Jenner & Block Team Named Litigators of the Week Runners-Up for Landmark Human Rights Victory
Recognition
September 19, 2025
Partner Jason Hipp and Associate Zoë Reinstein, in a team including Associates Christina Isnardi, Lawrence McMahon, and co-counsel Claret Vargas of the Center for Justice and Accountability, were named Runners-Up for Litigators of the Week by The American Lawyer for their exceptional advocacy defeating a motion to dismiss in a groundbreaking human rights case.
The recognition stems from a landmark victory in Kuiper v. Reyes Mena, where a federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sweeping September 10 ruling rejecting every attempt by a former Salvadoran military colonel living in the United States to escape accountability for atrocities committed during El Salvador’s civil war.
The court’s comprehensive decision struck down defenses ranging from sovereign immunity to the retroactive application of the 1991 Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). By denying all grounds for dismissal, the court delivered a decisive win on core issues in international human rights litigation — ending decades of impunity and affirming that Kuiper’s case will be heard on the merits.
Jason led the Jenner team, with support from Associates Christina Isnardi, Lawrence McMahon, and Zoë Reinstein, along with co-counsel from the Center for Justice and Accountability, Carmen Cheung Ka-Man, and Daniel McLaughlin.
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© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.
Recognition
September 19, 2025
Partner Jason Hipp and Associate Zoë Reinstein, in a team including Associates Christina Isnardi, Lawrence McMahon, and co-counsel Claret Vargas of the Center for Justice and Accountability, were named Runners-Up for Litigators of the Week by The American Lawyer for their exceptional advocacy defeating a motion to dismiss in a groundbreaking human rights case.
The recognition stems from a landmark victory in Kuiper v. Reyes Mena, where a federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sweeping September 10 ruling rejecting every attempt by a former Salvadoran military colonel living in the United States to escape accountability for atrocities committed during El Salvador’s civil war.
The court’s comprehensive decision struck down defenses ranging from sovereign immunity to the retroactive application of the 1991 Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). By denying all grounds for dismissal, the court delivered a decisive win on core issues in international human rights litigation — ending decades of impunity and affirming that Kuiper’s case will be heard on the merits.
Jason led the Jenner team, with support from Associates Christina Isnardi, Lawrence McMahon, and Zoë Reinstein, along with co-counsel from the Center for Justice and Accountability, Carmen Cheung Ka-Man, and Daniel McLaughlin.
Related Attorneys
Related Capabilities
Related Locations
© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.
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