winning a full acquittal following a two-month federal jury trial. Following work as a law student in Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth (CWCY), she also serves clients in matters involving juvenile justice and challenges to wrongful convictions. During her time with the CWCY, Jen was part of a team that helped free a man who had been wrongfully convicted of murder as a teenager. The team established that the state had ignored the true perpetrator and failed to disclose favorable evidence to the defense. In addition, Jen obtained a favorable settlement for a client in a federal civil rights case and has assisted on briefing in pro bono Seventh Circuit criminal appeals.
Previously, Jen served as law clerk to the Honorable Thomas M. Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. While in law school, she was an articles editor for the Northwestern University Law Review and a legal writing teaching assistant. She also interned for Judge Edmond E. Chang of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Before attending law school, Jen was a reporter for the Charlotte Observer. In 2018, Jen was a contestant on “Jeopardy!”
Results
- Represented a biotechnology company in qui tam suits in federal district court and on appeal; Jen was the lead drafter of briefs in two federal circuit courts that resulted in affirmance of the trial court’s dismissal
- Represented ERISA trustee in two federal appeals involving breach of duty claims. Jen drafted briefs and other court documents that explained the complex procedural and substantive grounds supporting affirmance of the trial court’s judgment for the trustee. In both cases, the Court of Appeals affirmed and the US Supreme Court denied certiorari
- Represented an American manufacturer in a breach of contract arbitration, winning a full defense award; Jen led the damages portion of the case and examined the damages expert at the arbitration
- Successfully defended a pharmacist charged with racketeering, mail fraud, and Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act charges; following a two-month trial, the client was acquitted of all charges. Jen also drafted the key evidentiary motion in the case, which resulted in the exclusion of exceptionally prejudicial evidence
Recognitions
• The Best Lawyers in America, “Ones to Watch in Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2023
Credentials
Education
Northwestern University School of Law, JD, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2013
Northwestern University, BS, summa cum laude, 2004
Admissions
Illinois
Courts/ Agencies
US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
