Joseph Braunreuther, a veteran attorney who has served as deputy general counsel of Johnson & Johnson and as an assistant U.S. attorney, has joined McCarter & English as a partner in the Newark office, the firm announced Tuesday.
Braunreuther, who has more than 40 years of experience in industry, private practice and government service, will provide strategic counsel to global clients, primarily focused on litigation, arbitration and mediation.
Firmwide Managing Partner Joseph Boccassini said Braunreuther is a great fit.
“A former assistant U.S. attorney and strategic adviser and executive at one of the most prominent health care companies in the world, Joe brings a unique perspective on litigation and dispute resolution,” Boccassini said.
“Joe’s global advisory responsibilities at Johnson & Johnson make him ideally suited to engage with our clients at the general counsel-to-general counsel level and to provide high-level strategic counsel on a wide range of matters.”
Braunreuther has over 40 years of experience handling and overseeing numerous matters in the areas of products liability, government investigations, antitrust, intellectual property, class actions, employment, securities and commercial disputes.
“After a long career in industry and public service, I am pleased to have the opportunity to return to private practice and utilize my extensive experience in mediation and arbitration to help businesses resolve complex and contentious matters outside of the courtroom,” Braunreuther said.
“McCarter & English has a sterling reputation and, as a former client, I can attest to the formidable strength of the firm’s litigation team. I look forward to working with these highly skilled lawyers and supporting the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution & Mediation practice.”
Braunreuther most recently served as deputy general counsel at J&J for nearly 10 years, with worldwide responsibilities across numerous businesses in the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer divisions. He played a senior role in managing the Law Department globally, was leader of J&J’s Litigation Group, and had oversight of the J&J Global Security team and the J&J Global Brand Protection team. His previous positions at J&J include serving as general counsel to J&J’s Pharmaceutical Division and as global head of the Litigation Department, where he was responsible for J&J’s litigation worldwide.
During his tenure at J&J, Braunreuther negotiated the resolution of some of the company’s most significant legal challenges, and represented J&J in high-risk government investigations and high-stakes product liability and securities fraud cases. In addition, he handled major commercial disputes and patent matters, challenging employment litigation claims and managed the company’s response to congressional inquiries and hearings on matters impacting the health care industry.
Before joining J&J in 2001, Braunreuther served as executive assistant U.S. attorney and held other senior leadership positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, where he tried numerous civil and criminal cases involving financial fraud, organized crime and political corruption. He also served as head of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, where he represented numerous government agencies, including the Securities Exchange Commission, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. Braunreuther was also a partner at the international firm Watson, Farley & Williams, where he represented international clients in complex litigation and successfully resolved many large commercial disputes.
Newark Office Managing Partner Robert Mintz welcomed him to the team.
“Joe is renowned in the legal community as a world-class lawyer with an impressively broad and distinguished career, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our firm,” he said. “His comprehensive legal experience and deep industry knowledge make him a tremendous asset both to the firm and to businesses facing high-stakes disputes.”
