Attorney Jennifer Applegate

Jennifer is a Santa Rosa resident who practices almost exclusively family law. After earning a Bachelor's degree in English at the University of Pennsylvania, Jennifer worked in corporate communications for several international companies. She attended the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she received multiple scholarships and prizes, was a contributor and Senior Editor on the school's law journal, and taught a Street Law class at a San Francisco high school. Throughout law school, Jennifer worked as a clerk in the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office, where she made multiple court appearances as well as writing and successfully arguing a motion before the Sonoma County Appellate Court.

Following her graduation and admission to the California Bar in 2008, Jennifer did extensive pro bono work at Legal Aid of Sonoma County. She assisted clients with cases that included domestic violence, schoolyard bullying, workplace attacks, civil harassment, elder abuse, and dependent adult abuse. These clients' cases also included support, custody and visitation, and protective orders. Jennifer's Legal Aid clients praised her strength, compassion, and approachability, as well as the results she achieved for them.

After three years as an associate at a local law office, Jennifer was made partner. Practicing almost exclusively family law matters, she has handled dozens of cases involving child custody and visitation, move-away orders, support, grandparents' rights, domestic violence, division of marital assets and debts, legal separation and divorce, prenuptial agreements, reunification between parents and children, communication difficulties between parents, same-sex marriage and dissolution, imputed income, disabled adult children, and more. Starting in 2018, she opened the Law Offices of Jennifer J. Applegate as a solo practice.

Jennifer was born in New York, went to college in Philadelphia, lived in London, and moved to the Bay Area from Boston in 1996. She is thrilled to call Sonoma County her home and has no intention of leaving! Jennifer speaks proficient French and some Spanish.

Areas of Practice

Jennifer practices 95% family law. She also does some civil litigation and has extensive experience in seeking and opposing civil harassment restraining orders.

California, 2008

Education

University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California: J.D., 2008
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: B.A., cum laude, with honors in English
CFLR Advanced Family Law Course 2013

Awards and Honors

Legal Aid of Sonoma County 2010 Golf Classic: “Best Volunteer”
Legal Aid of Sonoma County: Volunteer of the Year, 2009
USF School of Law Advocate of the Year Competition: Semifinalist
John R. Brown National Moot Court Competition: Semifinalist; Best Brief, runner-up