Jackie Celender

Jackie Celender is a partner and trial attorney whose practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, class action defense, and international arbitration. She is a practice group coordinator of the firm’s Commercial Disputes group.

Jackie has extensive experience litigating disputes arising from commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, corporate and partnership breakups, and corporate governance claims in a variety of industries and sectors, with a particular focus on manufacturing, specialty chemical, aerospace, and energy.

Jackie also has significant experience defending product liability, mass tort, and class actions in state and federal courts across the country. Jackie has assisted clients in the wake of catastrophic emergency and industrial incidents, such as explosions, fires, chemical releases, and other events. Her practice covers all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution, including lead counsel advocacy, and she has tried numerous cases to conclusion. Jackie has represented clients in a variety of high-stakes domestic and international arbitrations governed by the rules of leading arbitration institutions, such as the ICC, SCC, ICDR, AAA, and CPR.

Jackie works actively with her clients to develop and implement innovative and cost-effective strategies and solutions to mitigate risks. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation for the last three years.

Board Member and Fellow, The Wendell G. Freeland Society

National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) Women in International Law and Dispute Resolution Affinity Group

Member, current

Co-Chair, 2022-2023

Member, ArbitralWomen

United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Women’s Leadership Council

Firm Service

Practice Group Coordinator, Commercial Disputes, 2020-present

Chair, Pittsburgh office Associate Development Committee, 2024-present

Allegheny County Bar Association

Member of Host Committee for American Society of International Law (ASIL) Mid-Year Meeting, Pittsburgh, 2023

"Exploring opportunities, trends and risks in the manufacturing industry: Q&A with women leaders at K&L Gates LLP," Pittsburgh Business Times, 1 August 2023

"ALI's Medical-Monitoring Proposal May Encourage Claims,” Law360, 28 June 2023

Rebutting the “Agency” Defense to Tortious Interference Claims, Insurance Coverage Litigation, Spring 2015, Vol. 25, No. 2, 11 August 2015

Rebutting the "Agency" Defense to Tortious Interference Claims against National Indemnity Company and Resolute Management, paper submitted for ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Seminar, February 2015