Joel P. Laitman graduated from Columbia University in 1981 with a B.A. degree, magna cum laude, and received his J.D. degree from the Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C. in 1986. Thereafter, he was associated with the firm of Shea & Gould, then one of the largest law firms in New York City, practicing in the field of general commercial litigation. In December 1988 he became associated with the firm of Bernstein, Litowitz, Berger & Grossmann, specializing in federal securities class action litigation. In March 1992, he joined the firm of Schoengold Sporn Laitman & Lometti.