Jennifer A. Nearn, Esquire
Bio
Jennifer Nearn is a distinguished attorney with extensive experience in complex commercial and civil litigation, corporate counsel services, and strategic legal advisement. With a proven track record representing corporate clients in high-stakes commercial disputes, Ms. Nearn serves as a Senior-level associate on sophisticated civil and criminal defense matters while concurrently functioning as General Counsel for both corporate and non-profit organizations. Ms. Nearn’s distinctive expertise integrates business and legal acumen, which she employs in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements, developing comprehensive risk management strategies, and implementing robust organizational and compliance frameworks.
Experience
Ms. Nearn has represented excess-level insurance carriers in complex environmental insurance coverage disputes and bad faith litigation, as well as managed an extensive caseload involving commercial and residential foreclosures, loan restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings, and title curative matters, across multiple jurisdictions. Through both practice areas, Ms. Nearn managed complex discovery processes involving the review and coding of high-volume electronically stored information utilizing advanced e-discovery platforms. Her litigation experience includes successful participation in a two-week jury trial concerning contamination at a manufactured gas plant, as well as other significant matters involving environmental pollution, chemical and long-term exposure to hazardous substances. Mostly recently, Ms. Nearn has expanded her legal practice to encompass personal injury litigation, civil rights advocacy and criminal defense. She achieved notable success as second chair counsel, securing two not-guilty jury verdicts for a client facing indecent sexual assault charges.
During her tenure at The School District of Philadelphia, Ms. Nearn exhibited exemplary leadership as Director of Board Initiatives for the Board of Education and as Lead Talent Partner in Office of Talent. In these capacities, she revitalized organizational frameworks, instituted innovative systems, and markedly enhanced operational efficiencies. Ms. Nearn’s distinctive professional background seamlessly integrates exceptional legal expertise with proven leadership in organizational transformation, policy development, and strategic management. Her accomplishments include successfully restructuring organizational hierarchies, redesigning professional roles, developing staff competencies, and optimizing standardized processes—all of which yielded improved system efficiencies and superior strategic outcomes.
Areas of Practice
- Complex Civil Litigation
- Corporate Counsel Services
- Commercial Contract Law
- Risk Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Employment & Labor Law
- Criminal Defense
- Non-Profit Governance
- Project Management
Education
Ms. Nearn earned her Juris Doctorate from the James E. Beasley School of Law at Temple University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a Management Concentration from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey and possesses professional certification as a Society of Human Resource Management – Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).
Professional Affiliations & Community Involvement
Ms. Nearn maintains active membership and previously served as an appointed Executive Board Member of the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia. She holds membership in both the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations and presides as an Arbitrator for the Philadelphia Arbitration Center, Court of Common Pleas, Civil Trial Division. Currently, Ms. Nearn fulfills the role of Treasurer on the Board of Directors for North City Congress. She is also a distinguished member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Incorporated. Demonstrating her dedication to community advocacy, Ms. Nearn delivers pro bono legal services through Philadelphia Volunteers for Indigent People, offering family law and estate planning expertise to underserved populations. Additionally, she contributed to professional development as a featured speaker and panelist addressing critical topics related to diversity, mentorship, and higher education.