Joy M. Napier-Joyce

Joy M. Napier-Joyce is a principal in the Baltimore, Maryland, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She is co-leader of the firm’s Employee Benefits practice group.

Joy counsels clients in a broad range of benefit matters, including general compliance and administration of qualified retirement plans under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. She also assists clients with welfare plan issues involving cafeteria plans, health plans, flexible spending accounts, group insurance products, COBRA and HIPAA. Joy has a particular focus on assisting employers with the various compliance requirements associated with federal health care reform and has been a frequent speaker on the topic. Her practice also includes advice on non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements and other executive compensation matters, including issues related to compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.

As part of her practice, Joy frequently assists clients with a variety of benefits issues arising in corporate mergers and acquisitions and restructurings of all forms. This includes analyzing benefits risks for buyers, handling plan corrections and terminations, strategizing and implementing benefits arrangements post-closing and advising on controlled group considerations. 

Joy represents clients in dealings with the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor, including EPCRS applications, private letter rulings, determination letter applications and plan audits. She negotiates with outside benefits providers, including prototype plan sponsors, third party administrators, insurers, actuaries and auditors. She also counsels both public and private clients on a wide array of tax and securities law issues in relation to equity-based arrangements.

During law school, Joy was the book review and topics editor for the Boston University Law Review.

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, "Lawyer of the Year- Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law" (2022)
• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Benefits (ERISA) Law” (2012-present)
• Chambers USA, “Employment Benefits & Executive Compensation” (2017-present)
• Legal 500 USA, “Recommended Attorney” (2017-present)

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

• The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore, MD, Trustee (2020-present)