Jayme Jonat represents entities in high-stakes commercial litigations, often touching on securities- and antitrust-related issues. Equally comfortable representing plaintiffs and defendants, she has been involved in numerous large-scale litigation efforts that, in addition to their considerable monetary stakes, have tested new legal theories and affected business practices across entire industries.
She is playing a prominent role representing Visa in multi-district class action antitrust litigation filed on behalf of merchants, as well as in opt-out cases brought by a number of the world’s largest retailers relating to network rules at the heart of the Visa system. Jayme helped Visa reach a historic $6.26 billion settlement with one class of merchants, constituting the largest known settlement of a private antitrust case under the 120-year-old Sherman Act. Jayme also assisted Judge Holwell in his role as an independent monitor appointed by a major financial institution under an agreement between the institution and the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission. In a separate consequential matter, she represented Sealed Air—the maker of bubble wrap—in a securities fraud class action in the Southern District of New York. In January 2023, the court approved a settlement of $12.5 million.
Jayme is also leading an HSG team representing pilots of Frontier Airlines in a cutting-edge workplace discrimination case over the airline’s policies toward pregnant and breast-feeding employees. Filed in 2019, the lawsuit challenges, among other things, Frontier’s practice of prohibiting employees from pumping breast milk while on duty. Frontier’s policies, which made no accommodations for breastfeeding mothers, placed some female employees in a position of choosing between breastfeeding their children and keeping their job. Just last year, she reached a breakthrough settlement in a similar lawsuit on behalf of flight attendants at the same airline, which has already resulted in positive ramifications for employees throughout the airline industry.
Given the size of her clients and the scope of their business activities, many of her matters have international components. In addition to advising on FCPA matters, Jayme has litigated multiple disputes arising from corporate transactions with cross-border implications. She represented, for instance, French industrial company Alstom in litigation against GE concerning the most significant French M&A transaction of 2014.
Jayme maintains an active pro bono practice, providing legal assistance to the underserved in communities across the country. For example, along with the ACLU of Louisiana’s Justice Lab, Jayme filed a high-stakes pro bono lawsuit against police officers for using excessive force against a cooperating Black man with pre-existing injuries. A favorable settlement was reached earlier this year in the federal civil rights case.
Beyond her client work, Jayme serves as the administrative partner of HSG and is an active member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. She was named to the inaugural 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation and has been recognized as a Notable Woman in Law (Crain’s New York Business), Litigation Trailblazer (The National Law Journal), 40 & Under Hot List member (Benchmark Litigation), Rising Star – Best in Litigation shortlist honoree (Euromoney), and a Woman Worth Watching (Profiles in Diversity Journal). Prior to joining HSG, she was a litigation associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and clerked for the Honorable Arthur D. Spatt of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Key Practice Areas:
- Antitrust
- Banking + Financial Services
- Business & Commercial
- Securities
Year Joined Firm: 2015
Education:
- Fordham University School of Law (J.D.)
- Cornell University (B.S.)
Updated July 2023
