profile

Jessica E. Schwie is a shareholder with Kennedy & Graven, Chartered. With more than fifteen years of civil litigation experience and success, Jessica has developed a solid reputation amongst her clients and in the community as a detailed, thorough and assertive trial lawyer, investigator, and pre-litigation advisor that is able to manage difficult situations, and, oftentimes, public matters. She has been named to the lists of Super Lawyer, Up & Coming Attorney, and Rising Star.

Prior to entering law school, Jessica studied and worked in the areas of sales, management, and economic/financial forecasting. While in law school, she gained valuable experience working for three years as a law clerk at the League of Minnesota Cities and as an extern for Hennepin County Judge Allen Oleisky. Thereafter, she clerked for Minnesota Court of Appeals Chief Judge Edward Toussaint, Jr. In 2001, she joined the firm of Jardine, Logan & O’Brien, P.L.L.P., rose to partner, and chaired the firm’s Appellate, Government, and Employment Law groups.

Jessica is married to a member of law enforcement, has two children, serves as a Picture Person with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and is active in autism and special needs advocacy. Together with her family, she is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys good food, drinks, and reading.

Jessica has this to say about Kennedy & Graven:
I endeavor to achieve excellence in civil litigation and am honored to be a part of Kennedy & Graven because of its tradition of working collaboratively to provide sound, effective and efficient representation to its clients.

Education
Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
J.D. – 1999
Honors: National Dean’s List, 1998-1999
Law Journal: Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, 1997 – 1999

Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
B.A. cum laude – 1994
Honors: Dean’s List
Honors: XI Gamma Mu International Science Honor Society
Honors: Certificates of Proficiency French and Spanish
Major: International Management and Economics

Bar Admissions
Minnesota, 1999
North Dakota, 2014
U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 2001
U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 2009
Lower Sioux Tribal Court, 2005

Professional Associations and Memberships
Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, President
Defense Research Institute, Member of SLDO Relationship Committee
Federal Bar Association, Member
Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
Minnesota Women Lawyers, Member
Pro Bono Activities
Haitian Asylum Project, Volunteer, Miami, FL, 1998 – Present
Fraternities/Sororities
Alpha Gamma Upsilon

Published Works
Contributing Author, Safety and Procedures for Ice Arenas, League of Minnesota Cities Loss Control Workshop, 2000
Contributing Author, Fluffy, Fido & Egor, Animal Control Ordinances, League of Minnesota Cities Loss Control Workshop, 1999
Author, Zoning and Manufactured Homes, League of Minnesota Cities Magazine, Vol. 82, Issue 12 p. 19, December 1997