Gena Jaffe

Gena C. Jaffe, a native of Philadelphia, pursued higher education at Pennsylvania State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in 2007. Following this, she attended the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, where she obtained her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, in 2012. During her legal studies, Gena participated in several key activities: she captained the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in 2012, earning third best individual oralist and best oralist in Vienna in 2011. She also received an Honorable Mention for both Claimant’s and Respondent’s Briefs in 2011, and her team became Arbitration Round Champions in the Overall Tournament of Champions Competition. Furthermore, she was an alternate for the National Moot Court Team in 2011, served as President of the Lambda Legal Society, and Vice President of The Student Bar Association. Her academic achievements were recognized through the Daniel Austin Memorial Scholarship, Presidential Merit Scholarship, and consistent placement on the Dean’s List, including being named Student of the Year.

After her legal education, Gena commenced her professional career as a solo practitioner. This period, spanning a decade, allowed her to develop skills in crafting arguments, conducting legal research, and negotiation within various legal issues. Her practice areas have included consumer financial services, complex commercial litigation, financial services litigation, and mergers and acquisitions. She currently serves as Senior Counsel at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, admitted to practice in New York, where she advises clients in the financial services industry on matters such as mergers and acquisitions, securities litigation, and FINRA arbitrations. Her professional affiliations include membership in the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

A significant turning point in Gena’s career and personal life involved her experience navigating parental rights following reciprocal IVF with her wife. This personal journey, which involved her wife’s eggs and Gena carrying their children, highlighted the legal complexities faced by LGBTQ+ families. Consequently, Gena founded Connecting Rainbows LLC, an organization dedicated to offering free legal and fertility resources to the LGBTQ+ community. Through this initiative, she advocates for greater legal protections and awareness, collaborating with fertility clinics, legal professionals, and other organizations to provide education and support for LGBTQ+ families in safeguarding their rights and building their families. This advocacy extends to public speaking, including a podcast episode on Evidence Based Birth® in June 2024, where she discussed supporting LGBTQ+ families.