Joyce Gist Lewis

Co-Managing Partner

Joyce Gist Lewis is a skilled and tenacious advocate for private companies and governmental entities in and out of the courtroom. Joyce’s two decades of experience includes serving as lead counsel for claims involving professional liability, director and officer liability, business divorce, real estate litigation, employment discrimination defense, and catastrophic injury defense. Her appellate experience includes arguing cases before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and successfully petitioning for certiorari to Georgia’s Supreme Court. Joyce is also a top choice for government clients seeking counsel in sensitive intra-agency disputes and investigations. Her reputation as a principled trial advocate has resulted in Joyce being named to the “short-list” of nominees recommended by Georgia’s Judicial Nominating Commission for appointment to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 2018 and to the Atlanta Judicial Circuit in 2011 and 2012.

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About Joyce

Joyce received her BA, magna cum laude from Wake Forest University (1993) and her law degree from Georgia State University College of Law (1999). She is Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated Preeminent and has been repeatedly rated by her peers in the Top 100 Lawyers in Georgia, the Top 50 Women Lawyers, and in Best Lawyers (Commercial Litigation; Employment; Personal Injury Defense). Joyce represents the Atlanta Circuit on the State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors, where she serves on the Executive Committee, the Advisory Committee on Legislation, and the Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee. Joyce is a past recipient of the State Bar of Georgia’s Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism award and the Atlanta Bar Association’s Outstanding Woman in the Profession Award.

Joyce’s past leadership positions include serving as President of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta, President of the Board of the Federal Defender Program, Inc., and President of the Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers. She is a Master in GSU’s Bleckley Inn of Court, a Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America.

Background

Education

  • Georgia State University College of Law, J.D., 1999
  • Wake Forest University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1993

Admissions

  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • Northern District of Georgia
  • Middle District of Georgia
  • Southern District of Georgia
  • Georgia Supreme Court
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • All Georgia trial courts

Recognitions

  • State Bar of Georgia Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award (2022-23)
  • Atlanta Bar Association Outstanding Woman of Achievement (2018)
  • Martindale Hubbell AV Rated Preeminent
  • Best Lawyers in America – Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment; Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants)
  • Atlanta Magazine/Super Lawyers – Top 100 Lawyers in Georgia; Top 50 Women Lawyers
  • Recommended by Georgia’s Judicial Nominating Commission for appointment to Georgia Court of Appeals and Atlanta Judicial Circuit
  • Litigation Counsel of America – Fellow; Distinguished Guest Speaker

Community

  • State Bar of Georgia: Executive Committee (2024-present); Board of Governors Atlanta Circuit Post 12 (2018-present); Chair, Statewide Judicial Evaluation Committee (2014-2017); Co-Chair, Committee to Promote Inclusion in the Profession (2015-2019); Advisory Committee on Legislation (2018-present)
  • Lawyers Club of Atlanta: President (2017-18), Executive Committee (2010-2019)
  • Federal Defender Program, Inc. Board of Directors (2014-2020) – President (2018-19)
  • American Inns of Court, Bleckley Inn – Master; Executive Committee
  • Leadership Institute for Women of Color Attorneys (LIWOCA) – Sponsorship Chair
  • American Board of Trial Advocates – Member; Georgia Chapter Executive Committee
  • Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys – Inter-Bar Relations Chair (2020-21)
  • Georgia Association for Women Lawyers – Chair/Co-Chair, Judicial Applicant Comm. (2010-12); Statewide Rep-at-Large (2008-09); President, Atlanta Chapter (2007-08)
  • Barrister, Litigation Counsel of America Order of Veritas
  • Advocate, Litigation Counsel of America Order of Certus
  • Member, Litigation Counsel of America Trial Law Institute
  • Member, Litigation Counsel of America Diversity Law Institute
  • Member, Atlanta Bar Association
  • Member, Gate City Bar Association
  • Member, Federal Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School Board Of Directors (Governance Chair)
  • Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Chair, Parish Council)
  • Alliance Theatre Advisory Council

Client Resources

Presentations