As co-founder of the Firm’s White Collar Group, Jess focuses his practice on advising and defending individuals, businesses, and other entities facing Governmental investigations and potential criminal exposure. By thinking strategically and creatively, Jess helps clients understand and manage risks through internal investigations, negotiates with prosecutors and regulators to achieve outcomes that protect his clients’ interests, defends clients in state and federal trial courts and regulatory bodies, and vindicates his clients’ rights in state and federal appellate proceedings when necessary. Jess has advised a variety of clients facing criminal potential exposure under tax, bribery, money laundering, civil rights, and ethics statutes.
Jess brings a unique perspective to white-collar matters based on his background representing clients in complex appellate, antitrust, and bankruptcy matters involving complicated questions of constitutional and statutory interpretation. Before focusing his practice on white-collar matters, Jess represented clients in civil appeals in the United States Supreme Court, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He also represented an insurer in the Blue Cross Blue Shield antitrust MDL, and a bond insurer in the Jefferson County, Alabama bankruptcy proceeding, which at the time of its filing was the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy, involving nearly $4 billion in debt, primarily resulting from the County’s issuance of sewer warrants. These matters involved, among other things, complicated cutting-edge legal and factual issues related to bankruptcy, antitrust, market regulation, and federal environmental resource management. Each of them required creative thinking and strategic action.
Prior to joining Spotswood, Jess served as a deputy attorney general with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office where he represented the State in litigation related to illegal gambling and in capital litigation appeals in state and federal appellate courts, including successfully briefing and arguing in a habeas corpus proceeding before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. After he left the Attorney General’s Office to return to private practice, the State of Alabama retained Jess to serve as outside counsel in the prosecution of the then-Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. In that representation, Jess worked closely with lead prosecutor Matt Hart and forged a relationship that led to the founding of Spotswood’s White Collar Group in 2019 when Matt joined the firm after decades as a state and federal prosecutor.
Since 2014, Alabama Super Lawyers has recognized Jess as a “Rising Star,” a designation awarded to no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers statewide.
