Jenn French is a partner in Lynch Carpenter’s San Diego office. She is a Wisconsin native and studied vocal performance at Lawrence University before graduating with a degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Jenn earned her J.D. cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law. She began her legal career at the prestigious national law firm of Cooley LLP, where she second-chaired an eight-week federal criminal jury trial in her third year of practice. In 2019, Jenn became Of Counsel with Patterson Law Group and managed the firm’s class action practice from pre-trial through appeal, securing tens of millions of dollars for consumers and employees.

Jenn is passionate about increasing access to justice and giving back to her community. In December 2023, she became a panel attorney with Appellate Defenders, Inc., where she serves as court-appointed counsel in criminal appellate cases. Jenn also serves as pro bono counsel through Casa Cornelia Law Center, the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, and the Southern District of California’s Pro Bono Panel. She has donated hundreds of hours to serving San Diego’s most vulnerable populations, and in recognition of these efforts, California Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins recognized Jenn as one of the 2023 Women of the 39th District.

Jenn is serving her second term on the Federal Bar Association’s Civics, Service, and Outreach Committee and sits on the San Diego FBA Chapter’s Board of Directors, where she is the Vice President of Court Engagement. Jenn is the chair of the California Lawyers Association’s Federal Courts Committee, and she serves on CLA’s Litigation Section Executive Committee and Racial Justice Committee. Jenn is also an editor of CLA’s monthly Litigation Update and a member of the National Organization of Women Lawyer’s Women Lawyers Journal Editorial Board. She is a Master in the Louis M. Welsh Chapter of the American Inn of Court and an active member of Consumer Attorneys of San Diego and Consumer Attorneys of California. Jenn also volunteers in the San Diego County Bar Association as the Vice-Chair of the Leadership Speaker Series, the Programming Chair of the Appellate Practice Section, the Co-Chair of the DEI Division’s Dialogue on Diversity program, and a member of the 2024 San Diego Lawyer Editorial Committee. Finally, Jenn coaches a local high school in the San Diego County High School Mock Trial Tournament.

Jenn has been recognized by her peers as a Rising Star in 2014 and 2017-2019 and as a Super Lawyer since 2022. She is a multi-year recipient of the California State Bar/California Lawyers Association’s Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for Pro Bono Legal Services. Jenn also received San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program’s Distinguished Service Award in 2023 and Casa Cornelia’s Pro Publico Attorney award in 2020.

In addition to practicing law, Jenn is a freelance soprano soloist and a staff singer at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. She lives with her husband and two cats in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego.