Jennifer Scoliard Finds Communication Is the Key

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Nearly thirty years as a lawyer has taught Jennifer Scoliard the importance of communication. Whether working with opposing counsel, senior leadership, or, especially, her team, Scoliard is all about communication. “It’s just so important, every aspect,” she says.

Scoliard is a senior vice president and the deputy general counsel for litigation at Cenlar FSB, a leading  mortgage loan subservicer and commercial bank. In that role Scoliard handles employment law, bankruptcy compliance, and complex consumer financial litigation, and also advises senior leadership on minimizing litigation risk.

She heads up a team of three paralegals and four attorneys, employing an open-door policy and effecting an even and calm demeanor, while stressing communication among team members. “I’m always there to talk through issues,” says Scoliard, who strives to create an environment where people feel comfortable coming to her.

“If people are afraid to come to you with a problem, that problem is going to fester and get worse and worse as time goes on. I want my team to always feel comfortable coming to me,” she says. The atmosphere Scoliard has created in Cenlar’s legal department is free of fear and rife with praise. “I believe in shouting out accomplishments in front of the team.”

When mistakes  occur, she uses them as practice pointers, never calling out those individuals who have erred. Team members are confident that there is almost no problem Scoliard can’t fix. “It may cost us more to fix it, possibly, or it may be a little more difficult, but I can fix just about anything you throw my way,” Scoliard says.

Scoliard values her weekly team meetings, in which all share their ideas and experiences. “I ask if anybody is having an issue. Perhaps someone wants to vet an idea about a case strategy. It’s very beneficial because we can all work together,” Scoliard says. She’s heartened when she learns that one team member called another seeking advice. “That’s exactly the kind of teamwork I want to encourage,” the lawyer adds.

After earning a JD from Mercer University, Scoliard began practicing law in Atlanta. Drawn to bankruptcy law because of the variety of cases she could work on, she moved to the Philadelphia area to work on Chapter 11 cases in Delaware, a hotbed for large, complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases because of the many businesses incorporated in that state. She signed on with Cozen O’Connor, a national firm.

She left Cozen O’Connor for Klehr Harrison in 2003 and continued her bankruptcy work. Then, with ten years of bankruptcy experience an opportunity arose to work at Residential Capital LLC and its subsidiary GMAC Mortgage, LLC when they needed an in-house bankruptcy attorney. It was her first in-house job.

“I always used to refer to myself as the weird cousin at the family barbecue because I was specializing in an area that’s probably considered very nerdy, but I loved it,” Scoliard shares. “They were all happy to give me it.”

In 2012, Residential Capital and its subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy, making Scoliard’s bankruptcy expertise invaluable. “I was heavily involved now with my own company’s bankruptcy, working with and assisting our outside counsel with our Chapter 11 filing,” Scoliard says.

When Residential Capital sold its assets to Ocwen Financial Corporation as part of its bankruptcy, Scoliard joined Ocwen as a senior counsel and then was promoted to vice president and assistant general counsel, where she handled more than just bankruptcy cases and bankruptcy compliance.

“You can be a complete professional and be cordial and still zealously represent your client to the fullest extent.”

Jennifer Scoliard

In 2014 Scoliard made the jump to Cenlar when the company needed an in-house litigation attorney. Scoliard joined Cenlar as a vice president and the assistant general counsel  for litigation. A little over eighteen months later, she was promoted to deputy general counsel for litigation, and in 2021 she was installed as a senior vice president.

While Scoliard emphasizes communication, she insists her team be respectful of leadership’s time in all communication efforts. Executives require information to make sound decisions, but they don’t want a twenty-page memo. Scoliard delivers concise, accurate, valuable information. “They want a recommendation and to see their options,” she says.

Communication is also essential when dealing with opposing counsel. “Again, communication is everything,” Scoliard explains. She starts with an initial communication to “level set,” and determine each side’s position and what’s in play and whether the parties can come to an early resolution.

Scoliard always tries to keep legal fees to a minimum by trying to resolve matters before discovery begins. “Everybody wins when a matter gets resolved early and for less attorneys’ fees. I don’t believe in getting overly aggressive and nasty. You can zealously represent your client without being nasty. You can be a complete professional and be cordial and still zealously represent your client to the fullest extent.”

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