Joe Francoeur is an experienced trial lawyer and appellate advocate who concentrates his practice on professional liability defense, federal statutory litigation, commercial disputes and insurance coverage matters. He also represents employers in discrimination claims and handles numerous other general litigation cases. Joe is proficient in emerging issues in e-discovery, protecting clients from stinging penalties arising from failure to properly preserve emails and other electronic documents.

Joe has extensive ADR and trial experience at the state and federal levels. He has successfully defended class action litigations and published articles relating to the sufficiency of class notice and numerous Wilson Elser client alerts on issues relating to malpractice claims against insurance brokers and attorneys. He also has handled appeals before state and federal appellate courts, including arguing before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Joe shares his wealth of experience as a member of the firm's National Associate Training team, providing training and oversight to the firm's newer attorneys on a national basis.

Following five multi-month secondments with various Lloyd’s of London insurance syndicates, Joe has developed a unique understanding of the insurance market and an insider’s view of effective claims management, defense and reserving. While in London, Joe experienced first-hand what critical steps must be taken immediately upon being given an assignment from a carrier. He learned the importance to carriers of receiving early, substantive reporting from their counsel reflecting thorough investigation and exposure analysis as well as recommended strategies for early resolution – lessons that continue to benefit his clients on a daily basis.