Successful Trial Lawyer

Jeffrey Paul Mueller knows his way around a courtroom. Mueller, a partner in Day Pitney's Commercial Litigation Department, decided to enter the legal profession after he won the Connecticut state mock trial championship in high school. He's endeavored to be a trusted advocate for clients ever since. Even though courtroom trials are becoming increasingly rare, he is one of few attorneys at his level that tries complex business cases on a regular basis.

Mueller's most memorable trial was Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Konover, in which he was a member of a trial team that obtained a jury verdict after a seven-week trial in federal court. The court held a shareholder personally liable for a judgment against a corporation exceeding $20 million and awarding punitive damages.

When in the courtroom, Mueller channels the lessons he learned serving as a law clerk for The Honorable Alvin W. Thompson of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut prior to joining Day Pitney and after graduating from Yale Law School in 2007. His experience has enabled him to effectively counsel clients in federal and state cases.

"Judge Thompson was a great mentor," says Mueller. "Working with him was an incredibly valuable experience that continues to be helpful. He really stressed the importance of civility and professionalism in representing clients."

Mueller considers himself a homegrown Day Pitney lawyer, having been with the firm ever since his clerkship. He represents some of the firm's prestigious clients including United Technologies Corporation.

"Jeff is incredibly smart and very creative. He sees arguments and positions that other lawyers simply don't see," says Steven Greenspan, Chief Litigation Counsel for United Technologies Corporation. "Jeff can look at a set of facts and issues, and quickly identify the issues that matter. Plus, he communicates, both in writing and orally, complex issues in a very simple, effective way."

When Mueller is not arguing in the courtroom, he enjoys weightlifting and volunteering in the Connecticut mock trial program that prompted his career by teaching high school students how to prepare arguments and examine witnesses. He also has served as Chair of the Litigation Section for the Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and has devoted substantial time to pro bono service.

COMPLEX COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Yale Law School, J.D., 2007

Yale College, B.A., summa cum laude, 2004

Admissions: Connecticut, New York