Linda M. Jackson

Partner

Linda, Co-Leader of the Trade Secrets, Non-Competes & Employee Mobility group, is a first-chair trial attorney focusing on employment and commercial counseling and litigation, including C-suite investigations, trade secrets, non-competes, and whistleblower suits.

Linda Jackson, Partner, Washington DC at Arent Fox

Linda represents clients in high-stakes counseling and litigation before federal, state, and appellate courts. She has a particular focus in the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia, also known as the “Rocket Docket,” as well as the state trial courts in Northern Virginia.

Linda has represented clients in a variety of industries, such as technology, government contracting, professional services, associations, telecommunications, commercial and residential development, airlines, and more.

Linda spends a significant amount of time conducting investigations alleging sexual harassment, gender and other forms of discrimination, retaliation, and other inappropriate conduct.  She has also worked on several pay equity projects.  Much of this work involves reporting to and advising senior executives and board members. 

Linda’s practice also includes non-compete, non-solicitation, and nondisclosure negotiation and litigation; executive contracts and compensation; whistleblower and retaliation investigations and litigation; trade secret counseling and disputes; civil business conspiracy, tortious interference, and other business competition issues; shareholder litigation; business torts, including defamation, breach of fiduciary duties, and duties of loyalty; and employment discrimination and wrongful discharge.

An aggressive litigator, Linda understands her clients’ business objectives and shapes her pre-litigation and litigation strategies to achieve clients’ desired goals efficiently. Understanding the exigent nature of commercial and employment counseling and litigation, Linda keeps her clients up-to-date as cases proceed, advises on options at critical decision points, and provides skilled, tactical counseling throughout.

Previous Work

Linda was previously co-chair of the Government Contractors group at an international firm specializing in employment and labor law, and a member of the Executive Committee at another large international firm. She also served as a major in the US Air Force Judge Advocate General Reserve Corps. In 2009, she was named to the advisory board of the William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law.

Professional Activities

  • Member, Law Firm Advisory Committee, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
  • Faculty Member, Professionalism for Law Students, Virginia State Bar
  • Former Officer and Member of the Board of Directors, WBA Foundation, Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia
  • Former President, Virginia Women Attorneys Association
  • Former Member, Judicial Screening Committee, Fairfax Bar Association
  • Former Member of the Board of Directors, Fairfax County Bar Association
  • Former Member, Judicial Screening Committee, Virginia Women Attorneys Association
  • Former Chair, Elections Committee, Fairfax Bar Association
  • Former Member, Board of Directors, Arlington County Temporary Shelter
  • Former Member, Board of Directors, Volunteer Fairfax

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Linda is a well-recognized and well-published attorney. She has been rated as a leader in her profession by Best Lawyers in America 2018-2024; recognized by Chambers USA for DC General Commercial Litigation; recognized by The Legal 500 for Intellectual Property - Trade Secrets; named among the “Best Lawyers in Washington, DC” by The Wall Street Journal in 2020; recognized as a Super Lawyer in the District of Columbia by Super Lawyers in 2020 and 2021; named among the “Best Lawyers In Washington, DC” by The Washington Post; selected as among America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators for Washington, DC in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and among America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators for Washington, DC in 2021; ranked as a Top Lawyer in Employment Defense by Washingtonian for several years, including in 2020 and 2022; recognized as “Leading Business Litigation Attorney of the Year, Washington, DC” in Acquisition International’s 2019 Leading Advisor Awards; named as a “Leader in the Law” by Virginia Lawyers Media; and awarded the AV Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Linda is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Association, the American Bar Foundation, and the Virginia Law Foundation.

Linda frequently publishes articles, makes presentations, and provides commentary on employment law, trade secret and employee mobility matters. One of her most recent speaking engagements was on the District of Columbia Bar panel for “Covenants Not to Compete in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia 2022”.

Perspectives

Awards

The Legal 500 – The Clients Guide to Law Firms

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