Jay Moffitt Unplugged

Jay Moffitt grew up along the beaches in southern Delaware, where he swam in the surf, rode the waves, fished, crabbed, and to this day can tell you everything you need to know about the little coastal towns from Rehoboth to Fenwick.  He did his undergraduate study at the University of Delaware, worked as a summer associate at Morris Nichols after his first year of law school, and after completing his law degree, decided to experience the bright lights of the big city.  Jay accepted an offer to work in the New York office of one of the largest law firms in the country.  “I thought, maybe I’ll like it, maybe I won’t, but living in New York ought to be interesting,” he says.

Jay spent three years in New York and close to a year in Los Angeles.  “I learned a lot, and it was a good experience overall.  I did get to work on many high-profile cases, but they were heavily staffed, and as a junior associate I did not get a lot of responsibility.”  Fortunately, Jay had maintained his relationships with some of the partners at Morris Nichols.  When he decided to return closer to home, the transition was smooth.

“I was impressed with the sophistication of the firm. The cases handled here are extremely complex,” he says. “With our lean staffing per case, usually consisting of a partner and an associate, I gained experience faster than I ever would have had I remained at a larger firm.  For me, I came to realize that smaller is better.”

But what is the true allure of working in Delaware?  Jay says, “Delaware is the center of corporate law.  Most of the big cases are litigated here.”   And of course, there is always the beach.