Joseph Mueller

Practice Areas

Joe Mueller is a first-chair trial lawyer who has worked on dozens of trials in courts across the country. Many of his cases involve intellectual property disputes, and he has led trial teams in high-stakes trials for some of the world’s top technology companies. His trial experience extends to many other substantive areas, involving a wide variety of disputes. His recognitions include being ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA, honored as an Intellectual Property Trailblazer by The National Law Journal, named the 2021 Boston Lawyer of the Year for Intellectual Property Litigation by Best Lawyers in America and featured as a litigation leader alongside fellow Trial Practice co-chair Hallie Levin in Litigation Daily.

Mr. Mueller’s advocacy work extends beyond trials. He has considerable appellate experience, and has argued before federal and state appeals courts including the United States Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Fourth Circuit and Ninth Circuit. He has also worked on projects involving a wide array of government agencies, and the formulation and implementation of policy strategies for interactions with those agencies.

In addition to his courtroom skills, Mr. Mueller sets and executes strategies for interdisciplinary matters, including those involving multiple substantive bodies of law, such as intellectual property, antitrust and competition law, and contract law; litigation and regulatory work; and US and foreign proceedings. He is skilled in considering the various substantive, procedural and international variables in such matters, and crafting clear and consistent strategies for success.

Beyond his domestic practice, Mr. Mueller has in-depth knowledge regarding strategies for international litigations and regulatory proceedings. He has experience with courts and agencies throughout Europe and Asia.

Earlier in his career Mr. Mueller served as a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Special District Attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, where he prosecuted cases involving violent crimes, financial fraud, and many other offenses. While at the Middlesex DA's Office, Mr. Mueller tried a variety of criminal cases to juries and judges.

Mr. Mueller has worked on significant pro bono matters involving disability rights, political asylum, detainee rights, public school disciplinary procedures, and healthcare. Over the years, he has received the Boston Bar Association's President's Award and the firm's John H. Pickering Award for his exemplary pro bono service.

Professional Memberships

At the appointment of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Mr. Mueller served as a Special Prosecutor for the Eastern District. He has also served on multiple special committees for the Eastern District.

Mr. Mueller is an adjunct professor of law at Boston College Law School, where since 2011 he has taught a biennial course on patent litigation. From 2004 to 2007, he held principal responsibility for the school's international law advocacy programs—the Jessup International Law Moot Court program and the European Union Law Moot Court program.

Mr. Mueller is on the board of directors of Discovering Justice, a nonprofit organization focused on youth education regarding the law and the justice system.

Mr. Mueller is a member of the Boston Bar Association, the Federal Circuit Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Personal

BA, Government, cum laude, Harvard University; JD, summa cum laude, Boston College Law School