Jennifer handles white collar and complex criminal matters with a holistic and team approach – surrounding herself with a team of experts prepared to achieve each client’s objective, whether through litigation or behind-the scenes negotiations with government agencies. She practices at the national level, focusing on federal and state bribery and kickback matters, fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, cryptocurrency regulatory issues, international extradition and other white collar and complex criminal matters.
Jennifer’s ability to articulate complex legal principles and successfully argue on behalf of her clients has garnered her national attention. After a fellow U.S. District Court judge ruled against dismissal of property fraud counts in the infamous college admissions case, Jennifer managed to achieve a different result on behalf of her client in front of another District Court judge, who, after three hours of oral argument and extensive briefing, granted the defense’s motion to dismiss those counts and significantly curtailed the government’s ability to proceed on others. Through careful and clever research and application to the facts, Jennifer and her partner were also recently able to achieve the complete dismissal of both a federal customs fraud matter and a state worker’s compensation fraud matter.
Prior to joining Kaplan Marino, Jennifer was with the Orange County Public Defenders where she first fell in love with the courtroom. Before attending law school, Jennifer worked in corporate public relations for one of the top private public relations firms in the world, and as marketing and public relations director for a medium-sized company. Jennifer’s public relations and marketing background has been an asset to her legal career. Her ability to successfully promote large companies and diverse products has given her a unique edge on crafting clever legal arguments and confidently representing her clients both in and out of the courtroom.
Representative Matters
Federal Criminal Case Dismissed
Case involving the illegal importation of 100s of luxury bags worth more than half a million dollars as part of an international scheme in which false customs declarations were submitted in the importation of hundreds of Hermes bags, cheating the government out of significant duties. After litigating a highly technical issue, a U.S. District Court judge approved the government’s request to fully dismiss its criminal charges, bringing an end to nearly six years of litigation and negotiation.
State Criminal Case Dismissed
Achieved complete dismissal of a workers compensation fraud matter in excess of half a million dollars for failure to pay workers compensation premiums for his employees.
Client sentenced to Probation
After exposing the weaknesses in the prosecution of our client charged with conspiracy and money laundering, the case was resolved for a $5,000 restitution payment and two years’ probation.
Plea deal to one count, sentencing pending
Our client is the highest-ranking administrator indicted in the Varsity Blues college admission scandal. 10 days before trial was scheduled to begin in November 2021, a plea deal was reached wherein Dr. Heinel pled guilty to a single count of wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for November 2022.
Third Party witness Subpoena Quashed
Successfully moved to quash subpoena for documents and testimony of a forensic expert in the second Avenatti criminal trial in New York.
Recent Awards and Recognitions
Speaking Engagements
- Regular guest appearances as attorney expert on CBS’s The Doctor’sTV Show, NewsNation and others
- Speaker/Presenter, “The Dark Net, Cryptocurrency and Money Laundering,” NACDL Defending Against the Modern Drug Case Conference – 2022
- Introductory Remarks, “Breaking Out and Rising Up: Stories from Female Trailblazers in their Pursuit of Justice,” Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, 2022
- Speaker/Presenter, “The Dark Net, Cryptocurrency and Money Laundering,” NACDL Defending Against the Modern Drug Case Conference – 2020
- Speaker, “Cryptocurrency and the Dark Net,” Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles – 2019
- Moderator, Judges’ Brown Bag, Federal Bar Association – 2019
- Moderator, Pathways to Government Service, Federal Bar Association – 2018
Publications
- Defending Against International Extradition from the United States, NACDL, The Champion
- The Dark Side of Bitcoin, Los Angeles Lawyer
- Federal Government’s Annual Health Care Fraud Takedown, Daily Journal
- FBA-LA Holds United States Supreme Court Review with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and 35th Annual Judge Barry Russell Federal Practice Award Presentation, FBA-LA Newsletter
- The Trump Administration’s Shifting Priorities, NACDL
- Purging Racial Prejudice from the Administration of Justice, WLALA