Jennifer was born in Hamilton Ontario to parents who encouraged her love of learning from an early age. At Osgoode Law School, she concentrated on civil rights and labour law, and tied with two others for head of her class. She later pioneered in law of computers and intellectual property. She taught for three years at Wayne State University in Detroit before moving to Dalhousie Law School.
She was devoted to social justice, for her students and colleagues within the University and in external forums dealing with the rights of women and other marginalized groups. After her retirement she continued to promote these interests in social media.
She is affectionately remembered by her sister Amanda, brother Michael, and by friends and colleagues. She had a great love of the ocean, and will be cremated and scattered there.