Diego R. Meléndez-Apellániz

Diego Meléndez-Apellániz's practice focuses on federal and state court litigation at the trial and appellate levels, with emphasis on distribution and franchising disputes, class actions, tort cases, collection actions, commercial foreclosures, and securities arbitrations stemming from the Puerto Rico municipal bond market downturn. Furthermore, his practice also extends to state administrative agencies with regards to claims related to health and consumer protection laws. 

Prior to joining McConnell Valdés he worked as a law clerk to Hon. Daniel R. Domínguez at the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. In this capacity, Mr. Meléndez-Apellániz assisted the Article III Judge in managing half of the civil and criminal docket, and drafted opinions and orders for approval and publication in connection with diverse topics, including federal civil procedure, federal jurisdiction, bankruptcy, commercial law, contracts, employment discrimination, medical malpractice, and criminal law, among others.

Before that, Diego worked as an associate in the litigation department at another San Juan law firm and as law clerk to Justice Anabelle Rodríguez-Rodríguez at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. In that last role, Diego assisted Justice Rodríguez-Rodríguez in the preparation of Court Opinions that would shape Puerto Rico law in the areas of civil procedure, corporate law, criminal law, contractual law, torts law, voting rights and professional ethical responsibility.