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Joel Melendez

Founding Partner & Head of Commercial Litigation

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Overview

Education

  • Notre Dame Law School, J.D., cum laude
  • Executive Editor, Notre Dame Journal of Legislation
  • Jon E. Krupnick Award (excellence in the art of trial advocacy)
  • A. Harold Weber Moot Court Award (outstanding achievement in the art of oral argument)
  • Harvard College, A.B., Economics

Joel Melendez is a founding partner and Chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice.

A trusted advisor and litigator with two decades of experience, Mr. Melendez is known for his pragmatic approach and strategic creativity, and he helps clients navigate a wide range of disputes and business challenges.

Mr. Melendez represents investors, technology groups, financial institutions, and prominent individuals in high-stakes business disputes in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts across U.S. jurisdictions, as well as in arbitration and mediation.  He also frequently acts for non‑U.S. clients from Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Mr. Melendez’s experience includes representing plaintiffs and defendants in disputes concerning breach of contract and fiduciary duty; intellectual property, including patents and trade secrets; fraudulent transfer and preferences; cryptocurrency; corporate governance; employee and professional mobility; indemnification; fraud; and securities and other structured products, among other subject areas.

Mr. Melendez also serves as a Director of the Harlem Free Fight Academy, a nonprofit whose mission is to enrich New York City youth through mentorship and martial-arts training.  He competes regularly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and counts a gold medal at the 2024 IBJJF Pan American Championship (Masters Novice division) among his recent victories.

Representative Matters

  • Lead counsel to European financial institution in defending fraudulent transfer claims related to leveraged buyout of Constellation Healthcare Technologies
  • Lead counsel to advertising technology start-up in defense of breach of contract claims
  • Lead counsel to foreign investor pursuing breach of contract claims against Latin American company
  • Lead counsel to European financial institution in defense of fraudulent transfer claims related to the leveraged buyout of The Jones Group (Nine West)
  • Counsel to cryptocurrency owners seeking restitution and turnover of BTC following the convictions of individuals responsible for hacking Bitfinex
  • Counsel to leading energy developer in theft of trade secrets and breach of contract action, obtaining summary judgment in client’s favor
  • Counsel to patent holder in patent infringement suit relating to mobile real-time data technology
  • Counsel to patent holder in ITC investigation involving laser-etching textile technology
  • Counsel to litigation funder in assessing patent infringement claims in the software space
  • Counsel to litigation funder in assessing patent infringement claims in the mobile telecommunications field
  • Counsel to corporate owner of iconic American trademark in trademark infringement litigation
  • Counsel to Government of Laos in obtaining vacatur of a New York judgment and defending against judgment-enforcement proceedings
  • Counsel to international travel conglomerate and founders in defense of breach of fiduciary duty and other claims relating to a potential M&A transaction
  • Lead counsel to French space-sharing company in enforcing shareholder rights against a U.S.-based debtor in insolvency proceedings
  • Counsel to French financial institution in obtaining dismissal of an RMBS putback suit
  • Counsel to publicly-traded energy company in obtaining dismissal of claims relating to alleged breach of contract arising from an M&A deal
  • Counsel to private technology company in a bench trial and successful appeal against a leading bank in connection with claims arising out of an M&A transaction
  • Counsel to French financial institution in defense of indemnification claims relating to structured products
  • Counsel to publicly-traded radio broadcaster in a dispute with its lending group concerning proposed restructuring
  • Counsel to French financial institution in connection with fraudulent transfer claims asserted in connection with leveraged buyout transaction
  • Counsel to senior executive of Japanese company in price-fixing investigation by DOJ and JFTC
  • Counsel to private equity firm in conducting internal investigation into allegations of FCPA violations by portfolio company in Latin America
  • Counsel to trustees and investors in obtaining recoveries in RMBS putback suits filed against sponsors and originators in New York state courts
  • Counsel to investor in successful prosecution of breach of contract claims

Prior Affiliations

  • Kirkland & Ellis
  • White & Case

Bar and Court Admissions

  • New York
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish