Jennifer A. Surprenant

Jennifer A. Surprenant is an experienced trial and arbitration lawyer. She has litigated nearly 40 trials and arbitrations to judgment in state and federal courts across the United States and before both domestic and international tribunals and has resolved numerous more through motion practice or settlement. She represents multinational corporations, privately held companies, start-ups, and high-net-worth individuals in complex commercial actions largely focusing on contractual disputes and business torts, with a specific expertise in fiduciary breaches, fraud, and related claims. Her diverse client base includes companies specializing in energy, technology, media, pharmaceutical and life sciences, financial products, real estate, retail, and distribution. This breadth of courtroom experience, combined with deep industry range, allows Ms. Surprenant to bring practical, battle-tested judgment to every engagement.

Beyond her trial and arbitration practice, Ms. Surprenant also routinely handles mediations and settlement negotiations, and conducts corporate internal investigations. She also advises on employment matters including terminations, contract disputes, and discrimination claims. Her ability to move seamlessly between courtroom advocacy and sensitive counselling roles reflects the trust her clients place in her across a variety of legal challenges.

Ms. Surprenant is a strong advocate at every stage of litigation. Whether defending a Fortune 100 company in a complex contract dispute, managing a class action involving alleged product design defects, or coordinating a corporate internal investigation into fraud allegations, she brings disciplined preparation and persuasive advocacy to high-stakes matters.

Ms. Surprenant contributes meaningfully to the legal profession and the broader community. She has served as an assistant general counsel to the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination since 2014 and has served as Board counsel to the New York Foundation for the Arts since 2020. She was a member of the Future Trials Working Group within the Commission to Reimagine the Future of New York’s Courts, formed by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore. She is also the author of chapters on federal court complaints and sanctions in New York State practice in leading Thomson Reuters treatises on commercial litigation.