The Honorable Jose L. Linares chairs McCarter’s Alternative Dispute Resolution practice. He served as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, having been nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2002. Prior to joining the United States District Court, he served as a superior court judge in Essex County, New Jersey. Before joining the bench, Judge Linares headed his own law firm where he litigated products and medical cases.
Judge Linares is experienced in the life sciences and financial services industries, having heard numerous patent cases during his time on the bench, many involving high-stakes disputes between generic and branded drug companies. In addition, he has presided over numerous major bankruptcy appeals, class actions, multidistrict litigations, and securities fraud cases. Since joining McCarter, Judge Linares has participated in the preparation of highly complex patent and commercial litigation cases as well as supervising corporate white collar criminal cases and investigations.
An acknowledged thought leader, Judge Linares lectures nationally on litigation and patent cases. He has served as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall School of Law and led the New Jersey District Court’s 2017 Sentencing Symposium and the 2018 New Jersey District Court National Opioid Symposium. Judge Linares is a fellow of the American Bar Association and has been honored with several prestigious recognitions, including the New Jersey State Bar Distinguished Judicial Service Award, the James J. McLaughlin Professionalism Award presented by the New Jersey State Bar Association, and the Gerald B. O’Connor Award. He is also the recipient of several lifetime achievement awards.
Breaking ground as the first Hispanic to serve as Chief of the United States District Court of New Jersey and the first Cuban-born District Court Chief in the United States, Judge Linares champions diversity and inclusion and has helped change the face of the federal court. He is an active member of the firm and serves on McCarter’s Diversity Committee and as a member of the firm’s Social Justice Project Team. Judge Linares is also involved in numerous civic and nonprofit activities and regularly volunteers his time to various causes supporting young adults through both educational efforts and local youth sports programs.
