Jennifer Shoaf Richardson

Jennifer Shoaf Richardson represents large and small employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counsel, and all stages of litigation in Florida and Georgia.  She conducts investigations, responds to Charges of Discrimination filed with the Florida Commission on Human Relations or the EEOC, and defends lawsuits.

Prior to joining Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon, Jennifer served as an associate for a national AmLaw 100 employment firm. As a Pensacola native, she is eager to help panhandle employers of all sizes thrive and protect their most important assets – their people.

She works with clients in a range of industries encompassing healthcare, transportation, hospitality, finance, technology, agriculture, and construction. Jennifer is equipped to see cases through to completion, as she has handled dozens of appeals in Florida state courts, the 11th Circuit, and the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Jennifer is an experienced litigator, who routinely represents employers before state and federal agencies, state and federal trial courts, and courts of appeal. She litigates all varieties of employment law matters including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, Workers’ Compensation retaliation, disability, whistleblower, the Equal Pay Act, wage and hour, and noncompetition agreements.

She frequently speaks on issues related to gender equality, pay equity, parental leave, sexual harassment, and the promotion and retention of women leaders. She is available to advise clients and provide training on meaningful diversity initiatives within their businesses. 

Jennifer has also been a leader in Florida, serving as past president of the statewide Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association and as a member of her former circuit’s Judicial Nominating Commission. 

Education

• Florida Coastal School of Law, J.D., 2009 – cum laude
• University of Florida, B.A., 2005 – cum laude

Professional Work Experience

• Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon
  • Director, 2021 – Present
• Jackson Lewis, P.C.
  • Attorney, 2016 – 2021

Court Admissions

• 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, 2012
• Florida – M.D. Fla., 2012
• Florida – N.D. Fla., 2015
• Florida – S.D. Fla., 2013
• Georgia – M.D. Ga., 2017
• Georgia – S.D. Ga., 2018
• Georgia – Court of Appeals, 2015
• Florida, 2009
• Georgia, 2011

Professional Memberships Activities

• 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
  •  2018 – 2020
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers
  • President, 2018 – 2019
• Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association
  • President, 2017 – 2018
• The Florida Bar Code and Rules of Evidence Committee
  •  Member, 2015 – 2018
• The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors
  •  Member 2012 – 2014
• Chester Bedell American Inn of Court
  • Associate 2014 – 2015

Community Involvement & Achievements  

• Leadership Florida – Connect Class XII
  • 2022 – 2023
• Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Board of Directors
    • 2021 – Present
  • Women Mean Business Committee
    • Chair, 2022 – 2023
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers
  • Leader in the Law, 2013
• Florida Trend
  •  Florida 500, 2019
  • Legal Elite Up & Comers, 2015, 2017 – 2021
• Jacksonville Business Journal
  •  40 Under 40, 2019
• Attorney at Law Magazine First Coast
  •  2019 Women in Law, 2019
• Martindale-Hubbell
  • AV Preeminent Peer Rating, 2016 – Present
• Super Lawyers
  •  Super Lawyer, 2023
  • Rising Stars, 2015 – 2019
• Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee for the Pro Bono Service Awards
  • Member, 2019
• Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Equal Justice Committee Member
• Pro Bono Appeals handled in 2012, 2013, and 2015

Published Works

• “What Jacksonville Employers Need to Know About the Expanded Human Rights Ordinance,” Association of Corporate Counsel North Florida Chapter Newsletter (First Quarter 2017) [Co-Author]
• “Profile of Judge Thomas D. Winokur of the First District Court of Appeal,” The Record, Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar (February 2017) [Author]
• “Defending Your Database from Disgruntled Employees,” Association of Corporate Counsel, Focus on the North Florida Chapter (October 2016) [Author]
• “Profile of Judge Scott Makar of the First District Court of Appeal,” The Record, Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar (Summer 2013) [Author]
• “New Appellate Rule for Probate and Guardianship Proceedings,” Florida Bar Journal (September/October 2012) [Co-Author]

Speeches

• “The Workplace: What’s next for the #MeToo Movement, Equity Pay, and Parental Leave”, Women Mean Business, Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce
  • March 2023, Pensacola FL
• “Hot Topics in Florida Employment Law for 2023,” HR Roundtable, Pensacola Chamber of Commerce
  • January 2023, Pensacola FL
• “The Future for Women in the Workplace,” The Next Big Thing Conference, Walton Area Chamber of Commerce
  • September 2022, Sandestin FL
• “The State of Inclusion in a Stop Woke Act Era” Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce
  •  May 2022, Pensacola FL
  • Panelist
• “The Leave of Absence Trifecta,” Greater Pensacola SHRM Legal Conference
  • May 2022, Pensacola FL
  • Panelist
• “EmployABILITY:  Diversity in the Workplace,” UWF Office of Career Development and Community Engagement
  • March 2022, Pensacola FL
  • Panelist
• “Supervisor Training: Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation,” Client
  • November 2021, Pensacola FL
  • Presenter
• “Minors in the Workplace”, Compliance Training for Client
  • August 2021, Pensacola & Destin, FL
  • Presenter
• “The New Normal – Adapting to a Virtual Workplace,” SHRM Jacksonville People Manager Training
  • March 2021, Jacksonville FL
  • Presenter
• “Political Expression in the Workplace,” Florida Chapter of National Diversity Council
  • October 2020, Jacksonville FL
  • Presenter
• “Conducting an Internal Investigation,” Client HR Department Training
  • March 2020, Nashville TN
  •  Presenter
• “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Pay Equity,” Jacksonville Office Breakfast Briefing
  • November 2019, Jacksonville FL
  • Presenter
• “Law Surrounding Women in the Workplace: Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, Pregnancy Discrimination, and Sexual Harassment.”  CLE St. Johns County Association for Women Lawyers
  •  April 2019, St. Augustine FL
  • Presenter
• “Reasonable Accommodation & Leave Management Under the ADA,” Client HR Training
  • April 2019, Nashville TN
  • Co-presenter
• “Parental Leave: The Proposed Continuance Rule and Practical Strategies to Make it Work” and “Rainmaking for Women Lawyers: Turning a Mist into a Deluge” and “Women on the Florida Supreme Court,” CLE, FAWL Annual Summit
  • October 2018, Neptune Beach FL
  • Presenter and Moderator 
• “Diversity and Inclusion in the Courtroom and Beyond,” CLE, Florida Defense Lawyers Association Annual Meeting
  • September 2018, Boca Raton FL
  •  Panelist  
• “The #MeToo Movement and Lessons Learned,”
  • September 2018, Jacksonville FL
  • Presenter
• “Women in Leadership,” AIA Jacksonville’s Women in Architecture
  • August 2018, Jacksonville FL
  • Panelist
• “Your Company has Been Hacked: An Interactive Data Breach Simulation,” ACC Orlando Symposium
  • August 2018, Orlando FL
  • Presenter
• “Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession,” Jacksonville Association for Legal Administrators
  •  August 2018, Jacksonville FL
  •  Presenter
• “Be Heard in the Boardroom:  In-House Counsel Advise on Their Career Paths and Best Practices for Working in the Business Community,” CLE Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association
  • May 2018, Jacksonville FL
  • Moderator 
• “Why GOOD Guys are Important: Getting Men Engaged in Gender Equality,” CLE Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association
  • April 2018, Jacksonville FL
  •  Moderator 
• “Unity Day: Stronger Together,” CLE, D.W. Perkins Bar Association and The Florida Bar Diversity and Inclusion Committee
  • January 2018, Jacksonville FL
• “FMLA and ADA 101,” Basic Labor and Employment Law CLE, produced by The Florida Bar
  • April 2017, Tampa FL
  • Presenter
• “After the Briefs: The Life of an Appeal,” Appellate Advocacy Clinic Florida Coastal School of Law
  • October 2015, Jacksonville FL
  • Guest Lecturer
• “The Role of Staff Attorneys,” E. Earle Zehmer Appellate Practice Seminar “Inside the First DCA” produced by Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar
  • April 2015 & March 2012, Tallahassee FL
  • Moderator
• “Young Lawyers and Professionalism,” Practicing with Professionalism CLE produced by Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar
  • November 2014, Jacksonville FL
  • Panelist
• “First District Court of Appeal,” Voluntary Bar Leaders Conference
  •  July 2014, Bonita Springs FL
  •  Panelist