Kate T.Spelman

Chambers USA 2026 guide once again recognized Jenner & Block as a leader in the California legal market, highlighting the firm’s excellence across its general commercial, white collar, media and entertainment, and intellectual property practices, with 13 lawyers earning individual recognition.

The Daily Journal has honored a Jenner & Block team with a 2026 California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award for their work in Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria v. California Department of Social Services —a pro bono matter that secured both individual justice and statewide policy change for Native American foster youth.

Jenner & Block successfully represented a former foster youth and member of the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria, a federally recognized tribe in Humboldt County, California, who faced homelessness and the loss of critical services. The firm advocated for pro bono clients Madison Fisher and her tribe in litigation against the State of California and Humboldt County, securing $45,000 in compensation and a statewide policy change that will protect Native foster youth throughout California.

Partner Kate Spelman was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal's 2025 “Leaders of Influence: Thriving in Their 40s” list, which recognizes leading professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement and impact on their profession and the Los Angeles community.

Before the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA), many corporate defendants were forced to litigate class actions in state court because the claims of putative class members could not be aggregated to meet the threshold requirement for federal diversity jurisdiction. However, CAFA removed that obstacle by establishing federal jurisdiction for class actions with at least 100 class members, more than $5 million in controversy considering all class members’ combined claims, and minimal diversity

Partner Joanna Wright will moderate a panel featuring Partner Kate Spelman at the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)’s General Counsel Institute on October 16.

Los Angeles Partners Kate Spelman and Alex Smith and Associate Madeline Skitzki were highlighted in the Daily Journal as a Top Verdict of the Week for their work in securing a summary judgment in favor of client Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

Twenty-nine Jenner & Block partners have been named to Lawdragon’s 2026 “500 Leading Litigators in America” list. The award honors lawyers who have excelled in commercial litigation, product liability, mass torts, securities and other fiduciary litigation, white collar and investigations, administrative proceedings, class actions, antitrust, energy and technology disputes, intellectual property, trademark and patent wars.

The Chambers USA 2025 guide has recognized Jenner & Block’s excellence in its California practice rankings. Chambers now has repeatedly ranked Jenner for its general commercial, white collar, media and entertainment, and intellectual property practices. Chambers also recognized seven California partners in its band of rankings and four California partners as “up and coming” in its rankings.

In honor of American Bar Association's US Pro Bono Week, Jenner & Block is celebrating and shining a spotlight on the impactful work our lawyers do to help preserve and strengthen the communities we serve. Earlier this year, the firm, an international leader in pro bono service, surpassed its five-year commitment of providing $250 million in free legal services to those in need of access to justice—a year and a half ahead of schedule.

15 Jenner & Block partners have been named to Lawdragon’s 2025 “500 Leading Litigators in America” list. The accolade honors the country’s top litigators and trial attorneys.  Jenner & Block’s honorees include: Jessica Ring Amunson Michael A. Doornweerd Ian Heath Gershengorn Lindsay Harrison Matthew S. Hellman Annie Kastanek Terri Mascherin Dean N. Panos Reid Schar Kate T. Spelman Howard S. Suskin Adam Unikowsky Lee Wolosky Anton R. Valukas Joanna Wright 

In their article for the Transatlantic Law Journal, Partners Debbie Berman and Kate Spelman, Associate Julia Hirata, and Benedikt Burger, counsel at the German law firm of Gleiss Lutz, compare US and German litigation of similar food products to illustrate different outcomes on strikingly similar issues. The authors delve into questions about how much protection consumers need when it comes to advertising food products and how much common sense should weigh in when consumers bring claims to cour

In a recent decision, Briskin v. Shopify, Inc., 2023 WL 8225346 (9th Cir. Nov. 28, 2023), the Ninth Circuit held that a Canadian-based company, Shopify, which provides a web-based payment processing platform to merchants nationwide, could not be subjected to personal jurisdiction in California because it did not expressly direct its actions to the state.

Our collaboration between the Alliance for Children’s Rights and Jenner & Block resulted in many successful adoption hearings throughout 2023. The Alliance strives to protect the rights of children in poverty and those overcoming abuse and neglect by delivering free legal services, supportive programs, and systemic solutions, and Jenner provided impactful representation that upheld that mission. 

There has been an uptick in the number of cases (particularly, class actions and Attorney General actions) asserting claims related to the presence of microcontaminants in food and other consumer products.

With pro bono support from Jenner & Block, the California Tribal Families Coalition (CTFC) and Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria filed a lawsuit against Humboldt County and the State of California for discriminatory treatment of tribal foster youth.

Jenner & Block Partners Gabriel K. Gillett, Kate T. Spelman, and Allison A. Torrence will lead a conversation about how restaurant companies and law firms can partner on pro bono legal matters that serve those in need while providing meaningful experiences for in-house and outside counsel. They will share stories of their own pro bono work and offer a roadmap for how teams can get involved on projects that align with their mission.

A Jenner & Block team recently won a grant of asylum for pro bono client, Amasias Paau Choc, and his son, Pablo. Mr. Choc faced death threats in Guatemala because of his role in his village’s autonomous governing body.

Jenner & Block Partner Kate T. Spelman shared her insights about developments in food law class actions during a panel at the 6th Annual Food Law Conference. Ms. Spelman is a co-chair of the firm’s Consumer Law Practice and an integral member of the food and beverage industry group, which defends major companies against labeling and advertising claims.