Jennafer M. Tryck

Jennafer Tryck is a senior litigation associate in the Orange County office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  She is a member of the Firm’s Litigation, Labor and Employment, Insurance and Reinsurance, and Class Actions practice groups, and represents clients across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, health care, and higher education.

Jennafer specializes in defending plan sponsors and insurers in high-stakes Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) litigation in the trial courts and on appeal.  She has represented clients in a wide range of single-plaintiff and class-action matters, including defending employers against excessive fee and prohibited transaction claims, tobacco surcharge claims, and 401(k) plan forfeiture claims.  She also defends plan sponsors and fiduciaries against challenges to the calculation of benefits for large defined-benefit pension plans.  In addition to litigation defense, Jennafer also dedicates a significant portion of her practice to advising clients on limiting litigation exposure for ERISA and non-ERISA benefit plans.    

The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized Jennafer as “One to Watch” in the areas of Commercial Litigation (2021-2026) and Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law (2026).

Select Representative Matters:

• Secured complete dismissal, with prejudice, of plaintiffs’ claims in ERISA “excessive fee” fiduciary-breach class action brought against outpatient surgical care company.
• Successfully struck plaintiffs’ damages experts and jury demand, in addition to multiple claims and thirteen named defendants, in ERISA fiduciary breach class action brought against leading private university.
• Represent multinational automobile manufacturer in wide range of single-plaintiff and class-action ERISA matters challenging the client’s administration of its retirement and health and welfare plans.
• Defend large health insurer in multiple putative nation-wide class actions challenging coverage and reimbursement decisions for ERISA-governed health plans.
• Represent major manufacturing and telecommunications companies in class actions alleging violations of ERISA actuarial equivalence requirements.

Professional Activities and Education:

Jennafer also maintains an active pro bono practice, including securing a new jury trial from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on a grandmother’s excessive force claim, and drafting an amicus brief on behalf of Kids In Need of Defense in a successful effort to enjoin regulations that limit asylum access for unaccompanied immigrant children.  She also serves on the Board of Directors of the OC Lavender Bar Association, the official association of LGBT and allied attorneys, judges, and law students in Orange County.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Jennafer served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Dana Fabe of the Alaska Supreme Court and as an extern to Judge John W. Sedwick of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska.  She received her law degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Law where she was a member of the law school’s inaugural class.  Jennafer also holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

Jennafer is a member of the California and Alaska bars and is admitted to practice before the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Circuits and the United States District Courts for the Central District of California, Northern District of California, and Eastern District of Michigan.

Capabilities

• Litigation
• Class Actions
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Litigation
• Insurance and Reinsurance
• Labor and Employment

Credentials

Education:

• University of California, Irvine - 2012 Juris Doctor
• University of Southern California - 2008 Master of Public Administration
• Georgetown University - 2001 Bachelor of Science

Admissions:

• California Bar