Jairo “Jay” Mellado-Villarreal

Thirty Years in Federal and Commonwealth Courts. One Consistent Standard: Litigation-Ready.

Narrative

Jairo “Jay” Mellado-Villarreal has spent more than three decades litigating complex matters in Puerto Rico’s federal and Commonwealth courts — representing corporations, financial institutions, government agencies, and private investors in disputes where the stakes are high and the margin for error is narrow.

He began his legal career as a notary and transactional attorney representing banks and mortgage companies, which gave him an early and precise understanding of the property and financing structures that so often sit at the center of complex litigation. That transactional foundation informs everything he does in the courtroom. He has managed more than 100 cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and regularly appears before Puerto Rico’s courts, administrative agencies, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

His practice spans the full range of complex commercial and civil litigation, with particular depth in federal enforcement actions, Act 75 / distribution law, federal injunctions and Anti-Injunction Act proceedings, employment defense, real estate, and appellate advocacy. He clerked for the Honorable Chief Judge Carmen C. Cerezo at the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and was a member of the Law Review at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law.

Representative Matters

Recovered $28.5 million in a professional liability action against former directors and officers of a failed Puerto Rico bank, representing the federal receiver.

Secured a full judgment in a $55 million loss-share arbitration on behalf of a federal banking agency against a major financial institution represented by one of the largest law firms in the country.

Obtained a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and Permanent Injunction under the Anti-Injunction Act — producing a 46-page federal order finding a Commonwealth court ruling to be in direct defiance of federal authority. The property sold at auction for $5.5 million.

Achieved multimillion-dollar settlements in complex fidelity bond claims involving fraud schemes in the banking sector.

Successfully defended a manufacturer against a multimillion-dollar Act 75 and breach of contract claim in federal court, resulting in a voluntary dismissal with prejudice following a comprehensive motion for summary judgment.

Secured a settlement for less than five percent of the original claim in an Act 75 action brought against a publicly traded company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.

Represented a federal banking agency in investigations leading to regulatory and criminal sanctions, including prohibition orders against individuals for financial misconduct.

Served as defense counsel for a managed care organization in Puerto Rico across federal court, Commonwealth courts, and administrative proceedings before ASES — covering contract disputes, fraud claims, and coverage litigation throughout all available forums.