Jennifer Mara

Managing Partner

Jennifer Mara is the firm’s managing partner and majority shareholder.

Her practice concentrates on complex business litigation and criminal defense matters. Ms. Mara’s experience ranges from high profile federal criminal trials to quickly negotiated, discreet business settlements.

Jennifer’s civil practice is broad based, comprised of matters involving qui tam claims, shareholder disputes as well as breach of contract, fraud, intellectual property, antitrust and RICO and False Claim Act claims.

In her criminal practice, Jennifer represented individuals during lengthy federal trials in the “Bridgegate” matter and the prosecution of the former Bergen County Democratic Party Chairman. She has also represented the Treasurer of a sitting United States Congressperson’s Campaign in connection with a federal investigation of that Congressperson, as well as the former Executive Director of the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation and the former President of the Elizabeth New Jersey School Board.

Jennifer has conducted internal investigations on behalf of corporate clients involving potential civil or criminal exposure. Similarly, she has represented individuals in connection with such investigations.

Jennifer’s mixed practice of civil and criminal litigation provides her with unique experience. For example, she has represented clients in RICO and antitrust litigation in which both civil and criminal liability was at issue. Based upon her experience in that regard, Ms. Mara has acted as local counsel for large firms with high stakes matters pending in New Jersey’s federal and state courts.

Representative Matters

Business Litigation

  • Defense of private transportation company in the District of New Jersey against a qui tam whistleblower action alleging civil RICO, violations of the Clean Water Act and the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, retaliation, and related state-law claims. Jennifer secured the dismissal of all claims with prejudice over the course of two dispositive motions.

  • Representation of an investor in a civil RICO and fraud matter in the District of New Jersey. On the eve of trial, Jennifer obtained a favorable settlement for the client.

  • Defense of a neurologist in a civil RICO action brought by a private insurance company, with a favorable settlement without admitting liability.

  • defense of a mortgage holder against civil RICO claims in connection with a commercial real estate transaction. During the pendency of our firm’s motion to dismiss, the plaintiff dismissed the case with prejudice.

  • Representation of a mortgage company in a federal civil RICO suit against its former employees and other individuals.

  • Acted as lead counsel for a large New York law firm in defense of legal malpractice claims. Ms. Mara obtained a dismissal of those claims at the trial level and successfully defended the appeal.

  • Representation of an employee of a technology startup in an internal investigation, and ultimately, an investigation conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigation was closed without adverse action taken against our client.

  • Defense of a business owner charged with committing a $17 million bank fraud, as well as successfully defending a challenge to his Fifth Amendment rights in parallel bankruptcy proceedings.

  • Representation of all New Jersey dealerships of a luxury car brand in connection with the dealerships’ receipt of subpoenas for testimony and documents in a federal class action in the District of New Jersey.

  • Representation of a religious-based 501(c)(3) organization in connection with its response to numerous grand jury subpoenas issued in connection with a federal investigation conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

  • Defense of the executrix of an attorney’s estate in probate litigation alleging breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and conversion. The matter was referred to mediation and Jennifer obtained a favorable settlement.

  • Representation of a former employee of a defunct investment firm in connection with civil litigation surrounding that firm’s cessation of operations.

  • Defense of a commercial landlord in his individual capacity in a two-week bench trial and obtained the outright dismissal of all claims, including claims of fraud, before closing statements were presented.

  • Representation of property owners in a dispute with a CrossFit gym. After a bench trial, we obtained a verdict for our clients on all counts. We also successfully defended against defendants’ appeal.

  • Representation of a clinical laboratory in connection with regulatory litigation. We recently obtained a dismissal of Medicare revocation and debarment penalties, reversing the denial of numerous reimbursement claims.

  • Representation of the third-party administrator of insurance claims for several New Jersey municipalities in connection with grand jury subpoenas.

  • Representation of the owner of a durable medical supply company in connection with a civil litigation regarding the company’s Medicare billing.

  • Representation of a music industry manager in a dispute regarding a Grammy-award-winning artist.

  • Representation of employees of a home health care facility under federal investigation for possible violations of the False Claims Act. Our clients were never charged.

Local Counsel

  • Serving as local counsel for an international patent holder in several consolidated patent infringement matters pending in the District of New Jersey.

  • Served as local counsel for an investment services firm in connection with Madoff litigation.

  • Served as local counsel for a cybersecurity company and successfully obtained injunctive relief against the client’s competitor and former employees for theft of confidential business information. Jennifer also assisted lead counsel in defeating defendants’ subsequent interlocutory appeal before the matter ultimately settled.

  • Served as local counsel in the District of New Jersey for an international manufacturing company in litigation alleging trademark and copyright violations as well as patent infringement.

  • Served as local counsel to an offshore hedge fund engaged in federal litigation in the District of New Jersey.

Criminal Defense

  • Represented a pharmaceutical company executive in connection with a federal criminal investigation regarding off label marketing and alleged violations of the anti-kickback statute. The executive was never charged.

  • Representation of a former packaged ice industry executive in federal civil and criminal antitrust litigation. He received a probationary sentence and had no liability in the civil matter.

  • Defense of an executive and consultant under criminal investigation for an alleged $1 million fraud. The prosecutor agreed to forgo an indictment and permit a civil resolution between parties.

  • Defense of an OSHA-certified trainer charged with extortion. He received a non-custodial sentence of probation.

  • Defense of a 501(c)(3) corporation in a False Claims Investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The matter was resolved without any criminal charges filed.

  • Served as trial counsel for client charged with second-degree insurance fraud. After the cross-examination of a critical witness for the prosecution, the State agreed to dismiss the charges if the client completed a non-custodial program of supervision from his home in Florida.

  • Representation of a foreign national charged with a visa fraud conspiracy stemming from activities in West Africa. When he refused to plead, the government joined his case with a human trafficking matter. Jennifer successfully had the client’s case severed from the highly inflammatory human trafficking allegations which were by and large not relevant to his case.

Professional Admissions

  • State of New Jersey

  • State of New York

  • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New Yo

  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education

  • Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2001) Articles Editor, Seton Hall Law Review

  • Yale University (Graduate Program in Political Science, 1996-1997)

  • Rutgers University (M.A., 1995)

  • Rutgers University (B.A., with honors, 1994)

Judicial Clerkship

  • Law clerk to United State Magistrate Judge (now District Judge) Claire C. Cecchi, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2006-07

Reported Decisions

  • United States v. Kouevi, 698 F.3d 126 (3d Cir. 2012)

  • United States v. Bergrin, 650 F.3d 257 (3d Cir. 2011)

  • McNulty v. Reddy Ice Holdings, Inc., 271 F.R.D. 569 (E.D. Mich. 2011)

  • State v. Mauti, 208 N.J. 519 (2012)

  • State v. Rivera, 205 N.J. 472 (2011)

  • State v. Mauti, 416 N.J. Super. 178 (2010)

  • In re State Grand Jury Investigation, 200 N.J. 481 (2009)

  • State v. Nyhammer, 197 N.J 383 (2009)

Awards & Honors*

  • Seton Hall University School of Law 2024 Woman of Substance Award

  • Super Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, 2024, 2023

  • Super Lawyers Top 50 Women Lawyers, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2014 & 2013

  • Essex County Bar Association's 2017 Criminal Trial Attorney Awar

  • New Jersey Law Journal's Top 25 Women in the Law, 2016

  • Super Lawyers, Criminal Defense, 2012-2020

  • Super Lawyers Rising Star, Criminal Defense, 2009-2011

News

Publications

  • 'Solid Waste Agency of N. Cook County v. United States Army Corps of Engineers,' 31 Seton Hall L. Rev. 546, (2001)

  • Living with Consequences: The New Jersey Supreme Court Finds Cohabitation Provisions Enforceable,' 30 Seton Hall L. Rev. 1255, (2000)
    'William S. Greenberg, Trial Handbook for New Jersey Lawyers (4th ed. 1998),' Contributor

Professional Activities

  • President, Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey

  • Member, Women's White Collar Defense Association (New Jersey Chapter)

  • Member, District Ethics Committee, District VI (Hudson County) 2011-2015

  • Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

  • Past-Chair, Federal Practice Committee, Essex County Bar Association

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