Jennifer Shoaf Richardson

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 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.  

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 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 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. 

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 asset.

Education

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

Professional Work Experience

• Director, Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon, 2021
• Attorney, Jackson Lewis, P.C. 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)
• Chester Bedell American Inn of Court, Associate (2014-2015)
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers, President (2018-2019)
• Florida Bar Code and Rules of Evidence Committee, Member (2015-2018)
• Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, Member (2012-2014)
• Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association, President (2017-2018)

Community Involvement & Achievements  

• Leadership Florida – Connect Class XII, 2022-2023
• Attorney at Law Magazine First Coast, “2019 Women in Law”, 2019
• 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
• Martindale-Hubbell®, “AV Preeminent® – Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence”, 2016-present
• Super Lawyers®, “Rising Stars”, 2015-2019
• Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee for the 2019 Pro Bono Service Awards, Member
• 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 State of Inclusion in a Stop Woke Act Era” Greater Pensacola Chamber (Pensacola, FL May 2022) (panelist)
• “The Leave of Absence Trifecta,” Greater Pensacola SHRM Legal Conference (Pensacola, FL May 2022) (panelist)
• “EmployABILITY:  Diversity in the Workplace,” UWF Office of Career Development and Community Engagement (Pensacola FL March 2022) (panelist)
• “Supervisor Training: Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation,” Client (Pensacola FL November 2021) (presenter)
• “Minors in the Workplace”, Compliance Training for Client, (Pensacola and Destin, FL August 2021) (presenter)
• “The New Normal – Adapting to a Virtual Workplace,” SHRM Jacksonville People Manager Training (Jacksonville, FL March 2021) (presenter)
• “Political Expression in the Workplace,” Florida Chapter of National Diversity Council (Jacksonville, FL October 2020) (presenter)
• “Conducting an Internal Investigation,” Client HR Department Training (Nashville, TN March 2020) (presenter)
• “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Pay Equity,” Jacksonville Office Breakfast Briefing (Jacksonville, FL November 2019) (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 (St. Augustine, FL April 2019) (presenter)
• “Reasonable Accommodation & Leave Management Under the ADA,” Client HR Training (Nashville, TN April 2019) (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 (Neptune Beach, FL October 2018) (presenter and moderator) 
• “Diversity and Inclusion in the Courtroom and Beyond,” CLE, Florida Defense Lawyers Association Annual Meeting (Boca Raton, FL, September 2018) (panelist) 
• “The #MeToo Movement and Lessons Learned,” (Jacksonville, FL September 2018) (presenter)
• “Women in Leadership,” AIA Jacksonville’s Women in Architecture (Jacksonville, FL August 2018) (panelist)
• “Your Company has Been Hacked: An Interactive Data Breach Simulation,” ACC Orlando Symposium (Orlando, FL August 2018) (presenter)
• “Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession,” Jacksonville Association for Legal Administrators (Jacksonville, FL August 2018) (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 (Jacksonville, FL May 2018) (moderator) 
• “Why GOOD Guys are Important: Getting Men Engaged in Gender Equality,” CLE Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association (Jacksonville, FL April 2018) (moderator) 
• “Unity Day: Stronger Together,” CLE, D.W. Perkins Bar Association and The Florida Bar Diversity and Inclusion Committee (Jacksonville, FL January 2018)
• “FMLA and ADA 101,” Basic Labor and Employment Law CLE, produced by The Florida Bar (Tampa, FL, April 2017) (presenter)
• “After the Briefs: The Life of an Appeal,” Appellate Advocacy Clinic Florida Coastal School of Law (Jacksonville, FL, October 2015) (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 (Tallahassee, FL, April 2015, March 2012) (moderator)
• “Young Lawyers and Professionalism,” Practicing with Professionalism CLE produced by Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar (Jacksonville, FL, November 2014) (panelist)
• “First District Court of Appeal,” Voluntary Bar Leaders Conference (Bonita Springs, FL, July 2014) (panelist)