Leading Class Action Litigator Jeffrey Jacobson Joins Drinker Biddle in New York

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP today announced that Jeffrey S. Jacobson has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner on the Class Actions Team. Jacobson comes to the firm from Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, where he was co-chair of the firm’s Class Actions and Securities Litigation & Enforcement practice groups. While primarily working from the firm’s New York City office, Jacobson will also spend time in Drinker Biddle’s Florham Park, New Jersey, location.

With two decades of experience in private practice and several years in leadership positions in the public sector, Jacobson focuses his practice on defense of consumer, privacy and securities class actions, and representation of media, technology and other companies in general commercial litigation. He successfully resolves and minimizes the reputational damage and business interruptions for clients that can arise from litigation, particularly costly class actions. Additionally, Jacobson has considerable skill managing electronic discovery challenges presented by complex litigation and investigative matters.

“Jeff is an exceptional litigator,” said Drinker Biddle Chairman and CEO Andrew Kassner. “Because he has chaired both the prosecution and defense of major litigation, he is able to provide clients with the benefit of a truly multifaceted and strategic perspective regarding even the highest-stakes claims. Jeff is an outstanding addition to our strong national litigation group.”

Jacobson began his career in private practice, advancing to partner at law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, before joining the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, first as director of the New Jersey Division of Law and ultimately serving as chief counsel to the New Jersey Attorney General. In those roles, he oversaw law enforcement investigations involving consumer protection and data privacy, chaired the Attorney General’s Cyber Working Group, and oversaw more than 500 lawyers who represented all agencies of state government in defensive and affirmative litigation. He personally handled some of the state’s highest-profile cases in state and federal courts. Jacobson returned to private practice in 2016.

Class Actions Team Chair E. Paul Cauley Jr. said, “We are delighted to welcome Jeff to the Drinker Biddle Class Actions Team. His high-level experience and ability to successfully handle the most complex class action matters make him an invaluable resource to clients. Jeff, along with the other notable class action lawyers we added in 2019, further enhances our national capabilities and brings our firm-wide practice to 95-lawyers strong.”

Jacobson is featured as a “Litigation Star” in “Benchmark Litigation 2019,” a state-by-state list recognizing lawyers who are recommended consistently as reputable and effective litigators by clients and peers. He has also been named a Securities Litigation “Star” in the “Benchmark Litigation Guide.” And he was selected for excellence in the Data Protection, Privacy and Securities Litigation, and Cyber Law lists by US Legal 500.

Jacobson earned his J.D. degree at Columbia University Law School. He earned his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MGA degree from the university’s Fels Institute of Government.

The 24th partner to join Drinker Biddle in 2019, Jacobson builds on the addition of a high-profile 15-partner class action litigation team in March. Based in Washington, D.C., and the firm’s new Hartford, Connecticut, office, the group defends financial institutions, life insurers, mutual funds, investment firms and banks in high-stakes matters, including securities, ERISA, RICO and pension cases.