DBA Rising Star: Jordan Jennings

Taft Law

After years of moving from place to place across the country, Jordan Jennings has finally put down roots—in Dayton, Ohio. The daughter of an Army colonel father and a Nurse Practitioner mother, when asked, Jordan says she is from "all over." It shows in her ability to quickly connect with others, her calm, collected demeanor, and her global perspective: Jordan is a true citoyenne du monde. But since moving to Dayton in 2020 to join Taft's Privacy and Data Security team and its labor and employment practice, she has not hesitated to plant herself here and really invest in the community, get to know the people, and build lasting relationships. We are all the better for it.

Jordan always knew she wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating cum laude with a degree in journalism and economics from Syracuse University in a mere three years, Jordan enrolled in the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law. Drawn to both the diversity and the caliber of the faculty, Jordan quickly made herself at home, leading the Black Law Student Association, serving as the social/ service chair of the Women's Law Caucus, and receiving awards for her writing, academics, and professional excellence. Jordan spent both her 1L and 2L summers at Taft's Dayton office and following her graduation in 2020 and passage of the COVID-19-delayed Ohio Bar Exam, she returned to Taft as a first-year associate in January 2021.

In her brisk two years at the office, Jordan has become the go-to person for international data security law. Although she is a "new" practitioner, this area of law is also fairly new—and rapidly developing. Jordan credits the partners at Taft, including Scot Ganow and Zachary Heck, with positioning her to become the "expert" so soon in her career, and on building her up into a position of being trusted as an authority even during her time as a summer associate. Though data privacy could be "as simple as locking a file cabinet," it is also incredibly complex, and involves helping clients navigate cutting-edge technology and a maze of European Union, Swiss, United Kingdom, and other international laws and regulations. So much of Jordan's practice in this area involves education, assisting clients to understand the importance of having appropriate data privacy policies and managing risk in an area that is frequently misunderstood. Jordan is well-suited to the exciting, fastpaced nature of being a key member of a small but full-service team making a big impact in a constantly evolving field of law.

Balancing out her work in the dizzying field of data privacy, Jordan also works in Taft's Employment and Labor Relations practice group, in a much older and more well-settled area of law. Working on matters from unfair labor practices to collective bargaining to civil rights and

Jordan with members of Mock Trial Team

beyond, Jordan has found there is "so much good you can do." It can also be nice to look up case law that tells you the answer rather than having to speculate what courts will say, as is so often the case in privacy and data security law. Jordan' specialization in such disparate areas of law is a testament to her versatility and refusal to be put in a box.

Jordan's commitment to putting down roots and serving her community comes quite naturally and comes in many different forms. When Taft colleague Zach Heck asked for her help coaching the Centerville High School Mock Trial team, she readily agreed. Now in her third season as a coach, Jordan has recently helped lead the team to consecutive victories at both the Miami University Mock Trial Invitational Tournament and the University of Cincinnati High School Mock Trial Invitational tournament. It is a big-time commitment, but Jordan is "inspired" seeing kids who want to become lawyers and is dedicated to helping them achieve their potential.

Jordan and Ranger

Jordan has also taken on active service roles for multiple nonprofits. She sits on the Board of Trustees for Daybreak, an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youth in Dayton. Jordan is also the vice president and co-founder of Light On U, a New Jersey-based organization which provides mentorship and guidance to young women of color on everything from college readiness to financial wellness to physical and mental health. A common theme in these commitments and in her coaching is the importance of mentorship. Jordan takes her role as a mentor seriously, frequently acting as the voice of reason and a calming presence not just for her high schoolers or young adults, but also for law students at the University of Dayton and her own UK.

Anyone remotely involved in the Dayton Bar Association will know that Jordan is already a fixture at the DBA. She was a member of the 2021–22 Leadership Development Class, and was subsequently asked by DBA President, Magistrate Judge Caroline Gentry to assume the role of Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Co-Chair with her esteemed colleague Kaylee Price. In her capacity as YLD Co-Chair, Jordan's leadership has been instrumental in getting people back to meeting in person and building upon her predecessors' work. She has fostered a collaborative and open environment where new attorneys and even law students can come for socialization, connection, and solidarity as they grow into the profession. Farsightedly, Jordan recognizes that collegiality at the DBA starts with the YLD. The familiarity that develops between young attorneys at section meetings and YLD events will naturally develop into lifelong friendships and reinforce the value of civility in the Dayton legal community.

When not serving her clients or the community, Jordan still keeps busy. She has channeled her journalism background into writing for the Dayton Business Journal, Bar Briefs, and Taft's blog. She is also preparing for her wedding! And putting in her time learning French, her fiancé's native language. And of course, before everything else, Jordan has always maintained that family—her parents, younger brother, fiancé, and soon-to-be in-laws—nonnegotiably comes first. Jordan is an incredible model of serving others before self.

Jordan has been honored with deserved awards and accolades wherever she has been, and if there is justice in the world, she will continue to be for years to come. In particularly fitting fashion, just last year she was named to The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 in recognition of her "outstanding reputation," leadership in law organizations, and "notable achievements" as a lawyer. Such recognition is a more than appropriate acknowledgement of Jordan's leadership, dedication, and commitment to service. May her roots grow deep in Dayton!

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By Nathaniel Fouch Esq. Twelfth District Court of Appeals nathaniel.fouch@ twelfth.courts.state.oh.us

"I’m a divorce attorney,” is a phrase often met with, “Oh, I could never do that.” The reasons vary but typically revolve around the drama associated with divorce. However, an argument can be made that domestic relations is one of the best fields for brand new attorneys to enter. This statement may surprise the majority of the legal community, but I think most of us engaged in domestic relations would agree. Nearly every day as a divorce attorney is a bar exam question because divorce, unlike many other practice areas, is the most well-rounded practice of law.

One of my first divorce cases involved two parties with children, a house, a lease, a domestic violence protection order, a criminal case, uncashed tax checks, prior bankruptcy actions, retirement accounts, and a new baby from an affair. Reading the fact scenario would likely have most attorneys running for the hills. However, the domestic relations community would probably say that sounds like a typical Tuesday consult. In that case I had to learn aspects of tax, real estate, landlord tenant, criminal, bankruptcy, and, of course, family law. Daily divorce attorneys are met with the perfect bar exam question – one that incorporates multiple facets of several areas of law.

Every area of practice is relevant and may come up in a divorce. There are times that my clients need businesses divided or bought out. Other times, the state is involved either through the criminal courts or through Child Protective Services. Retirements must be divided, vehicles are sold off, and then there’s jurisdiction. Where does each party live and for how long have they been there? Some issues quickly become collaterally estopped. If a criminal case is pending with a no-contact order, can the parent see his or her children? Which order trumps? How are the children exchanged? Each move made on a divorce case has repercussions in other parts of our clients’ lives.

Being a divorce attorney makes you the best litigator in any other kind of case. How is this? Let’s start with civil procedure rules. Discovery requests can be done on every divorce case. The rules for admissions being admitted when not answered in time still apply.