Hard work really does pay off, especially in Joe Meuleman’s case.
Meuleman is a recipient of the Idaho Business Review’s Accomplished Under 40 award which recognizes well-rounded, successful business professionals under the age of 40 based on four criteria: professional accomplishments, leadership skills, community involvement and long-term goals.
Meuleman, a University of Idaho alumnus, meets all four criteria.
At 35, Mueleman is an associate attorney of Meuleman Mollerup LLP in Boise, specializing in the areas of construction law and commercial litigation. He serves on the Boise State University College of Engineering, Department of Construction Management Advisory Board, and is a member of the Associated General Contractors of America and the Idaho Associated General Contractors.
“Leadership skills go hand in hand with community involvement and professional achievements,” Meuleman said. “I think it’s important to take an active role in the community versus a passive role.”
Meuleman said the education and experiences afforded to him while at UI, paired with his background in construction, played a pivotal role in where he is today.
Meuleman graduated from UI with a Bachelor of Science in Finance in 2001.
“The finance degree might not necessarily be tied to the construction industry, but UI has a great business program and it helped me prepare for a career in general,” he said.
After his undergraduate, Meuleman obtained a career as a cost engineer with McAlvain Construction, in which he forecasted and tracked project costs.
“It’s a large contracting company, but not so big that you get compartmentalized,” he said. “I worked with different departments and gained experience in all areas of the industry.”
Mueleman returned to UI for law school following four years as a cost engineer.
“It’s a great experience for anyone who thinks about going to a graduate program,” Meuleman said. “They should think about taking some time to try out a career beforehand. For me personally, it helped me dial in on my work ethic and things of that nature before returning to school.”
While in law school, Meuleman landed an internship with the Associated General Contractors of America in Washington, D.C.
“That was a great experience,” he said. “I was able to work with some of the top lawyers in the country, doing contract drafting, analysis and putting out white papers.”
In his last semester of law school, Meuleman obtained a legal externship with Magistrate Judge Mikel H. Williams of the United States District Court, District of Idaho.
Meuleman is one of 40 recipients for IBR’s 2013 award, in which 129 individuals were nominated.
Meuleman said his long-term goals include becoming more involved on a national level with trade associations, conducting presentations, compiling articles and gaining more exposure as a knowledgeable professional in the field, while growing his father’s law firm in Boise.
Britt Kiser can be reached at [email protected]