Jennifer specializes in complex litigation involving emerging substances such as PFAS compounds and glyphosate, as part of her comprehensive environmental, toxic tort and exposure litigation practice. Before joining Shook, Jennifer honed her expertise as assistant district counsel for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she played a pivotal role in shaping environmental policies and litigation strategies. Her tenure as a special assistant attorney general for the State of Kansas also solidified her reputation as a leading environmental counselor, particularly during her service for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
At Shook, Jennifer continues to leverage her extensive experience to guide clients through the complexities of environmental and products liability law, ensuring they are well-represented in all facets of litigation and compliance. Jennifer’s profound understanding of emerging substances like PFAS is matched by her commitment to her clients. Jennifer actively represents a Fortune 500 company in one of the largest and most complex environmental MDLs pending in the country, as well as a major agrochemical and biotechnology corporation in complex product liability cases all over the United States. As a key member of the Monsanto Roundup litigation, Jennifer was part of the trial team that obtained a complete defense verdict in the first Roundup trial in Missouri, which was reported by Law.com in “Bayer Notches Another Defense Win in Trial Over Monsanto’s Roundup.”
She is a frequent speaker at national conferences and contributes to legal literature, sharing her insights on the evolving landscape of environmental regulations and their implications. She received her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law, where she was a Shook, Hardy & Bacon Scholar and recipient of a Rocky Mountain Mineral Foundation Scholarship.
Representative Matters
Roundup Products Liability Litigation
Shelton v. Monsanto (Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri) - Defense verdict in six-week trial involving claimed use of Roundup and the development of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Plaintiff sought more than $160 million in damages.
Jones v. Monsanto (Superior Court of California County of San Benito) – Defense verdict three-week trial wherein Plaintiff asked the jury to award $100 million in compensatory damages and $500 million in punitive damages. After deliberating for three hours, the jury returned a complete defense verdict.
PFAS Environmental Litigation
National counsel for chemical manufacturer in thousands of environmental and products liability claims in state and federal courts nationwide brought by individuals, municipalities, and states alleging groundwater contamination and personal injury as individual claims, consolidated proceedings, and class actions.
Presentations
Emerging Trends in PFAS Litigation, Client Presentation, October 2024.
Navigating the Complexities of Toxic Tort Litigation, Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference, September 24, 2024.
Understanding PFAS Regulation: An Administrative Law Primer, CLE Panel, American Bar Association, October 23, 2023 (with Jennifer Fischell and Steve Risotto).
PFAS Regulatory Action: History and Horizon, American Bar Association Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Annual Conference April 20-22, 2023.
Environmental Auditing/Self-Disclosures 101, Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference, September 2022.