Joyce Merritt

As a founding member of EMWN, Joyce A. Merritt has extensive experience in administrative/regulatory law and complex litigation in the areas of healthcare, Medicaid, ERISA, OSHA, contract disputes, and torts. She represents clients in the managed care, insurance, healthcare, construction and commercial sectors. Having litigated complex commercial disputes, Joyce is adept at negotiating contracts on the front end to avoid litigation. Joyce has been recognized by Best Lawyers in the area of commercial litigation and by SuperLawyers in administrative law.

 

Joyce is an experienced litigator and has managed litigation effectively and efficiently for individuals and Fortune 100 and 500 companies. She won the pivotal Kentucky Supreme Court decision on the issue of standing in the courts of the Commonwealth. Joyce has defended companies in hundreds of administrative appeals in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Administration through all levels of appeal. 

 

In addition to her active litigation practice, Joyce handles contracting, consulting, compliance and transactional work for the health industry and for Kentucky businesses. Joyce provides outside counsel work for small businesses in all aspects of their business including employee matters, third-party contracts, and protection of their intellectual property.

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Joyce has extensive administrative/regulatory law experience in her defense of companies in administrative hearings, but also in her capacity as a hearing officer for Universities across the Commonwealth. Joyce is well-versed in KRS Chapter 13B hearings and Title IX hearings, having spent over 20 years as a hearing officer. Joyce currently serves as a hearing officer in Title IX student and faculty hearings and employee hearings.

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In addition to her civil litigation practice, Joyce served as one of a select group of attorneys appointed to the Criminal Justice Act panel for the Eastern District of KY from 1998 to 2020. She continues to defend individuals and corporations in all types of federal criminal cases, including complex cases from the trial level through all levels of appeal.