A seasoned trial lawyer, Jennifer Belveal had more than 25 years of white-collar criminal experience leading independent investigations, responses to grand jury subpoenas, and other government enforcement proceedings, crisis management and bet-the-company litigation. She led the firm鈥檚 Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations Practice in Detroit, representing companies, boards, and individuals (including serving as pool counsel for multiple clients) in internal and government investigations, as well as complex litigation involving both civil and criminal allegations.
鈥淪he is an impressive lawyer; she has a great demeanor, is hard-working and very smart. She’s the complete package of what a client wants in a lawyer.”聽
– Chambers and Partners USA
Jennifer was known for finding solutions to difficult and delicate problems. Clients and lawyers in Michigan and nationwide recognize Jennifer as a go-to lawyer for navigating complex uncharted situations. She was a top Detroit trial lawyer and has successfully handled more than 50 trials, arbitrations, and preliminary examinations. She was equally skilled in avoiding formal proceedings and criminal prosecutions, such that many of her most successful matters have never been publicly disclosed.
“Jennifer is highly skilled and competent. She knows how to be a team player and how to think independently. I would not hesitate to collaborate with her or refer a matter to her.”聽
– Chambers and Partners USA
Jennifer advised clients, and was a sought-after speaker by her peers, on federal and state legal matters across a spectrum of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, financial transactions, securities, health care, public corruption, environmental laws, government contracting, shareholder liability, and data privacy and security. Her civil practice focused on ESG, contracts, commercial torts, real estate, fraud, and ownership disputes.
Throughout her career, Jennifer guided other lawyers in legal ethics. She served as the Professional Responsibility Partner for 麻豆直播鈥檚 Detroit and Salt Lake City offices. In 2018, Jennifer was elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, an honorary society limited to one percent of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction, whose public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession and the welfare of their communities.
Jennifer also served on the Planning Committee for the American Bar Association鈥檚 annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association鈥檚 Women in White Collar Subcommittee, Chair of the Michigan Chapter of the Women鈥檚 White Collar Defense Association. She previously Co-Chaired the Cambridge Forum on White-Collar Crime & Regulatory Enforcement (2019-2022). Jennifer is very active in the community having served on many legal and nonprofit boards.
Representative Experience
- Pool counsel for multiple employees in parallel criminal and civil proceedings conducted by federal and state agencies into environmental emissions from certain automobiles relating to alleged defeat devices.
- Represented lead witness in a high-profile public university scandal.
- Conducting international financial and corruption investigations for manufacturing companies.
- Defended private equity client in civil litigation, resulting in dissolution of TRO and denial of preliminary injunction.
- Represented employee in federal criminal investigation into potential corruption in dealings between an automotive company and the United Auto Workers.
- Conducted internal investigation for automotive supplier regarding theft of intellectual property.
- Represented bank victim in multimillion-dollar fraud by customer, including coordination with prosecuting authorities.
- Represented real estate developer in fraud dispute with partner involving both civil litigation and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation.
- Defended hospital in civil dispute with physician health care group.
- Served, on a pro bono basis, as the designated American Bar Association (ABA) observer during pretrial hearings in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for five detainees accused of planning the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Using her criminal law experience, Jennifer reported on the first live testimony on two key issues in the case 鈥 defendants鈥 motion to suppress their statements based on torture at black sites, as well as defendants鈥 motion contesting personal jurisdiction.
- Represented the audit committee of a publicly traded out-of-state company in an internal investigation into financial irregularities and national security issues. Guided client through crisis and concluded the matter to the satisfaction of a national auditing firm under a compressed timetable to meet public filing deadlines and avoid negative financial consequences.
- Defended physician in federal health care fraud prosecution.
- Represented Native American company in successfully suing the state of Michigan to remove the imposition of tax-related regulatory action that prevented the client from continuing some of its business operations.
- Represented multiple high-profile individuals and companies in federal criminal corruption investigations in Detroit and New Orleans, resulting in no charges.
Awards and Recognition
- 搁别肠辞驳苍颈锄别诲,听Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business聽in the practice area of Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2021-2024)
- Selected by her peers for inclusion聽in聽The Best Lawyers in America漏 in the field of Commercial Litigation (2017-2024)
- Named to聽DBusiness Top Lawyers (2010, 2016-2022, 2025)
- Selected聽for inclusion to the Michigan Super Lawyers list
- Only woman, White Collar Criminal Defense (2016-2023)
- Top 50 Women (2020 – 2023)
- Recognized, Who鈥檚 Who Legal 鈥 Business Crime Defense (2020鈥2022 )
- Nominated, Inaugural list of聽Crain鈥檚 Detroit Women in the Law听(2017)
- Recognized,聽Michigan Lawyers Weekly鈥檚 Women in the Law聽(2016)
Presentations and Publications
- ,听Ethics: Cooperation and Competition Between Counsel for Individuals and Counsel for Companies
- OESA Michigan Council, Stewarding ESG in the Mobility Supply Chain
- , The Impact of Environmental, Social and Governance (鈥淓SG鈥) Issues on White Collar Enforcement
- ,听White Collar Crime and Regulatory Matters: Top Tips for Managing a Client Crisis
- ,听Guardians of the (Privilege) Galaxy: Protecting the Privilege Against the Government and Payors聽(2021)
- Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) Legal Council Critical Risk Issues for In-House Counsel:聽 Planning for 2020,听Internal Investigations and Compliance Programs
- ,听Representation of Multiple Parties:聽 Practical and Ethical Considerations
- ,听A Deep Dive Into the Complexities of Representing Multiple Defendants in Investigations
- Co-author, 鈥淢ultiple Representation of Individuals Acting as Pool Counsel,鈥 Thomson Reuters庐聽Practical Law (2020-2022)
- Co-author, 鈥淭he Real Danger of Outsourced Government Litigations,鈥澛Law 360聽(January 7, 2020)