Jennifer Segal Coatsworth

Jennifer Segal Coatsworth

Partner
Office:Philadelphia, PA
Phone:(215) 931-5836
Cell:(215) 771-4498
Email:jcoatsworth@margolisedelstein.com
vCard:Download

Jennifer Coatsworth has litigated hundreds of motor vehicle, dealer fraud and lemon law cases from both the plaintiff and defense perspectives, including claims for breach of contract, fraud, violations of the Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Magnuson Moss Warranty Improvement Act, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Lemon Laws, the New Vehicle Damage Disclosure Act and the Automotive Industry Trade Practices Act, driver privacy protection issues, odometer alteration and Truth in Lending matters.

She also focuses her practice on the defense of professionals, including real estate agents, home inspectors, accountants and physicians. Most commonly, the types of claims she handles relate to allegations of breach of contract and fraud or nondisclosure under the Real Estate Sellers Disclosure Act, the Real Estate Licensing Act and the Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Additionally, Jen has handled a number of fraternity hazing and general liability cases, and she has extensive experience with premises liability, product liability, employment and construction matters. She has been called upon to conduct risk management seminars for her clients and to speak at various CLEs in her areas of expertise.

Jen’s professional activities extend beyond the court room. She has been actively involved in the legal community, holding various leadership positions for more than a decade. In 2024, Jen will serve the community as Chancellor for the Philadelphia Bar Association. Prior to this, she held the position of Chancellor-Elect in 2023 and Vice Chancellor in 2022, having prevailed in her election to that position in 2021. In 2019 and 2020, she served two terms as the Secretary for the Philadelphia Bar Association, following a three-year term as Assistant Secretary. Additionally, she served as the Parliamentarian of the Board of Governors for one year, following a three-year elected term.

Jen is also very active with the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She previously served as Zone One Governor, Chair of the Civil Litigation Section and the Commission on Women in the Profession and as a member of the Judicial Evaluation Commission of the State Bar. In other areas of the Philadelphia legal community, Jen served as Chancellor of the Louis D. Brandeis Law Society, and she was a member of the Executive Council of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel for more than a decade and chaired the Events, Diversity and Judicial Relations subcommittees.

Education:

  • Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law (J.D.)
  • University of Maryland Honors Program (B.A., cum laude)

Honors:

  • Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel’s Inaugural Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement Award
  • Temple Law Alumni Association Women's Champion Award
  • Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, Distinguished Young Lawyer
  • Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, Presidential Acknowledgement
  • Who's Next in the Legal Industry by BillyPenn.com, 2015
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association President’s Award of Achievement, 2017
  • C. Dale McClain Quality of Life/Balance Award, 2021
  • Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association Ally of the Year Award, 2021
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2022-2024; Rising Star, 2011-2018
  • AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated

Civic & Community Activities:

  • Community Legal Services – Leadership Council (2019-present)
  • University of Maryland Alumni Association and Athletic Scholarship Fund, local co-president
  • Storybook Musical Theatre, board counsel

Bar Admissions:

  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey

Court Admissions:

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey

Professional Affiliations:

  • Philadelphia Bar Association – Chancellor (2024), Chancellor-Elect (2023), Vice-Chancellor (2022), Assistant Treasurer (2021), Secretary (2019-2020), Assistant Secretary (2016-2018), Parliamentarian (2015), Board of Governors (2012-2014), YLD Executive Committee (2007-2011), Secretary (2008), Vice Chair(2009), Committee on Insurance Practice Leadership Committee (2013-2014), State Civil Litigation Section, Women in the Profession Committee Co-Chair (2016-2017)
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association – Board of Governors (2020-present), House of Delegates (2013-present), Civil Litigation Section Executive Council (2011-present), Chair (2019-2020), Nominating Committee (2014), Retreat Sub-committee (2012-present), Regional Dinner Sub-committee (2012 - present), Women in the Profession Commission Executive Committee (2013-present), Co-Vice Chair (2019-2021), Annual Conference Co-chair (2013-2014), Awards Committee Co-chair (2014-2017), Retreat Co-chair (2017-2018)
  • Brandeis Law Society - Executive Committee (2011-present), Chancellor (2018-2019), Special Events Committee Co-chair (2013-2017), Fellowship Committee (2012-2014), Long Range Planning Committee (2012-2013), Leadership Committee Co-chair (2016-present)
  • Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel - Executive Committee (2011-present), Judicial Relations Co-chair (2018-present), CLE sub-committee (2013-2018)

Speaking Engagements and Presentations:

  • “Procedures for Motion Practice in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Atlantic City, NJ, 2007)
  • “Risk Management for Real Estate Professionals” (various locations, 2008)
  • “Low Impact Soft Tissue Injuries” (Reading, PA, 2009)
  • “Update on Venue and Forum Non Conveniens,” Defense Research Institute, Personal Injury Potpourri
  • “Insights into Philadelphia Motion Practice,” Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel Young Lawyers Trial Seminar, moderator
  • “High Profile Cases in the Media,” Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Retreat, moderator
  • “Supreme Court Makes it Easier to Obtain Treble Damages Under UTPCPL”
  • “Expert Report Late, What to Do?”
  • Construction Defect Litigation: Claims and Coverage, August 2012
  • Personal Injury Litigation Basics – Discovery, January 2016
  • “Judicial Roundtable, a View from the Bench,” moderator, Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Retreat, April 2016
  • “Can We Rule Out Harassment and Discrimination in the Practice of Law? Assessing the Scope and Application of the New Model Rule,” Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Retreat, March 2017
  • “Harassment and Discrimination in Practice of Law: Assessing the Scope and Application of the New Model Rule, Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil and Equal Rights Committee Symposium, July 2017
  • “Legal Ethics, Harassment and Discrimination: The Role of the Rules,” Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, November 2017
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Trial Mini Camp, Beaver, PA (March 2017) and Bellefonte, PA (December 2017)
  • “Choosing Your Audience Wisely, Jury Selection in State and Federal Court,” moderator, Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Retreat, April 2018
  • “What Civil Litigators Can Learn from Recent High Profile Cases,” moderator, Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Retreat, May 2019
  • “Why do we need Diversity: The ethical case for diversity,” Pennsylvania Defense Institute Annual Meeting, July 2019
  • “The Ethical Case for Diversity: The Role of Model Rule 8.4g,” Pennsylvania Defense Institute Annual Meeting, July 12, 2019
  • “Modeling Inclusion: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and the Model Rules,” Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel and LGBTQ+ Lawyers of Philadelphia, November, 2019
  • “Civil Litigation Update: Auto Law and Other Hot Topics,” Pennsylvania Bar Association MidYear Meeting, January 2020
  • “Tips and Strategies for Virtual Mediations and Depositions,” Moderator, Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, April 24, 2020
  • “Investigations in the Age of GeoSocial Data,” Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, May 15, 2020
  • “Reaching Across the Bar: Litigation Opportunities in Times of Uncertainty,” Moderator, Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel and Philadelphia Association of Trial Lawyers, June 1, 2020
  • “Chancellor Forum: COVID-19’s Impact on the Legal Profession,” Moderator, Philadelphia Bar Association, June 14, 2020
  • “Trial Skills from Trailblazing Women Litigators,” Moderator, Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Section and Women in the Profession Commission, August 6, 2020
  • “The Tri-Partite Relationship Among the Insured, Insurer and Defense Attorney: What you Need to Know as a Plaintiff’s Attorney,” Moderator, Pennsylvania Bar Institute Personal Injury Law Conference, September 10, 2020
  • “Diversity in the Practice of Personal Injury Law,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute Personal Injury Law Conference, September 10, 2020
  • “Distance Litigation in the Era of COVID-19,” Pennsylvania Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Section and Civil Litigation Section, October 2, 2020
  • “8.4(g) and Free Speech,” Brandeis Law Society, October 28, 2020
  • “Persuasive Opening Statements,” Moderator, Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, November 17, 2020
  • “Rule 8.4(g): Past, Present, and the Business and Ethical Case for Non-Discrimination,” Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel and LGBTQ+ Lawyers of Philadelphia, December 18, 2020
  • “Inclusion in 2021: Overcoming Bias, Challenges and Obstacles,” Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, February 16, 2021
  • “Investigating Burn Injuries,” Moderator, Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, March 16, 2021
  • "Attorney Wellness and Wellbeing During Covid-19: How Has the Legal Profession Been Impacted?" Pennsylvania Bar Association Mid-Year Meeting, February 2, 2022
  • "Hot Topics: Consumer Fraud," Pennsylvania Bar Civil Litigation Section, April 21, 2023
  • "Preparing for Litigation and Litigation Best Practices," Risk Management Seminar, June 19, 2023
  • "Handling UTPCPL Claims," Pennsylvania Insurance Carrier Team Seminar, October 18, 2023
  • "Dealing with Clients Ethically," Personal Injury Institute, October 19, 2023
  • "Women in Leadership," Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel 6th Annual Women's Event, March 5, 2024

News and Verdicts:

Articles and Publications:

Representative Matters:

  • Represented defendant distributor in Sroka v. Leggett and Platt, et al., Superior Court, Law Division, Essex County, NJ, in a wrongful death case, and obtained summary judgment dismissal of all claims against client.
  • Represented manufacturer defendant in Estevez v. Leggett and Platt, Superior Court, Law Division, Middlesex County, NJ, against allegations of a failure to warn of inherently dangerous characteristics of load, by Plaintiff truck driver, who was badly injured when a bale fell on him, and obtained summary judgment dismissal of all claims against client.
  • Represented defendant real estate agent in Faulls/Mecca v. Coldwell Banker Preferred, et al., Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, against allegations of failure to disclose defects with the property, obtained summary judgment dismissal of all claims against client.
  • Represented defendant real estate agent in Coleman v. Duffy Real Estate et al., Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County, in failure to disclose construction defects case, successfully settled case with very minimal contribution by client.
  • Represented defendant car dealership in Reed v. Peruzzi, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, against allegations of failure to disclose defects with the subject vehicle, obtained dismissal of all claims against client.