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Jessica Kokal

Partner

jjk@bowwlaw.com
602-271-7739
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Overview

Assistant: Raquel L. Auriemma
602-271-7715, rla@bowwlaw.com

Jessica joined Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson in 2016 to continue her insurance defense practice.  Jessica’s practice includes the areas of commercial litigation, medical and professional liability with a focus on legal malpractice and disciplinary work, dram shop, products liability, premises liability, auto, insurance bad faith with a particular focus on workers’ compensation, and wrongful death and personal injury defense. Since beginning her practice, Jessica has defended over 30 arbitrations and tried multiple cases, both civil and disciplinary, including helping bring three jury trials to defense verdicts. Jessica also second-chaired a 2019 multi-million dollar medical malpractice/wrongful death case that was recognized as a Significant Defense Verdict in Arizona Attorney Magazine, a publication of the State Bar of Arizona.

Before practicing law, Jessica moved to the Valley from the Detroit metropolitan area to attend Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University as a scholar recruit.  There, she received dual B.A.s in English Literature and Political Science while completing her Honors thesis on the media’s impact on women’s body image.  Jessica also worked in Arizona campaign politics before starting her insurance defense practice.

Jessica serves as the chair of the firm’s recruitment committee/hiring partner, diversity manager and oversees the firm’s associate mentorship program and in-house education program.

 

Education/Admissions
  • Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, J.D. 2011
  • Arizona State University, National Merit Scholar, cum laude, B.A. English (Literature)
    B.A. Political Science, 2008 Thesis: Reshaping Women: The Media’s Creation of a New Feminine Mystique

Admissions:

  • Arizona, 2011, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
  • Gila River Indian Community Court, 2021
Professional Recognition
  • Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, Member
  • Defense Research Institute, Member
  • Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Member
  • Ladder Down Graduate, Class of 2016
  • FDCC Ladder Down Arizona Sponsorship Chair 2017
  • FDCC Ladder Down Arizona Director 2017-2019
  • Arizona Asian American Bar Association, Member
  • State Bar Ethics Advisory Committee
  • State Bar Professionalism Course, November 15, 2022, Faculty Member
  • State Bar Professionalism Course, March 5, 2023, Faculty Member
  • State Bar Professionalism Course, September 12, 2023, Faculty Member
  • AADC Diversity Committee, Member
Representative Experience

Presentations & Publications

  • “Emerging Trends: An Overview of New Case Law and Developments,” Presenter, 2014 JSH Annual Seminar: It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Hurt, November 2014
  • “From the Trenches – What Your Defense Attorneys Want You to Know,” Speaker, General Agent Underwriting Workshop, June 2015
  • “When Bears Attack: Your Defense Attorney’s Tips to Prepare for Lawsuits,” Co-Presenter, Capitol Indemnity Company’s General Agents Underwriting Workshop, June 2016
  • “How Much Do You Give Up to Have it All?” Attorney at Law Magazine, Greater Phoenix Edition Volume 10, No. 7, October 2018
  • The Importance of Litigation Holds, Presenter, Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson, P.C., August 2018
  • Course on Professionalism, Diversity Seminar, State Bar of Arizona, March 11, 2020
  • “Attorney Boundaries During COVID: Working From Home and Returning to the Office,” Zoom presentation: Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association, June 2020
  • Arizona Worker’s Compensation Bad Faith Law, Sedgwick, October 2020
  • The Real Scope of the Attorney Client Privilege:  It’s Not as Broad As You Think, Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson, P.C., May 2021
  • Nursing Home Cases & Claims, State Bar of Arizona, November 2020
  • Judicial Intern Orientation Program , Diversity at Work: How to Address Any Barriers You May Encounter, June 2021
  • Unconscious Bias:  The Invisible Element Affecting Every Single One of Your Cases, 2021 Annual Workers’ Compensation Program, State Bar of Arizona, October 2021
  • Diversity/Bias session, Professionalism Course, State Bar of Arizona, March 24, 2022
  • Diversity at Work, Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, June 7, 2022
  • Unconscious Bias, 2022 WILG Annual Convention, September 30, 2022
  • Spoliation 101: Best Practices to Avoid Sanctions for You and Your Insured, Applied Underwriters, October 5, 2022
  • Spoliation 101: Best Practices to Avoid Sanctions for You and Your Insured, October 20, 2022
  • Faculty, Deposition college, October 2022
  • Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group, Workers’ First Watch, Diversity Edition, Summer 2023, Unconscious Bias:  The Invisible Element Impacting Every Single One of Your Cases

  • Unconscious Bias, August 3, 2023

  • Jessica Kokal was invited to present on Unconscious Bias to an insurance carrier on Las Vegas on March 5, 2024.