Jennifer A. Guidea is the Assistant Managing Partner of the firm’s Livingston, New Jersey office and routinely handles a wide range of diverse and complex litigation. Jennifer is licensed in both New Jersey and New York and has appeared before state and federal courts in various jurisdictions across the United States. 

Jennifer focuses on practical and personalized legal solutions for each client’s specific needs. Her multi-faceted practice includes franchise matters, health care law, construction defect litigation, business litigation, product liability and employment litigation and counseling.  

Commercial Litigation

Jennifer litigates business disputes involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, shareholder oppression, fraud and unfair trade practices. Many of these disputes involve millions of dollars, requiring attention to detail and an understanding of the intricacies of the underlying business relationships. Jennifer not only becomes educated in these critical facts, but also strives to work with her clients to balance their business objectives with the best possible litigation result.  

Franchise Law

Jennifer has extensive experience representing franchisors. Her clients have included several well-known national and international companies in the real estate, food and beverage, physical fitness and personal services industries. She has litigated and enforced non-compete restrictions, trademark infringement, termination disputes, and vicarious liability claims. Jennifer has repeatedly obtained injunctive relief against non-compliant franchisees, in addition to recovering monetary damages.

She has also assisted franchisors with drafting franchise agreements, as well as providing counseling regarding state and federal regulatory action. Jennifer’s approach to these matters ensures that the franchisor’s legal needs are consistent with and supportive of their business goals.

Health Care

Jennifer has nearly two decades of experience representing clients in several aspects of health care law. She has served as national and local counsel for several international pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in individual, class actions and multi-district litigations. While many of these cases have resolved on summary judgment, Jennifer has participated in trying several cases to verdict. Jennifer has assisted manufacturers in navigating FDA regulations for marketing and sales of pharmaceutical and medical devices.

Jennifer also defends health care professionals and hospitals against claims of medical malpractice. She emphasizes the importance of early case evaluation and utilizing medical experts at the outset to develop litigation strategy.  She also understands the personal and professional stakes for her clients and strives to ensure that their reputations and livelihoods are protected, while at the same time vigorously defending the case through resolution or trial.

Construction 

Jennifer has successfully defended contractors, architects and appraisers from claims of negligence, defective construction, consumer fraud and breach of contract.  She has unparalleled expertise defending home improvement contractors from claims under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and has used her extensive knowledge of the law and regulations, as well as her personal understanding of home construction and renovation, to obtain dismissal of such claims.

Jennifer grew up in New York City and graduated from public high school before continuing to Brown University, where she pursued a degree in music theory, history and performance. After graduating, Jennifer attended Boston University School of Law, working at various jobs to finance her education. Since returning to New Jersey, Jennifer has remained active in her community. Among other things, she volunteers for an equine therapy center and with several youth sports leagues.  Jennifer is also a breast cancer survivor and mentors women who have been diagnosed and are receiving treatment. 

Admissions

• New Jersey
• New York
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Southern, and Northern Districts of New York
• U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Memberships

• New Jersey State Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• International Franchise Association
• New Jersey Women Lawyers Association 
• United States Equestrian Federation
• United State Hunter Jumper Association
   

Jennifer's experience includes:

• Summary judgment on claims for breach of contract and fraud against national fitness franchisor
• Summary judgment on product liability claim alleging injury due to defective medical device
• Dismissal of numerous vicarious liability claims against franchisors before initiation of discovery, including several claims alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and other consumer protection statutes
• Pre-answer dismissal of class-action complaint against a national franchisor for violations of the Real Estate Settlement Practices Act.
• Pre-answer dismissal of claims against nurse for failure to provide an adequate affidavit of merit
• Summary judgment on legal malpractice claim, successfully upheld on appeal.
• Complete dismissal of claims against architect for professional negligence and violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act
• Drafted template agreement for use by home health aide agency to ensure compliance with the New Jersey Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights
• Drafted non-compete provisions of franchise agreement for use by recreational fitness franchisor
• Obtained dismissal of a class action complaint filed against Century 21 Real Estate LLC in the District of South Carolina.
• Obtained dismissal of a putative class action against a franchisor client, alleging violations of the Real Estate Settlement Practices Act, 12 U.S.C. sec. 2607(b)(“RESPA”), as well as claims under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The Court held that there was no basis for the claims against the franchisor given the lack of specificity of the allegations in the complaint. Further, the Court determined that RESPA’s “safe harbor” provision, contained in Section 8(c), applied and precluded the claims against the franchisor.