Jessica L. Farley

Associate
Direct: 414-312-7204
Email: jfarley@llgmke.com

Biographical

Conscientious. Thorough. Deliberate. Careful. Meticulous. Focused. Analytical. Well-Prepared. Determined. These are the hallmarks of great lawyers and they are often not learned but inherent in the soul of all great professionals. Jessica comes to LLG having started her career at one of Milwaukee’s largest law firms; she joined our boutique practice with large-firm experience in hand and today she is one of Milwaukee’s rising stars. The practice of law is evolving rapidly and technology is a big part of that experience. LLG and its clients relish Jessica’s broad understanding of today’s law practice and her ability to employ cost-effective technological solutions to maximize client results.   She is a superstar in the making.

Practice Areas

Representative Experience

Served as second-chair trial counsel for construction company in seven-day federal jury trial.

Assisted in appeal that resulted in reversal of adverse summary judgment decision from trial court regarding application of Wisconsin’s open records law to the production of meeting minutes taken by university’s research team that involved federally funded animal research.

Represented national hotel franchisor in tortious interference dispute against another national franchise brand.

Negotiated dealership dispute to avoid litigation and termination under Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law on behalf of legacy franchise.

Litigated complex, multi-year dealership dispute and achieved comprehensive settlement for multi-state and multi-line construction equipment dealership in “bet the company” case.

Defended recipient of POD benefits in probate dispute involving claims of undue influence and incompetence and achieved six-figure settlement for client.

Member of “deal team” for asset purchase involving construction equipment dealership sold to private equity group.

Defended manufacturer of binoculars and rifle scopes in trademark infringement lawsuit and settled case with payment from plaintiff to client.

Appointed as counsel in a § 1983 action and first chaired federal jury trial that resulted in a favorable settlement for client.

Assisted in winning summary judgment for Wisconsin financial institution in lender liability and related foreclosure action.

Assisted with briefing, preparation, and successful defeat of preliminary injunction motion in patent case in Western District of Wisconsin’s “rocket docket.”

Participated as member of trial team and assisted in winning partial summary judgment in multi-patent biotechnology case in District of Delaware.

Achieved dismissal of claims seeking $3 million in punitive damages in action against large reinsurance company and auditing firm.

Represented distributor against large Milwaukee manufacturer in multimillion dollar termination case.

Published Works & Presentations

Co-author: Franchise Litigation Handbook (Second Edition), Chapter One: Initial Pleadings (2021)

Co-author: Seven Years Hence: Constructive Termination Since Mac’s Shell, 36 Franchise L. R. 627 (2017)

Author: Wisconsin Open Records Law After WIREdata: Still Viable to Protect Public Access to Information?, 93 Marq. L. Rev. 1189 (2010)

Presenter to the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel: How to Better Protect the Attorney-Client Privilege (2022)

Presenter to the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel: Exorcising the E-Discovery Demons (2018)

Presenter: Animal Cruelty: From Investigation to Verdict, sponsored by the Eau Claire County Corporation Counsel’s Office (August 13, 2014)

Presenter: Wisconsin Libel Law and Defamation, Editorial staff of the Milwaukee Business Journal (2011)

Presenter: Wisconsin Libel Law, Defamation, and the Internet, Editorial staff of the Milwaukee Business Journal (2013)

Reported Decisions

Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin et al., Case No. 2016AP869, 2017 WL 4750694 (Ct. App. Wis. 2017)

Braatz, LLC v. Red Mango FC, LLC et al., Case No. 15-10498, 2016 WL 1253679 (5th Cir. 2016)

Braatz, LLC v. Red Mango FC, LLC et al., No. 3:14-CV-4516-G, 2015 WL 1893194 (N.D. Tex. April 27, 2015)

Arcangelo, Inc., et al. v. DirectBuy, Inc., No. 3:13-CV-104-PPS, 2015 WL 5148513 (N.D. Ind. Sept. 2, 2015)

Milwaukee Elec. Tool Corp. v. Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd., 09-C-948, 2012 WL 1952977 (E.D. Wis. May 29, 2012)

Professional Admissions, Associations & Honors

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Wisconsin Supreme Court

Supreme Court of the United States

Thomas E. Fairchild Inns of Court (2013-2016)

Wisconsin Bar Association

Milwaukee Bar Association

American Bar Association

Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association

ABA Forum on Franchising

Animal Legal Defense Fund 2017 Advancement in Animal Law Pro Bono Achievement Award (legal team member)

Animal Legal Defense Fund 2019 Advancement in Animal Law Pro Bono Achievement Award (legal team member)

Super Lawyers Rising Star (2015 – 2020)

Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Practice (2022)

2021 Wisconsin Pro Bono Honor Society

Education

Marquette University Law School / J.D., cum laude, 2010

Marquette University / B.A., summa cum laude, 2007

Marquette Law Review, Associate Editor

Marquette Moot Court Leadership Board, Justice of National Competitions

Second Place, Jenkins Honorary Moot Court Competition, Spring ‘09

Quarter-finalist, National Moot Court Competition Regional Tournament, Fall ‘10

CALI Awards ― Advanced Legal Research: Taxation; Criminal Punishment

Community

Board Member, Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies (2016-present)

Hon. Charles N. Clevert, Jr. Summer Internship Program, Host (2015, 2016, 2018)

Hon. Charles N. Clevert, Jr. Mentorship Program, Mentor (2015)

Brookfield East High School, Mock Trial Team Co-Coach (2012 & 2013)

Provided pro bono court representation to individuals seeking domestic abuse injunctions (2011-2013)

Provided pro bono legal counseling at the Milwaukee Justice Center (2010-2013)

News, Awards & Honors

LLG Attorneys Honored with ALDF Achievement Award
Jessica L. Farley, Mark M. Leitner, and Joseph S. Goode have been awarded the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s 2017 “Advancement in Animal Law Pro Bono Achievement Award.”
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LLG Attorneys Honored by Best Lawyers in 2017
LLG partners Jack Laffey, Mark M. Leitner, Joseph S. Goode, and John E. Flanagan have once again been named to the Best Lawyers annual list of top attorneys.
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LLG Attorneys Author Article in Franchise Law Journal
LLG Joins the national discussion about constructive termination in the latest issue of Franchise Law Journal.
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