RESUME OF ATTORNEY JANA R. BARNETT
Formal Education
Master of Administrative Science, Johns Hopkins University – 1981
Juris Doctor, University of Maryland at Baltimore – 1976
- Editor, Maryland Law Forum 1975-76
- Associate Editor, Maryland Law Forum 1974-75
Bachelor of Arts, Syracuse University – 1973
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Magna Cum Laude
- Honors Program
Recent Professional Affiliations
Member, National Employment Lawyers’ Association
Member, National Employment Lawyers’ Association – Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter
Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Family Law Section
- Labor and Employment Section
- Solo and Small Firm Practice Section
- President, 2000 – 2002
- Vice President, 1999 – 2000
- Treasurer, 1998-99
- Council Member, 1996 – 2002
Member, Berks County Bar Association
Berks County Public Service
Member, Board of School Directors, Wyomissing Area School District, 2001 – 2009
- President, 2003 – 04
- Chair, Policy Committee, 2003 – 2008
- Chair, Policy/Personnel Committee, 2008 – 09
- Executive Committee, Berks E.I.T. Bureau, 2007 – 09
Literacy Council of Reading- Berks, 1995 – Present
- Honorary Director, 2002 – Present
- President, Board of Directors, 1998 – 2002
- Personnel Committee Chair, 1995 – 1998
Director, Planned Parenthood of Northeast Pennsylvania, 1996 – 2001
Council Member, Berks Minority Development Council (MINDCO), 1995 – 2001
Admission to Courts
Federal Courts
- Supreme Court of the United States of America – March 24, 1980
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit – April 10, 1978
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit – February 1999
- United States District Court for the District of Maryland – June 17, 1977
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania – April 18, 1996
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania – October 24, 2006
State Courts
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania – November 28, 1994 (Supreme Court I.D. 73189)
- Court of Appeals of Maryland – December 29, 1976
Career Highlights
Law Offices of Jana R. Barnett 1994-Present
Since becoming a sole practitioner, Ms. Barnett has utilized her problem-solving skills to help clients concerned with employment, family and business matters. Her employment clients seek counsel on such issues as their eligibility for unemployment compensation, their rights to be protected from discrimination, their rights to be paid for all time worked at the appropriate rate, their rights to get access to their personnel files, and their rights to receive severance benefits. They appreciate the practical advice which they receive about what needs to be done to protect their rights, and what damages are compensable. Clients find Ms. Barnett to be a strong advocate for them.
Her family law clients seek counsel about how to get divorced; how to claim spousal support, child support and/or alimony pendente lite; how support is calculated; what property is marital property; whether an award of alimony is possible; whether they may be awarded custody or visitation; how a court determines the best interests of a child; the practical effects of custody terms; adoptions; and post nuptial agreements, and prenuptial agreements.
Ms. Barnett also helps clients with guardianships, wills, durable powers of attorney and living wills, and estate administration; and civil matters.
Of Counsel, Law Offices of Victoria Bentley
From 2005 – 2009, Ms. Barnett litigated family law cases for Victoria Bentley, Esq. in addition to cases for her own clients.
Maryland Insurance Group 1984-1993
Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Associate General Counsel
January 1992 – October 1993
As Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Ms. Barnett was head of the Corporate Department, and one of four attorneys who reported directly to the Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Her clients included Human Resources (which initiated the Early Retirement Program, initiated the Flexible Benefits Program, implemented compliance programs for the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Ms. Barnett investigated and responded to charges of discrimination, supervised employment litigation, and approved contracts for a variety of services.
As Corporate Secretary, Ms. Barnett ran the meetings of the Boards of Directors, prepared agenda for and minutes of the meetings, supervised the licensing and corporate records assistants, and supervised the law library.
Second Vice President and Associate General Counsel
April 1987 – December 1992
As Second Vice President and head of the Corporation Department, Ms. Barnett supervised several attorneys who prepared/revised/ approved contracts; developed standard contracts which clients could enter into without further legal approval; supervised litigation; provided general legal services to the Company; and – when a subsidiary was sold – prepared the letter of intent for the prospective buyer, provided information to satisfy the buyer’s due diligence, worked with opposing counsel to negotiate a mutually agreeable contract of sale, and prepared the closing documents.
Associate General Counsel Assistant General Counsel
May 1985 – April 1987 March 1984 – April 1985
As both Associate and Assistant General Counsel, Ms. Barnett had a general practice within the Company. She developed a standard real estate lease and master lease for computer hardware; prepared a variety of contracts; provided general legal services; participated in quarterly human resources audits of field operations; supervised litigation; and provided all in-house support to the Human Resources Division.
Steinberg, Schlachman, Potler, Belsky & Weiner, P.A. 1976-1984
Partner and Associate
Ms. Barnett handled major civil cases (including personal injury, products liability, medical malpractice, and employment discrimination) by evaluating prospective cases, conducting informal and formal discovery, preparing cases for settlement and/or trial, and representing clients in the courtroom.
