Jessica Brown

Jessica Brown is a partner in the Denver office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  A member of the firm's Class Action, Labor and Employment, and Privacy and Data Security Practice Groups, she has been ranked by Chambers USA for several years consecutively as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Labor & Employment."  In addition, she was named one of Denver's "Forty Under 40" by the Denver Business Journal.

Ms. Brown has substantial experience defending nation-wide and state-wide class action lawsuits alleging, for example, gender discrimination under Title VII, failure to permit facility access under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and failure to pay overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  She also has represented companies charged with fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and violations of securities and consumer protection laws on a class-wide basis.

In addition, Ms. Brown has tried and mediated non-class claims before federal judges and arbitrators across the country involving allegations of sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, violations of noncompete agreements, discrimination and retaliation.

Ms. Brown also advises corporate clients regarding employment and privacy law matters, including matters that intersect with intellectual property law, such as noncompete agreements and trade secrecy programs.  She has successfully represented clients in connection with claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, trademark and trade dress infringement, breach of restrictive covenants, and unfair competition as well.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in January 1995, Ms. Brown clerked for the Honorable Jim R. Carrigan, United States District Court for the District of Colorado.  Since joining the firm, Ms. Brown has been a frequent author and lecturer on employment and intellectual property issues.  She is also a member of the firm's Diversity, Mentoring, and Professional Development Committees.

In addition, Ms. Brown serves on the Executive Committee of the Legal Aid Foundation and is a member of its Board of Trustees.  She is on the Board of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association as well.  Ms. Brown has co-chaired the Barrister’s Benefit Ball twice previously, helping to raise funds for Metro Volunteer Lawyers.  She also has given time to Denver’s Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives program, and she is very active with the Mile High United Way, as a member of the Tocqueville Society and a founding member of the Pinstripe PJ Club, helping to raise money for the Mayor’s homelessness initiative, Denver’s Road Home.

Ms. Brown received her law degree in 1993 from the University of Texas School of Law, where she served as Executive Editor for the Texas Law Review, was a member of the Order of the Coif, and graduated with High Honors.  Ms. Brown received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she graduated with honors as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Recent Representative Matters

Recent Representative Presentations and Publications

• “Social Media Marketing Worth The Risk?”  Co-authored with Scott Campbell, Law Partnership & Benefits Report, November 2010.
  “Social Media Policies in the Workplace.”  Co-presented with Chris Leh of Littler Mendelson at the Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property Institute, June 2010.
• “Top Ten Mistakes in Conducting Workplace Investigations.”  Co-presented with Todd McNamara at the 2010 Colorado Employment Law Conference, May 2010.
• “Protecting Your Intellectual Property in a Networked and Wireless Workplace.”  Co-presented with Danielle Kitson at the Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property Institute, June 2008.
• “Noncompete Agreements Under Fire.”  Panelist, Stafford Publications Teleconference, November 2008, April 2008, August 2007, and April 2006.
• “Intellectual Property Issues Raised by Departing Employees.”  Co-presented with Peter Weinberg at the Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property Institute, June 2006.
• “Employee Blogging: What Employers Don't Know Could Hurt Them.”  Law Firm Partnership & Benefits Report, December 2005.
• “Sex in the Workplace: Avoiding Liability for a Hostile Work Environment.”  Panelist, Stafford Publications Teleconference, November 2005.
• “Employment Law: Developments in Preventing and Investigating Harassment.”  Co-presented with Dianna Johnston of the EEOC in Washington, D.C., WebCredenza Webcast, October 2005.
• “Technology and Human Resources: The Intersection Between Intellectual Property and Employment Law.”  Gibson Dunn Breakfast Briefing, October 2005.
• “The Inevitable Disclosure Doctrine: Safeguarding the Privacy of Trade Secrets.”  The Colorado Lawyer, October 2004.
• “Avoiding Liability: Post-Employment References and Other Hiring-Related Dilemmas.”  Gibson Dunn Breakfast Briefing, September 2004.
• “Over- and Inevitable-Disclosure of Trade Secrets.”  Co-presented with Greg Whitehair at the Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property & Technology Forum, June 2004.
• “The Fair Labor Standards Act: Suggestions for Compliance and Reform.”  Co-authored with Paul DeCamp, The American Employment Law Council, Volume III, October 2002.