Why Hire Us?
You need a law firm who knows how to win.
You deserve lawyers who are respected by the courts and the legal community for representing people whose injuries occurred because of negligence, defective products, or unsafe environments. The Jenner Law team is led by respected, experienced attorneys who have an outstanding history of success.
We have represented clients in all types of cases involving personal injury or wrongful death. Dangerous drugs and medical devices are a major part of our practices areas, but we also handle complex personal injury cases with the same detailed investigation skills.
Robert K. Jenner
Managing Partner
Rob Jenner has repeatedly been selected by federal and state courts to lead teams of attorneys against some of the nation’s most powerful drug and device companies.
Among the many accolades Rob Jenner has received over his three decades experience, he has been consistently recognized by
Robert K. Jenner brings more than three decades experience representing injured consumers nationwide against the manufacturers of dangerous prescription drugs, defective medical devices and tainted blood products. Rob has assembled a team of attorneys, paralegals and health care professionals dedicated to prosecuting claims on behalf of injured consumers.
In Rob’s legal practice, he began representing people who acquired HIV from blood and blood products. He authored the country’s first legal treatise on the subject, Transfusion–Associated AIDS (Lawyers & Judges Publishing Co., 1995). Rob continues his work on behalf of people living with HIV as he investigates claims against the manufacturer of tenofovir disoproxil fumerate (TDF), a drug that caused unnecessary kidney disease and bone loss in tens of thousands of people world-wide. The Superior Court for the County of San Francisco has appointed Rob to be Co-Lead Counsel in the California consolidation of Gilead Tenofovir Cases (JCCP No. 5043).
The Superior Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts appointed Rob to serve on the Executive Committee of the consolidated claims of plaintiffs who were victims of the September 13, 2018, Merrimack Valley fire and gas explosions. The aggregate proceedings, known as In Re Columbia Gas Cases, are coordinated before Judge James Lang in the Salem Superior Court. Rob served on the settlement team that garnered a $147,000,000 settlement on behalf of the victims of these communities.
Rob is also Liaison Counsel for the Zofran litigation (MDL) in Boston; Liaison Counsel for the Smith & Nephew BHR hip implant litigation (MDL) in Baltimore; and serves on the Essure Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee of the California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP) in Oakland, California. He is formerly court-appointed Co-Lead Counsel of the Massachusetts consolidation of 7,000+ GranuFlo state cases; and co-lead counsel of the Skechers Toning Shoes litigation (MDL).
Rob is a Past President of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association (currently the Maryland Association for Justice, MAJ). In May 2009, MAJ Awarded he and his co-counsel its Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for their efforts in challenging the illegal subrogation practices of Maryland’s HMOs.
A significant portion of his commitment to the civil justice system is evidenced by Rob’s participation in the American Association for Justice (AAJ). For 21 years, Rob served as Chair of AAJ’s Publications Committee, which oversees the publication of TRIAL magazine, the nation’s largest and most reputable magazine for trial lawyers. He is also a past Chair of AAJ’s Section on Toxic, Environmental and Pharmaceutical Torts. Rob currently serves as Co-Chair of AAJ’s Zofran Litigation Group and Tenofovir Litigation Group. In addition, he has formerly served as Chair of the Pain Pump–Chondrolysis Litigation Group; Vice-Chair of the Hormone Therapy Litigation Group; Rezulin Litigation Group; Baycol Litigation Group; AIDS Litigation Group; Latex Toxicity Litigation Group; and HMO Litigation Group. In July 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008, AAJ awarded him its Wiedemann-Wysocki Medal for his commitment to AAJ and the civil justice system.
He has written more than 25 articles published in nationally recognized legal and health care journals. Rob is also a frequent lecturer, having been invited to speak on medical/legal issues both nationally and internationally. He has organized and moderated dozens of acclaimed seminars in conjunction with AAJ’s National College of Advocacy on the issues of Zofran, Pradaxa, Vioxx, Hormone Therapy, Baycol, Rezulin, and general pharmaceutical and mass tort litigation.
Rob is a member of the bars of Maryland, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia. He was honored by his peers by being inducted into the International Society of Barristers, one of the country’s most selective attorney honorary societies. He has obtained the highest rating (AV) by his peers as reflected in Martindale-Hubbell.
Rob is a volunteer for Lab Rescue of the LRCP. He is also an avid scuba diver and novice underwater photographer who is always willing to take suggestions for great dive destinations.
We take pride in the relationships we develop with each of our clients. Through the power of our collective voices, we can make a difference.
Kathleen R. Kerner
Associate
Kathleen (Katie) Kerner is the firm’s senior associate, concentrating her practice on complex pharmaceutical and medical device cases. Katie actively works on the firm’s metal-on-metal hip, Essure, Zofran, and testosterone litigation, among others. Katie also litigates the firm’s personal injury cases in state and federal court.
The United States District Court for the District of Maryland recently appointed Katie to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee of the Smith & Nephew Orthopedic Hip Implant MultiDistrict Litigation (MDL). Katie also chairs the MDL’s Initial Trial Committee that is responsible for the identification and selection of the first cases to proceed to trial. Katie’s responsibilities extend to assisting in the litigation of the initial trial cases and negotiating discovery issues for the initial trial cases.
READ ALLKatie received recognition from additional sources for her contribution in her field. SuperLawyers® named Katie to their 2020 Maryland Rising Stars list, a prestigious distinction awarded to the top 5% of Maryland’s young attorneys. In addition, The National Trial Lawyers selected Katie as one of Maryland Top 40 Under 40 trial lawyers in both 2018 and 2019.
Katie is an active member of the Federal Bar Association, American Association for Justice and the Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ). She currently serves as the co-chair of the MAJ’s New Lawyers Section.
Katie graduated in 2013 from the University of Baltimore School of Law (Magna Cum Laude) where she was Managing Editor of the school’s Journal of Land and Development. During law school, she also worked as a student attorney for the Civil Advocacy Clinic where she advocated on behalf of disadvantaged clients in a variety of civil matters before courts and administrative agencies. These experiences helped foster Katie’s passion for representing plaintiffs in a variety of civil cases.
Katie takes great pride in being a native of Maryland. She grew up in Rockville, lived on the eastern shore for a time, lived in Baltimore for a time, and now calls Olney, Maryland her hometown. Katie’s hobbies include traveling, sports (especially college basketball), dogs, and family. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Billy, and their Labrador Retriever, Emma.
When I got involved in the Essure litigation, I could not believe the number of women who were seriously injured by a medical product that was approved by the FDA. Even worse, that the manufacturer kept denying—and hiding—the problems.
Jake Polivka
Associate
Jake Polivka was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Baltimore. A former law clerk with Janet, Jenner & Suggs, he has been with Jenner Law since its inception.
Jake brings health care experience to his work at Jenner Law. Specifically, Jake has experience working with and representing people living with HIV. He worked with medical professionals performing data analysis work for an HIV outreach center, where he learned about the day-to-day hardships that accompany an HIV diagnosis. In his clinical studies during law school, Jake provided various legal services for people living with HIV.
READ ALLAt Jenner Law, Jake is handling claims in the Essure litigation and works with our individual personal injury clients. In addition, he is working hard on behalf of people living with HIV who have been tragically harmed by tenofovir, an anti-viral medication that was defectively designed when a safer design was available.
Jake enjoys forming connections with Jenner Law’s clients on a personal level, so that they know someone they can trust is working on their case.
Jake attended high school at McDonogh School in Owings Mills, earned his undergraduate degree in Economics with a minor in French at the University of Maryland, College Park, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in the state of Maryland
Jake’s a music lover, former ski instructor, and Orioles baseball watcher. He’s also a young attorney who is excited by the opportunity to be part of the Jenner Law team.
Working with Jenner Law is inspiring to me as a young lawyer. The firm’s commitment to its clients and employees and the ethical approach to the practice of law motivates me to give it my all every day.
Heather Butterfield
Director of Operations
Heather is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A few years after graduating, she began her career as a paralegal. After working on medical malpractice lawsuits for several years, she joined Rob Jenner in 2001 to open the Mass Torts Division at Janet, Jenner & Suggs.
Now at Jenner Law, as Director of Operations, Heather is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the firm’s management, but particularly its communications with referral attorneys to ensure timely and consistent coordination of client information.
READ ALLHeather served as the trial paralegal on several cases in the national spotlight where she gained a reputation within the mass tort community for her organizational skills and capacity to keep massive amounts of data and documents easily accessible to the trial team. Particularly rewarding for Heather was her work on the Prempro hormone therapy litigation, where our firm represented hundreds of women who were impacted by breast cancer.
Not surprisingly, after a few years at JJ&S, Heather was elevated to Manager of the firm’s Mass Torts Department.
When Jenner Law opened, Rob asked Heather to be the Director of Operations. In that role, Heather works to make sure our cases are being managed properly, deadlines are being met, and our team functions at full capacity. She also manages the settlements of our cases, working seamlessly with referring counsel, co-counsel, and lien administrators to bring to our clients a clear understanding of the settlement process. Heather is motivated by knowing that our team is helping truly needy clients who have been harmed through no fault of their own.
Heather is a mom to 5-year-old Fiona. She is room parent to her daughter’s Kindergarten class and volunteers at the school library. Heather and Fiona spend their weekends exploring Baltimore together and having fun. If she has any spare time, you can usually find her reading a book. While she has two cats, she considers herself a dog person, as well. (That’s important, at Jenner Law).
Complex litigation brings all sorts of challenges to a law office. I enjoy managing the whole process, so that all of our team members can work efficiently and effectively on behalf of our clients.
Marcie Anthony
Client Relations Manager
It is not surprising that Marcie Anthony is the Client Relations Manager for Jenner Law. Marcie and Rob Jenner have worked together for the past decade. She has always enjoyed interacting with people and particularly enjoys interacting with the firm’s many clients. Marcie is the first person our clients speak to when calling the firm. She enjoys greeting and assisting them to help with any questions or concerns they may have. She has a unique ability to empathize with our clients and make sure their concerns are heard and validated.
READ ALLMarcie graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family and Community Studies.
Marcie was born and raised in the Baltimore suburbs and grew up as one of four girls. She enjoys spending time with her partner, Will Scott; her two college-age daughters, Amber and Morgan; and elderly mother, Zelda. In her free time you might find Marcie, cooking, exercising, crafting, or attending sporting events. She enjoys traveling to the Islands and sunny beaches and is hoping to travel the world someday.
I enjoy working for Rob and being part of a terrific Jenner Law team. It is very rewarding knowing that what we do can make the world a safer place, and drastically improve the lives of our clients.
Taylor Wiedermann
Paralegal
Taylor Wiedermann is the firm’s Senior Paralegal responsible for oversight and management of multiple litigations, including the Essure medical device, metal-on-metal hips, and others. She has earned a reputation for her attention to detail and outstanding customer support to both our clients and referring counsel.
Taylor is a Harford County, Maryland native. As a graduate of The John Carroll School, Taylor learned that hard work and dedication bring success.
READ ALLTaylor is a graduate of Towson University with a degree in Law/American Civilization. She became interested in law and began working as a file clerk for Janet, Jenner & Suggs, during high school. She returned to JJ&S during college and began working with clients and case litigation as a Legal Assistant. Taylor is thrilled to be a part of the Jenner Law team.
Taylor was thrilled to marry the love of her love this past October 2019. In her free time, Taylor is a dog mom to two awesome pups, Tito and Twister. She loves to cook and her favorite place to be is on the beach with her feet in the sand.
I’m thrilled to be a part of the Jenner Law team. Our clients can rest assured that they are in good hands with us and, as their paralegal, I will work every day to achieve the best possible case results for them.
Chelsea Nunnally
Paralegal
Chelsea Nunnally grew up in Harford County, Maryland. Chelsea is a recent graduate of Towson University with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Legal Studies. During college, Chelsea interned as a Paralegal at Bodie Law and decided to continue her career with Jenner Law post-graduation.
She is excited to use her knowledge in Legal Studies to work with our clients.
READ ALLChelsea is a professional cheerleader for the Chesapeake Bayhawks Major League Lacrosse Team based in Annapolis. As an athlete, she believes teamwork is the most effective way to get a job done. Chelsea is also an animal lover, fitness fanatic, and sports fan.
It is very rewarding working with such a dedicated team at Jenner Law. I work hard to let our clients know they that are with a firm they can trust.