People: Jennifer A. Riley, Associate

Jennifer A. Riley

Associate

Chicago
Direct: (312) 460-5672
Fax: (312) 460-7642

email
vCard

Biography

Ms. Riley is an associate in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. She is a member of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Department and a member of the Firm’s Complex Discrimination Litigation and Wage & Hour Litigation Practice Groups.

Ms. Riley practices in the employment litigation area, with a particular emphasis on complex collective and class action proceedings. She regularly defends employers sued in employment discrimination class actions, wage & hour collective actions, and pattern or practice lawsuits, ranging in size from hundreds to thousands of employees. She has represented clients in a wide range of complex civil litigation matters in federal and state courts across the country. Her extensive litigation experience includes serving as trial counsel in federal court bench trials, jury trials, and arbitration proceedings.

Prior to joining Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Ms. Riley practiced commercial litigation at a Chicago-based Vault 50 firm for approximately seven years. In addition to her experience in private practice, prior to joining Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Ms. Riley also worked as in-house litigation counsel for a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical and medical device company. As in-house counsel, Ms. Riley investigated, managed, and resolved a wide range of disputes in the commercial and employment areas, including collective action and single-plaintiff discrimination, retaliation, and harassment cases.

Ms. Riley graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 1997 with a B.A. in Economics and Anthropology. While pursuing her degree, she conducted field research at archaeological sites in Central America. Following graduation, Ms. Riley attended the University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall) and graduated with a J.D. in 2000. While at Boalt, Ms. Riley participated in moot court, mock trial team, and was associate editor of the Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law.

Education

J.D., University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law (2000)
Berkeley Journal of Employment & Labor LawAssociate Editor
B.A., Vanderbilt University (1997)
magna cum laude

Admissions

Illinois

Courts

U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Representative Engagements

Boyd, et al. v. Alutiiq Global Solutions, LLC, No. 11-CV-00753 (U.S. District Court/ Northern District of Illinois) (ongoing representation in putative collective action alleging FLSA and state law claims for unpaid overtime).
Smith v. ERJ Dining LLC, et al., No. 11-CV-2061 (U.S. District Court/ Northern District of Illinois) (ongoing representation in putative class and collective action alleging violation of state and federal tip credit and overtime laws)
EEOC v. Kaplan Higher Education Corp., No. 10-CV-02882 (U.S. District Court/ Northern District of Ohio) (ongoing representation in pattern or practice case alleging disparate impact discrimination in use of credit check information).
Boyle, et al. v. Sterling Jewelers Inc., No. 08-CV-2875 (U.S. District Court/ Southern District of New York) (ongoing representation in class action alleging gender discrimination in pay and promotions).
Schaefer, et al. v. Walker Bros. Enterprises, Inc., et al., No. 10-CV-6366 (U.S. District Court/ Northern District of Illinois) (ongoing representation in putative class and collective action alleging violation of FLSA and state tip credit laws).
EEOC v. Sterling Jewelers Inc., No. 08-CV-706 (U.S. District Court/ Western District of New York) (ongoing representation in EEOC pattern or practice case alleging gender discrimination in pay and promotions).
Bamgbose, et al. v. Delta-T Group, Inc., No. 09-CV-667 (U.S. District Court/ Eastern District of Pennsylvania) (ongoing representation in collective action brought by healthcare workers alleging FLSA wage & hour violations).
Hardaway, et al. v. Employbridge of Dallas Inc., et al., No. 11-CV-3200 (U.S. District Court/ Northern District of Illinois) (ongoing representation in putative class and collective action alleging violations of state and federal wage and overtime laws).
Craig, et al. v. Staffing Solutions Southeast, Inc. d/b/a Prologistix, No. 11-CV-3818 (U.S. District Court/ Northern District of Illinois) (ongoing representation in putative class and collective action alleging FLSA and state law wage & hour violations).
Stewart, et al. v. Prince Telecom, No. 10-CV-4881 (U.S. District Court/ Southern District of New York) (representation in putative collection action brought by cable installation technicians alleging violations of federal wage & hour laws).
Macedonia Church, et al. v. Fine Hotels, et al., No. 05-CV-00153 (U.S. District Court/ District of Connecticut) (representation in class action alleging racial discrimination and denial of accommodation in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981).
Black, et al. v. Broadband Express, LLC, No. 10-CV-23266 (U.S. District Court/ Southern District of Florida) (representation in putative collection action brought by cable technicians alleging FLSA claims for unpaid overtime).

Recent Published Opinions

Boyd, et al. v. Alutiiq Global Solutions, LLC, Case No. 11-CV-00753, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88656 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 10, 2011) (denying plaintiffs’ motion for conditional certification of FLSA collective action involving more than 5,000 employees)
EEOC v. Kaplan Higher Education Corp., Case No. 10-CV-02882, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 50035 (N.D. Ohio May 10, 2011) (granting defendant’s motion to dismiss all claims based on alleged unlawful employment practices occurring more than 300 days before filing of EEOC charge)

Presentations

Speaker, “On the Cutting Edge of Workplace Class Actions,” EPLI Webinar for Zurich Insurance, (February 2011)
Speaker, “Preserving Attorney-Client Privilege and Controlling Discovery,” Corporate Counsel College, International Association of Defense Counsel (April 2010)
Speaker, “Dispute Resolution Clauses in Commercial Contracts,” Reinsurance Association of America, Re Contracts (June 2007)

Publications

Author, “Michigan State Court Issues One Of The First Opinions Applying Dukes In A Non-Employment Class Action Setting,” The Workplace Class Action Blog, www.workplaceclassaction.com (July 20, 2011)
Author, “Narrowing The Statute Of Limitations Period In EEOC Pattern Or Practice Cases,” The Workplace Class Action Blog, www.workplaceclassaction.com (February 6, 2011)
Author, “Seventh Circuit Denies Rehearing En Banc In Thorogood And Provides Comments On Class Action Abuses,” The Workplace Class Action Blog, www.workplaceclassaction.com (December 9, 2010)
Author, “Preparing for the Worst: The Deposition of In-House Counsel,” ACC Docket (November 2009)
Contributing Author, Illinois Civil Litigation Guide, Illinois Practice Series, Vol. 4A (2007-2008)

Read full bio