Jennifer Fenn

Partner, Choate Hall & Stewart

40 Under 40 Category: Legal Services

Biography:

Jennifer Fenn, a partner in Choate Hall & Stewart’s Finance & Restructuring Group, is a recognized leader both in and out of the office. She routinely leads, and is an integral part of, some of the firm’s most high-profile transactions. Her practice focuses on the representation of lenders in a broad range of complex financing transactions for both banks and institutional investors, focusing on asset-based transactions with an emphasis on the retail market. Jen’s ability to execute the full lifecycle of a variety of deal structures – including originations, distressed work, DIP financings, and emergence financings – has impressed clients and peers alike. 

Beyond her client work, Jen has a proven commitment to developing and mentoring the next generation of talent. Having played an active role in Choate’s hiring process for years, Jen was recently appointed as one of the firm’s two Hiring Partners. She has also dedicated considerable efforts to supporting and advancing women within the financial community. Jen serves as both an informal and formal mentor and is an active member of the Choate Women’s Network steering committee and Choate’s alumni committee. 

What effect has the COVID crisis had on your professional life? 

Like many working parents, I’ve had quite a few unexpected experiences over the last few months - surprise visitors on my Zoom meetings, tending to scuffed knees while on calls, and attempting to work through the remote learning curriculum for my first grader, just to name a few. COVID has had an undeniable impact on almost every aspect of our daily routines, and has forced many of us to adjust the ways in which we approach our jobs - not only in the nuts and bolts of our day-to-day, but also in how we think about the high-level issues that remain critical to career development. By way of example, some of the best learning opportunities in my experience often happen organically and informally; so, while we all continue to work remotely, I think it is more important than ever to proactively seek feedback and prioritize training. 

What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor?

I think most people understand the importance of building a professional network, but many struggle with knowing how to go about it. You need to focus on building honest connections with the people around you. What may work for the person in the office next to you might not be right for you, and what may be successful in one situation might not work in another. You may find that you connect with someone over a mutual love of golf or local sports teams, but it could just as easily be about trading tips on how to get your toddler to go to bed on time, your favorite summer activity, or a shared alma mater.  In my experience, the people with the strongest networks are those who learn from the people around them, and are then able to take those skills and adapt them in a way that is authentic for them.

How would you encourage young professionals to become more involved in their community or volunteer? How have these activities outside of work helped shape your professional life? 

Finding a way to get involved in your community is something I think everyone should strive to do. It can have incredible benefits, both personally and professionally. Because it takes a material time commitment to have a meaningful impact on any organization, my advice is always to find something about which you are passionate. For me, that has been seeking opportunities to help connect and advance women within the finance community and within Choate. Through serving as a member of the steering committee for Choate’s firm-wide women’s leadership initiative, the Choate Women’s Network, for the last several years, I have been fortunate enough to work closely with women throughout the firm to help facilitate training, business development and networking opportunities for women throughout our organization. Over the years, I have also worked to spearhead a series of networking events aimed at bringing women within the finance community together. Through these efforts, I have seen the networks of my women colleagues become stronger, watched as new skills have been cultivated, and seen many confidently take the next step in their careers. Becoming involved in these efforts has also afforded me the chance to collaborate with, and learn from, so many people with whom I might not otherwise have crossed paths.