Joel Blanchet is a trial lawyer and problem solver who represents companies, legal departments, executives, and other sophisticated clients in high-stakes disputes across the country. His work spans commercial litigation, environmental and toxic-tort matters, product liability, securities, intellectual property, bankruptcy, and government-facing disputes.
Before launching Blanchet LLP, Joel spent more than a decade as a partner in the litigation department at Kirkland & Ellis and later helped lead the litigation practice at Phillips Lytle. He has handled trials, arbitrations, appeals, and complex pretrial proceedings across industries and jurisdictions.
Joel stays close to the work and to the client. He brings practical business judgment to serious disputes, develops the record with trial in mind, and focuses the strategy on the result the client actually needs.
Obtaining a complete defense judgment for Dow at the trial-court level after a 2025 bench trial in MDR Hotels, defeating negligence, nuisance, and trespass claims seeking more than $40 million.
Representing Dow in major CERCLA and 1,4-dioxane matters, including federal Superfund cost-recovery litigation, coordinated New York public water-provider actions, and New Jersey's statewide natural-resource damages action.
Securing summary judgment for Dow on more than $100 million in claims arising from a Louisiana natural gas leak while also obtaining substantial recoveries on counterclaims.
Securing summary judgment or dismissal of claims brought by more than 200 plaintiffs in June v. Union Carbide, with the judgments affirmed by the Tenth Circuit.
Serving as primary counsel to Columbus McKinnon and Magnetek in product-liability matters involving industrial hoists, chains, and material-handling equipment across the country, including dismissals and insurance recoveries.
Representing Dow in its long-running dispute with NOVA Chemicals over a jointly owned ethane cracker in Alberta, including trial responsibility for the plant-capacity issue central to the damages case.
Representing Dow in litigation over its approximately $15 billion agreement to acquire Rohm and Haas, resolved on the first day of trial with a reduction in the cash consideration paid.
Defending Osram Sylvania in Nilssen, where fifteen patents were held unenforceable and the client was awarded more than $6.1 million in fees and costs.
Defending Briggs & Stratton in nationwide multidistrict consumer-fraud litigation involving more than fifty proposed classes, resolved favorably before discovery.
Representing Fortune 100 companies in confidential SEC, internal, and regulatory investigations.
EDUCATION
University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
Canisius College, B.A., magna cum laude
ADMISSIONS
New York
Illinois
U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois
U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of New York
U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Tenth Circuits
HONORS AND RECOGNITION
The Best Lawyers in America
Recommended by The Legal 500 United States
New York Metro Super Lawyers Rising Star
Legal Services of NYC, Outstanding Contribution to Pro Bono, Honoree
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution and Litigation Section
Bar Association of Erie County
New York State Bar Association, Commercial & Federal Litigation Section and Trial Lawyers Section
