About Janssen
Janssen Willhoit built a career that bridges policy study and courtroom work. He earned an M.S. in Political Management and Policy from The George Washington University Law School in 2010 and completed a J.D. at Vermont Law School in 2012. Those academic stops set the stage for a practice rooted in procedure and advocacy.
After law school, Willhoit moved into practice in Vermont. He is admitted to the Vermont bar and to the Federal Circuit, an admission that opens the door to appellate work at the federal level. Over the years he has combined courtroom experience with appellate filings, which requires a different attention to record building and legal writing than routine trial work.
Willhoit’s background in political management is visible in the way he approaches cases. He emphasizes clear organization and strategy. Colleagues describe him as methodical in preparing records for appeal and practical when managing trial logistics. He has worked on matters that require coordination across state and federal procedures, a skill set reinforced by his dual admissions.
He practices under the name Willhoit Defense. The firm presents itself as a defense-oriented practice and handles matters in Vermont courts and in federal appellate venues where the Federal Circuit jurisdiction applies. Willhoit’s role there involves both trial advocacy and appellate briefing. He spends time drafting pleadings, preparing clients for hearings, and assembling the technical parts of appeals when cases move upward.
Clients and peers say he is engaged in the day-to-day work of litigation: meeting witnesses, shaping legal arguments, and following court deadlines. His academic work in policy gives him a perspective on administrative processes and statutory interpretation, which can matter in complex appeals. He does not publicize headline-making cases, preferring steady representation and careful file management.
Outside the courtroom he maintains professional memberships. Those affiliations keep him current on procedural developments and appellate practice trends. The combination of a political-management graduate degree and a law degree from Vermont Law School gives him an unusual mix of policy insight and courtroom training.
He currently practices defense work at Willhoit Defense, representing clients in state and federal matters.
