Trusted Advisor, Appellate Star: Jessica Ellsworth Welcomes The Hard Questions

BusinessLawTrusted Advisor, Appellate Star: Jessica Ellsworth Welcomes The Hard QuestionsByLiane Jackson, Forbes Staff. Liane Jackson is Senior Law Editor covering top attorneys and law newsFollow AuthorJun 03, 2026, 10:10am EDTUpdated Jun 3, 2026, 10:23am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.ILLUSTRATION BY MICHELLE ROHN FOR FORBESJessica EllsworthFirm: Hogan Lovells Title: Partner Forbes List: America’s Top Women Lawyers, 2026 In today’s legal environment, where a single appellate ruling can redefine regulatory, political and business power, Jessica Ellsworth navigates the law at its most consequential level. As co-chair of Hogan Lovells’ Supreme Court & Appellate practice, Ellsworth manages a wide range of high-stakes disputes. She assists at the trial court level with strategic motions practice and as embedded appellate counsel. Her docket has included headline-making appeals over the abortion pill, the Google Play store, and environmental permits, along with high-profile intellectual property battles for companies including Netflix, Ford, Merck, Novartis and UnitedHealth Group. In the past year Ellsworth has appeared before 14 appellate courts. Her 100th oral argument was in Minnesota in March; her 101st was in Denver just a few days later. The pace has sharpened her instincts, she says. “As you gain experience, efficiency comes with it. I’m better at knowing which cases to re-read, how to streamline a record for an appellate court, or come up with a theme for an argument quickly.” By the time Ellsworth walked into the Supreme Court of the United States in 2024 to argue two cases just weeks apart — her first before the nation's highest bench — she had already built a formidable appellate practice at Hogan Lovells. That experience proved invaluable. Ellsworth secured a unanimous victory in one of the term’s most closely watched cases, representing Danco Laboratories in its successful defense of continued access to mifepristone, a medication used to terminate early pregnancies. Ellsworth says delivering those consecutive Supreme Court arguments was “daunting and exhilarating.” "I love learning and having a high learning curve and the energy of new hard questions,” she says, describing the appeal of appellate work. “For me, I feel confident having new things to think about and strategizing how to present them. It never gets old or boring.” While Ellsworth specializes in intellectual property, antitrust and False Claims Act matters, her work requires tackling unfamiliar subjects and translating complex issues into persuasive narratives. And despite her busy schedule and elite practice, Ellsworth is intentional about staying accessible to clients, young associates, and anyone who walks into her office. “I’m a relationship person, and this is a relationship business,” Ellsworth says. “I really take seriously the concept of being a trusted advisor. It’s in my DNA and my team’s DNA.” For the full list of America’s Top Women Lawyers, click here. Got a tip? Share confidential information with Forbes.Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions