Biography
Luke Mette has more than 30 years of broad legal experience in both the private and public sectors. His diverse background in private practice, as in-house counsel and for public and municipal entities enables him to skillfully transfer deep knowledge in litigation, compliance and commercial negotiations to each client representation.
Luke’s extensive litigation experience includes complex civil and criminal matters. He has represented clients in high-profile white-collar criminal prosecutions and has managed the defense of both U.S. and non-U.S. government investigations. Luke’s civil litigation experience includes product liability, class action, shareholder and patent litigation matters.
While in-house for a major multinational pharmaceutical company, Luke effectively led litigation and settlement strategies resulting in defense verdicts and competitive settlements. As a member of the leadership team for a 125-lawyer global department, Luke jointly led and managed lawyers who supported operations in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
A frequent presenter and panelist, Luke has spoken at numerous CLE seminars, industry and judicial conferences and law firm retreats. He is also an adjunct professor at Delaware Law School, teaching a course on professional responsibility.
Background
Prior to joining Armstrong Teasdale, Luke served as Chief Disciplinary Counsel for the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, where he led and managed the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, implemented a compliance model for lawyer professional responsibility, and was a driving force in providing transparent and clear ethics guidance to members of the bar. He also formerly worked as the City Solicitor for Wilmington, Delaware.
His extensive background in the legal field includes working in private practice as a business litigator, as well as more than 20 years in-house at a multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company, where he most recently served as the Global Head of Litigation.
Immediately following law school, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Joseph J. Farnan, Jr., in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
Education
- George Washington University National Law Center (J.D., high honors, 1988)
- Order of the Coif
- George Washington Law Review (Book Review and Articles Editor)
- Haverford College (B.A., honors, 1985)
- History
Admissions
Professional Activities
- Delaware State Bar Association (Member)
- Executive Committee (2001-2003, 2017-2018)
- Ad Hoc Committee on Civic Engagement and Pro Bono (Co-chair, 2017-2018)
- Committee for Provision of Legal Services to Low Income People (Chair, 1999- 2002; Member, 1996-2003)
- Corporate Counsel Section (Chair, 2000-2002; Council Member, 1998-2002)
- Permanent Advisory Committee on the Delaware Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct (Appointee, 2019 – 2021)
- Delaware Access to Justice Commission (Commission and Subcommittee Appointee, 2014 - 2017)
- Carpenter-Walsh Delaware Pro Bono Inn of Court (Original member and former President, 2004 - 2017)
- International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (Elected Member, Board of Directors, 2014 - 2015)
- Montrose Chemical Corporation of California (Board of Directors, 2004 - 2012)
Charitable and Civic Involvement
- Delaware Law School (Adjunct Professor, 2018-present)
Accolades
- Contributed to recognition as Best Legal Department Finalist by Corporate Counsel and featured in Modern Counsel for innovations in cost control (2015)
- Co-recipient of CEO Awards for In-House Excellence
- Presidential Citation, Delaware State Bar Association
