Jocelyn focuses her practice on representing publicly traded and private corporations in product liability claims, complex civil litigation, and environmental litigation in state and federal courts. She has robust trial experience, both from her time as a Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps prosecutor and as a trial attorney at McGuireWoods.
Jocelyn has managed various stages of the litigation process, including drafting and responding to complaints, propounding and responding to discovery, taking and defending depositions, drafting and arguing various motions, and examining witnesses and arguing at trial. She also has experience in multiple states representing health care service providers, dentists, and certified public accountants before their respective licensing agencies.
After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Jocelyn served on active duty in the Air Force for ten years. She served as a diversity recruiter in the USAFA Admissions Office and an intelligence officer. After law school, she served as a prosecutor and general practice attorney in the Air Force JAG Corps. As a JAG, she also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Jocelyn tried seven criminal cases and conducted more than ten administrative hearings as a prosecutor. Prior to joining McGuireWoods, she clerked for the Honorable Barbara A. Jackson at the North Carolina Supreme Court.
As a veteran, Jocelyn enjoys representing servicemembers in her pro bono practice and has successfully obtained additional benefits for disabled veterans. An active member in her community and a diversity and inclusion advocate, Jocelyn recently accepted a gubernatorial appointment to serve on the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, and she also currently serves as the Chair of the Advisory Board of the Southeast Raleigh YMCA and as a member of its Racial Equity Committee. For these and other contributions to her professional and personal communities, Jocelyn was named to the National Bar Association’s 40 Under 40: Nation’s Best Advocates List.
“Integrity, service, and excellence are not only three of the firm’s core values, but they are also the Air Force’s core values. As a 10-year veteran, these core values are already my way of life.”
Member, SE Raleigh YMCA Advisory Board
Past President, Capital City Lawyers Association
Member, North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers
Member, Wake County Bar Association
Council Member, North Carolina Bar Association Military and Veterans Law Section
Member, Junior League of Raleigh
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Recipient, “Outstanding Recent Graduate Award,” UNC School of Law Alumni Association, 2022
Recipient, "Citizen Lawyer Award," North Carolina Bar Association, 2022
Named to 'Top 40 Under 40," The National Black Lawyers, 2021, 2022
Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation, 2021-2023, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2023
Named to North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2019, 2021
Recipient, "Leaders in Diversity Award," Triangle Business Journal, 2020
Recipient, “Women in Business Award,” Triangle Business Journal, April 2020
Named to “40 Under 40: Nation’s Best Advocates," National Bar Association, 2020
Recipient, Diversity & Inclusion Award, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, 2019
Named to RecruitMilitary’s Top 40 Under 40 List, 2017