In the multi-family area, Ms. Owen assists her clients in a broad range of residential landlord/tenant issues including drafting leases and determining applicable state laws on a nationwide basis, and assists her clients in code enforcement, premises liability issues, and vendor disputes, including mechanic’s lien issues and vendor lawsuits; as well as all types of commercial and residential landlord/tenant litigation, including disputes over security deposits, repair and remedy, breach of lease, collections, ADA and many others. Ms. Owen has extensive experience in the area of evictions, both at the Justice Court level and the County Court level for eviction appeals, and regularly appears before state courts on eviction appeals in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and surrounding counties. Well-versed in fair housing and anti-discrimination matters, Ms. Owen frequently defends clients in fair housing claims, and teaches seminars on how to conduct business in a manner that is consistent with fair housing law. She reviews and revises leases, rental criteria and company policies to assist clients in remaining compliant, and routinely handles fair housing investigations by HUD and by state and local agencies in Texas and throughout the country. Additionally, Ms. Owen regularly prepares press releases and news articles, teaches extensively in the areas of commercial and residential leasing, and works with and represents industry and trade group associations. She supports state and local associations’ legislative efforts through research, bill analysis and testimony at legislative hearings, and you will often see her in attendance at local associations events.

For her banking clients, Ms. Owen’s practice includes loan workouts and collection litigation, claims involving fraud (including internet fraud), counterfeit, altered and returned items, deposit operations and treasury management services.

Education

• J.D. degree from Washington University School of Law

Industries

• Multi-Family Residential Developers, Investors and Management Companies
• Banks and Financial Institutions

Publications, Articles & Presentations

• Regular Author of the “Briefcase” column for the AAGD magazine
• Frequent Instructor for TAA and AAGD multi-family industry seminars
• Numerous presentations to multi-family developers and management companies

Legal Associations, Professional Affiliations, and Community Leadership

• Founding member of the Legal Services Program of the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas (AAGD)
• Legal Counsel Advisory Council of the Texas Apartment Association (2007 – 2008)
• Social Venture Partners – Dallas
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

Representative Experience

• Over the course of her twenty-five year career, Jennifer has first chaired numerous jury and bench trials before state and federal courts.
• Successfully defended bank client in a case of first impression in Texas involving whether payee description on a check indicated payees were payable jointly or in the alternative. New Wave Technologies, Inc. v. Legacy Bank, 281 S.W.3d 99 (Tex. App. – El Paso 2008, review denied)
• Performs nation-wide reviews of all practices, fees and charges for compliance with state law for national multi-family property management clients.
• Draft form leases and addenda for numerous multi-family landlord clients.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of bank client on claims by contractor of tortious interference, breach of fiduciary duty and conspiracy.

Previous Professional Experience

• Judicial clerkship for the Missouri Court of Appeals

Bar Admissions

• Texas

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Phone (972) 716-1866
Fax (972) 770-7866

Address
2711 North Haskell Ave
Suite 2400
Dallas, Texas 75204

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