Born in Manchester, England, Justice Jennifer M. Allen graduated cum laude from Brandeis University in 1990 with a B. A. in History, and from Boston College Law School in 1994.
Justice Allen practiced law for twenty-five years, focused on divorce and parentage actions, alimony and all financial aspects of support, guardianship matters, and mediation. She frequently served as a special master and guardian ad litem. Additionally, she supported her firm, Catanzaro and Allen, in commercial and residential real estate transactions, land use planning, estate matters, and civil litigation. Justice Allen volunteered frequently, providing pro bono representation and serving on the Board of Directors of MetroWest Legal Services.
In 2019, Governor Charles D. Baker appointed Justice Allen to be an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court, where she presided over a wide array of cases, including divorces, custody and parenting disputes, support actions, equity actions, and probate petitions. She presided over the Department of Mental Health guardianship session in Middlesex County.
Justice Allen has been a frequent lecturer at education programs for lawyers and new judges, sharing her expertise on alimony, business valuations, evidence, mental health examinations, courtroom management, and ethical considerations. Justice Allen is a member and previous board member of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Inn of Court and currently serves on the Supreme Judicial Court's Subcommittee on Judicial Well-Being.
Justice Allen was appointed to the Massachusetts Appeals Court by Governor Maura Healey, who administered Justice Allen's oath of office on July 28, 2025. Her first panel sitting was on August 12, 2025.