Jesse A Traugott brings many years of civil and criminal litigation, and claims adjudication experience to the firm. Jesse focuses his practice on general civil litigation including the areas of premises liability, premises security, commercial litigation, and commercial transportation for individuals and corporate clients, including large national retailers. Jesse has extensive experience analyzing and assessing medical records and medical-legal issues. Jesse can handle all aspects of a file from initial intake to ultimate case conclusion by settlement, dispositive motion, or trial. Jesse prides himself on maintaining excellent client contact and rapport.

Prior to joining McDonnell & Associates, Jesse spent almost 9 years with the Social Security Administration Office of Appellate Operations where he was an Appeals Officer adjudicating disability claims appeals. In that capacity, Jesse conducted comprehensive reviews of medical issues and evaluated whether Administrative Law Judges’ decisions were supported by the evidence and relevant legal authority.

Jesse also served as a Senior Trial Attorney with the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Gallup, NM, where he handled the juvenile crimes docket, as well as a variety of misdemeanor and felony cases.  Jesse prepared cases and conducted hearings, preliminary examinations, and trials as first chair.

Jesse graduated from Vermont Law and Graduate School (formerly Vermont Law School) in May of 2009. Following law school, Jesse worked in a legal aid clinic on the Navajo reservation in Window Rock, AZ on the border with New Mexico.  There he practiced many areas of civil litigation including consumer law, employment law, family law, and public benefits such as Social Security Disability.  Many cases involved complex jurisdictional issues under the principles of Federal Indian Law.  Jesse regularly appeared in New Mexico State court, Navajo tribal court, and worked on briefs for cases in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In his spare time, Jesse enjoys spending time with his wife and children, playing guitar, reading, and running.