Overview

A seasoned litigator, Joyce has over 30 years of experience representing clients in in high exposure civil litigation, including mass torts, multidistrict and class action litigation. She chairs the life science group within the firm’s Product Liability Practice and is a recognized leader in diversity, equality and inclusion. Joyce regularly defends chemical, pharmaceutical and medical device companies involving a variety of products including IUDs, a drug used during coronary bypass surgery, pain medication, antidepressants, vaccines, breast implants, spinal instrumentation, latex gloves, surgical clips and needle products, among others. Her extensive experience also includes representing an international food and flavoring company against workplace exposure claims.

Her experience includes obtaining a complete defense verdict following a nine-day trial in a complex personal injury matter on behalf of the American Red Cross in federal court in Ohio. She also successfully protected the district court’s rulings and the jury’s defense verdict in the Sixth Circuit, and opposed the plaintiff’s petition for a writ of certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, she recently secured a favorable defense result related to third party liability issue under Ohio product liability law.

Joyce handles cases in state and federal courts and she has been involved in every phase of litigation including taking and defending fact and expert depositions, preparing and arguing key motions, negotiating with opposing counsel, trying cases and arguing appeals.

Joyce has been named three times as a Best Lawyers’® Columbus, Ohio, Product Liability Litigation-Defendants “Lawyer of the Year.” She received the Columbus Bar Association President’s Award for her role in leading a team of 40 lawyers and staff in litigation that resulted in nearly $6.4 million in fines for an illegal trust mill scheme. And, she received the Ohio Women’s Bar Association Founders’ Award which recognizes “an outstanding woman attorney who has contributed to the legal profession.”

Education

  • West Virginia University College of Law  (J.D., 1982)
  • Indiana University  (B.A., 1979)

Bar Admissions

  • Ohio
  • West Virginia (Inactive)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
  • Pro Hac Vice admission in Courts in CA, IL, GA, KY, MO, MT and WV
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Professional Associations

  • Ohio Women's Bar Association, Founding Member
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Federal Bar Association, Columbus Chapter
  • Defense Research Institute, Drug and Medical Device Committee
  • Ohio State Bar Association, Section on Women in the Profession, former Chair
  • Columbus Bar Association
  • ClientFocus Women Rainmakers’ Roundtable

Honors & Awards

  • Who’s Who in the World
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
  • The Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year,” Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Columbus, Ohio, 2015, 2021 and 2024
  • Ohio Super Lawyers
  • Ohio Super Lawyers, “Top 25 Women Columbus Super Lawyers,” 2017, 2020
  • Ohio Super Lawyers, “Top 50 Women Ohio Super Lawyers,” 2021
  • Columbus Bar Association, President’s Award, 2008
  • Ohio Women’s Bar Association, Founder’s Award, 2006
  • Columbus Business First, Forty Under 40
  • Corporate Counsel, Women, Influence & Power in Law 2020
  • Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD), Women WELDing the Way, 2020

Community

  • Community Shelter Board, Trustee 2011-2017
  • Columbus Jewish Federation, Cardozo Society, Steering Committee, 2008-2011
  • Capital University, Board of Trustees, 2009-2010
  • YWCA Housing Corporation, Chair, Board of Directors, 2006-2009
  • Columbus Jewish Federation, Leadership 21, Class of 2006
  • YWCA Columbus, Board of Directors, 1994-2004
  • Leadership Columbus, Class of 1990
  • United Way of Central Ohio, Alexis de Tocqueville Society