Attorney Overview
Joy’s employment and unemployment law practice is supported by more than 23 years’ of experience representing clients in unemployment benefit eligibility cases under Title 50 RCW and Chapter 192 WAC. Joy prepared more than 500 cases for administrative appeal before administrative law judges (ALJ) of the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). She investigated thousands of job separations in which she previously advocated on behalf of employer clients before the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD). Prior to becoming an attorney in 2011, Joy worked in a lay legal capacity under GR 24(b)(3).
Since opening her own practice in 2012, Joy enjoys using her unique experience and passion for the law to advocate for unemployment claimants at every level of the administrative law process. She also enjoys working with her individual and employer clients in seeking justice and resolving disputes.
Joy is a member of the Washington Employment Lawyers Association, the King County Bar Association, the Washington State Bar Association, and others.
Experience
Attorney at Law
Lockerby Law, PLLC, Seattle, WA (2012 – Present)
- Employment Law – Provide legal advisement on issues involving the employer-employee relationship and issues involving state and federal employment laws.
- Unemployment Law – Help clients navigate issues that arise with unemployment claims and administrative appeal hearings.
Director, Unemployment Compensation Program
Washington Hospital Services, Inc., Seattle, WA (1998–2012) (also held positions as claims manager and claims representative)
- Directed unemployment compensation program to minimize unemployment insurance costs.
- Represented employers in unemployment claim matters before the Employment Security Department, the Office of Administrative Hearings, and the Commissioner’s Review Office. Argued issues under Title 50 RCW and WAC 192 including UI benefit eligibility (job separation and availability issues), training benefits, commissioner approved training, overpayment waivers, timeliness, and tax assessments.
Education
J.D., Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, WA, 2011
- Earned J.D. while working full-time.
- Competed in moot court and mediation competitions. Highlights:
- Placed first at an In-House Appellate Competition (civil RICO case), April 2009.
- Competed on behalf of Seattle University School of Law at the International Moot Court Competition in Information Technology & Privacy Law (privacy torts case) at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois, October 2009.
B.A., Business Administration, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 1997
Bar Admissions
- Washington State, 2011 – Present
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2014 – Present
Professional Associations
- Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), 2011-Present
- Current sections: Labor & Employment Law, Administrative Law, and Solo/Small Firm
- Washington Employment Lawyers Association (WELA), 2014-Present
- Christian Legal Society, Seattle Chapter, Board of Directors, 2023-Present
- National Association of Unemployment Insurance Appeals Professionals (NAUIAP), 2017 – Present
- Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ), 2013-19
- King County Bar Association (KCBA), 2011-19
- Current sections: Labor & Employment Law and Appellate Practice
- Past chair, Subcommittee on Administrative Law Reform, KCBA Public Policy Committee, 2017-18
- Past member, Public Policy Committee, 2016-18
Presentations and Publications
- Author, Unemployment Compensation (chapter 38), Washington Employment Law Deskbook, Washington State Association for Justice, Diego A. Rondon Ichikawa & Ada Ko Wong, eds., 5th ed. December 8, 2022
- Author, Unemployment Compensation (chapter 34), Washington Employment Law Deskbook, Washington State Association for Justice, Judith A. Lonnquist, ed., 4th ed. October 17, 2017
- Faculty Chair, Administrative Law Forum: Administrative Hearings and the Public Interest, KCBA Public Policy Committee, Seattle University School of Law, October 12, 2017
- Co-presenter, What they Think of Us: Current Issues in UI Appeals Hearings from the Claimant and Employer Camps, National Association of Unemployment Insurance Appeals Professionals (NAUIAP) Annual Conference, Seattle, June 18, 2017
- Presenter, Witness Examinations in Administrative Hearings, Washington Employment Lawyer’s Association Annual CLE, “Can I get a Witness?” Seattle, WA, Oct. 21, 2016
- Co-author, Venturing Solo: “Why Not You?” King County Bar Bulletin, Mar. 2014
- Co-author, Unemployment Law Update: 2012 Precedential Decisions of the Commissioner,” Washington State Bar Association’s Administrative Law Section Newsletter, Fall 2013
- Presenter, Unemployment Compensation 101: Best Practices for Employers, Washington State Healthcare Human Resources Association (WSHHRA) Spring Conference, Issaquah, WA, April 25, 2013
Interviews
Legal Incubators: Helping to Hatch Solo Practices by Randy Trick, NW Lawyer magazine, September 2013.
