Jennifer Esq.

Jennifer Marie McHugh, Esq., 52 of Newtown Square, PA died peacefully on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 from metastatic breast cancer. She is survived by her son, Maximus Michael Allen Weinberg, the light of her life, her greatest joy and her Star Lord.



Jennifer was born on December 16, 1965 in Darby, PA, the eldest daughter of Julia M. McHugh (Inglesby) and Michael D. McHugh, Sr. formerly of Berwyn and Devon, PA.

Along with her loving parents, Jennifer is also survived by her siblings;

sister, Lisa M. Poduje (Joseph) and brother Michael D. McHugh, Jr (Rachel) and their families - nieces Riley, Devon, Tiegan (Poduje) and Casey and Maggie (McHugh).

Jennifer was a 1984 graduate of Villa Maria Academy in Malvern PA, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Duke University in 1988 and her Juris Doctor degree from The Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University in 1992. Jennifer was an avid reader and runner and was most passionate about swimming.

She spent many years vacationing at the NJ shore, swimming with the dolphins in the Bahamas, walking on the beach, and just being in and around water.

Jennifer had a distinguished law career that began in Harrisburg, PA as a law clerk to the Honorable John "Jack" Dowling in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas. In 1993, she joined the firm of Rhoades & Sinon LLP as an associate where she was an accomplished litigator. In 1999 Jennifer joined Cozen O'Connor as an associate in the Commercial Litigation Department in the Philadelphia office. She practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, professional liability, medical malpractice, insurance, real estate litigation, gaming, white collar defense, and other general civil litigation and administrative matters.

Jennifer's appointment as Deputy Insurance Commission by Pennsylvania's then Governor Rendell was perhaps the most public honor which memorializes Jennifer's expertise in the field of insurance litigation. Serving from March 2004 to 2005, she was responsible for fairly resolving some of the most significant malpractice claims in the Commonwealth, in an atmosphere in which the controversy over such claims was at fever pitch. She did so with grace and professionalism.

Jennifer had been active in the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession since 1996. She served as the Commission's chair and co-chair, and was a member of the Commission's Executive Council, the Commission's Awards Committee, as well as the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Technology Taskforce. She was a former chair and vice-chair of the Quality of Life Task Force where she was instrumental in developing model policies for alternative work arrangements to assist in balancing the many work/home challenges faced by those in her profession. Jennifer was a member of the Louis J. Goffman Award Committee, serving as Chair in 2009.

She was also a former delegate for Zone 1 of the House of Delegates for the Pennsylvania Bar Association from 2002-2007.

A frequent author and lecturer on insurance law and commercial litigation-related topics, Jennifer co-authored with H. Robert Fiebach a chapter titled "Issue and Claim Preclusion" in the prestigious legal series Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts.

In May 2018 Jennifer received the distinguished Lynette Norton Award presented to her by the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession. The award is designed to recognize and encourage female attorneys who excel in litigation skills and who have devoted significant energy, effort and time to mentoring female lawyers.

A funeral mass will be held on Monday, August 20th at 11:00 am at St. Mary Magdalen Parish located at 2400 Providence Road, Media PA 19063. Calling hours will be at the church beginning at 9:45 am. Jennifer's family would like to thank the many dear friends, colleagues, neighbors and caregivers who selflessly gave of their time to comfort, counsel and assist Jen during her illness with meals, rides to doctor's appointments, shopping trips, and movies. Your friendship meant a great deal to Jennifer and your compassion and love for her was a comfort to her and her family.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the charities Jennifer supported through her time, expertise and donations:

Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Special Olympics, or a Memorial donation: PA Bar Association Attn: Jennifer McHugh Memorial Fund P.O. Box 186 Harrisburg, PA 17108.