Josephine (Jo) focuses her practice on commercial litigation and construction law. She counsels real estate developers, project owners, contractors, and design professionals in all phases of the construction process. Jo’s practice includes public and private projects as well as bid protests throughout the United States. She also regularly handles claims related to mechanics’ liens on projects. Jo has wide-ranging experience litigating construction defect claims including stucco and other water intrusion claims. She has litigated in a wide range of forums, including state, federal, and administrative forums as well as various boards of contract appeals.
Prior to joining the firm, she was a senior attorney in the enforcement section of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). There, Jo focused on banking laws and regulations, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Federal Housing Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, and section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. She managed, investigated, and developed legal strategy for 10c enforcement litigation matters and investigations involving deceptive and unfair practices to consumers and fraud or other risk-related harm to FDIC insured institutions. She worked with the FDIC’s seven regional offices and examiners in the FDIC’s Division of Consumer Protection and Risk Management Supervision. She developed methods to streamline pleadings related to 10c investigations and other consumer related enforcement documents. Through the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), Jo provided advice to the FDIC chairman on diversity and inclusion concerns. She developed and implemented OMWI activities that addressed cultural diversity, differences, similarities, and contributions of the FDIC’s workforce. Prior to joining the enforcement section, she served as an honors attorney, detailed in 7, 12-week rotational placements within the FDIC Legal Division Section, including the Dallas and Chicago offices.
Before joining the FDIC, Jo served as a federal judicial law clerk for the Honorable Joel H. Slomsky, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania during the 2016-2017 term.
Jo earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s University. While earning her bachelor’s degree, she was an intern for the John Kluge Center for Research at the Library of Congress and an intern for Inese Vaidere, member of European Parliament (Latvia), European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Jo earned her law degree from New York Law School. While in law school, Jo was an intern for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. and New York City and the Honorable Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr., U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri.
Outside of her legal practice, Jo is very involved in civic, charitable, bar, and community organizations. Jo served as chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD), the largest organization of young lawyers in the world, from August 2022 to August 2023. Jo is also a regular columnist for Law360, where she shares her insights on current Construction Law issues.