Joseph T. Rivera

As a member of the Casualty Department, Joseph serves as Special Counsel in the firm’s Trucking & Transportation Practice Group, focusing on the defense of high-exposure matters involving commercial and personal automobile liability, general liability, premises liability, and products liability. With deep experience as trial counsel and litigation consultant, he advises on and executes trial strategy in complex cases, including the preparation of motions in limine, Daubert motions, witness preparation, trial presentation, and motions for directed verdict.

Earlier in his career, Joseph handled a nationwide caseload of product liability subrogation and personal injury claims, defending insurance carriers and their insureds—including foreign manufacturers, distributors, and retailers—in federal and state courts throughout the U.S. and Canada. They directed all aspects of litigation, coordinated investigations with experts across multiple disciplines, managed local counsel, and provided strategic legal and indemnification analysis to clients.

In a prior role, Joseph managed a team of eight associates and one senior counsel. He was responsible for developing defense and resolution strategies, overseeing client reporting, and ensuring compliance with client billing guidelines. He also negotiated multi-case retention agreements with experts, consultants, and local counsel, and played an active role in training and mentoring attorneys across the team—from onboarding to ongoing litigation education.

Joseph previously served as co-chair of his then firm’s national Hispanic affinity group, helping to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession.