Joan A. Lukey
Practice Group Leader - Complex Trial & Appellate Litigation
For more than thirty years, Joan Lukey has tried complex business litigation in state and federal courts nationwide. She has tried approximately 100 jury trials and a myriad of bench trials and arbitrations in all aspects of business disputes. In addition, she is an accomplished appellate lawyer, having argued approximately 60 federal and state appeals. For the past two years, she has been honored by Benchmark as one of the top 10 female litigators nationally.
Since 1983, Joan has been selected by her peers for each edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of business, bet-the-company, commercial, personal injury, employment and First Amendment litigation. She has also been routinely recognized for the last several years in Chambers USA and Chambers Global as a Band One Litigator.
Joan is a past President of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers, the first woman ever to hold this position. Before joining Choate in 2014, she was a partner at Ropes & Gray in the Complex Business Litigation Practice Group from 2008 until 2014, after almost thirty years as a partner at WilmerHale. She has served twice as a Massachusetts Special Assistant Attorney General and has written extensively on issues of Gubernatorial and Presidential Executive Privilege.
Awards
- Massachusetts Lawyers "Circle of Excellence" (2020).
- Who’s Who Legal Litigation practice area (2017).
- Benchmark Litigation: Top 10 Female Litigators (2015) (2018) (2019).
- Benchmark Litigation: Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2017-2019).
- The Legal 500's "Leading Trial Lawyer" ranking (2016-2019).
- Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business (2010-2019).
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2009-2021).
- Acritas Stars: independently nominated by multiple clients as one of the most outstanding lawyers they have worked with, and is included in the Acritas Stars multinational, peer recommended lawyers database (2020).
- The Best Lawyers in America (1983-2019), listed under Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, First Amendment Law, Labor and Employment Law and Personal Injury Litigation.
- Benchmark Litigation: National Litigation Star (2013-2019).
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers
- Lawdragon 500 (2013-2019).
- Has been listed among Boston Magazine's “Top 50 Female Massachusetts Super Lawyers” and as one of its “Fabulous 40,” a group of forty Bostonians celebrated for their career success and dynamic, unique personalities.
- Named one of the “35 influential judges and lawyers in Massachusetts of the past 35 years” and “Leaders in the Law” in 2013 in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.
- "America's 50 Top Women Litigators,” National Law Journal.
- Named one of the most powerful attorneys in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts edition of the National Law Journal.
- Burton Award for Legal Achievement In Writing.
- Founders' Medal from Boston College Law School (2004).
- St. Thomas More Award from Boston College Law School (2003).
- Inducted into YWCA's Academy of Women Achievers (1996).
Publications and Presentations
An accomplished writer, Ms. Lukey's OpEd pieces have appeared in The Washington Post and The Boston Globe. She is a co-editor and co-author of the treatise Federal Litigation in the First Circuit.
Education & Credentials
Boston College Law School
JD, cum laude, Order of the Coif
Editor, Environmental Affairs Law Review
Member, National Moot Court Championship Team
First woman selected as Best Oral Advocate at National Moot Court Competition
Smith College
BA, magna cum laude
Admissions
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
U.S. District Courts, Massachusetts & New Hampshire
Focus Area
Joan's Insights
Post Roe v. Wade Podcast 07.01.2022
Post Roe v. Wade: Potential Impact on Colleges, Universities and Medical Education
Christine Savage and Joan Lukey discuss the potential operational and legal impacts for colleges, universities, and medical education facilities as a result of the recent Dobbs decision and Roe v. Wade overturn.
Post Roe v. Wade Podcast 06.08.2022
Post Roe v. Wade: A Conversation with Retired Chief Justice Margaret Marshall
This episode features an insightful conversation between retired Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and Joan Lukey about the leaked Dobbs decision.
Post Roe v. Wade Podcast 05.23.2022
Post Roe v. Wade: Introduction
Joan Lukey, Christine Savage, and Alison Reif introduce the Post Roe v. Wade podcast series, providing employers and professionals in restrictive states with an overview of the potential legal challenges if Roe v. Wade is overturned.