Overview

Joy C. Rosenquist has had an illustrious career in the public and private sectors for the past two decades, most recently serving as the assistant chief counsel for the State of California. There she was involved with executive management in overseeing regulations, legislation, and coordinating with the Health and Human Service Agency, as well as the Governor’s office on employment law compliance issues. She supervised a legal team of attorneys and handled a wide variety of employment issues in advising public entities. Joy provided house counsel advice on discrimination/harassment/retaliation, COVID-19 compliance, workplace violence, and traditional labor, to name just a few.

Joy has litigated matters in state and federal court, defending multiple departments and agencies in the public sector throughout her career. She has practiced labor and employment litigation and advice and counsel work for the past 11 years at the State, with a recent emphasis on implementation of executive orders, legislation, oversight of regulations, and drafting trailer bill legislation. 

Joy serves as a California liaison for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI). Joy focuses on California state legislative and regulatory developments in employment and labor law, as well as municipal ordinances and regulation of the workplace. She assists the employer community in understanding and impacting California legislation before it becomes law. With Joy’s unique background in governmental affairs and regulatory practice, she is skilled at representing public entities on all facets of statutory and municipal compliance and related litigation and ordinances.

Joy also provides advice and counsel on pay equity and compliance and related employment law issues. Joy is skilled at workplace audits and investigations, having oversight of internal and third party investigators while employed at the State.  

Between 2001 and 2011, Joy practiced employment law with several private practice firms in the Sacramento area, developing a diverse practice including public sector litigation and advice work, trade secret and employee misappropriation cases, NLRB arbitrations related to contested elections, a jury trial and administrative hearings at the city and county level.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Past Chair of Grants and Award Committee

Women Lawyers of Sacramento

Member

Sacramento County Bar Association

Volunteer Moot Court Judge

McGeorge School of Law, UC Davis School of Law

Volunteer Instructor

Local high school moot court team

Member, Negotiations Competition Team

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

Recognition

Participant

Leadership Development Institute

Recipient, Timothy Schooley Award

2023

News, Analysis & Press

Employment Law Update: New Laws for 2025

Insight

November 22, 2024

How A California Intersectionality Law Might Boost Equal Pay

Law360 Employment Authority

October 23, 2024

Impact Of Equal Pay Data Reporting A Mixed Bag

Law360 Employment Authority

September 9, 2024

What's Next For Calif. Employers After AI Bias Bill's Failure

Law360 Employment Authority

September 6, 2024

The Global Guide Quarterly (Quarter 2, 2024)

Global Guide Quarterly

July 24, 2024

More States Are Passing Pay Transparency Laws

New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants

June 7, 2024

3 Tips To Not Mess Up Calif. Pay Data Reports

Law360 Employment Authority

February 28, 2024

Weekly Shift

POLITICO

January 8, 2024

What Californians can expect from AB 2188

KCBS Radio

December 15, 2023

California’s Non-Compete Shakeup

ASAP

October 17, 2023

Pay Transparency and Disclosure Laws: Best Employer Practices

LexisNexis|Practical Guidance

August 1, 2023

An ‘AI Summer’ in California?

SHRM Online

July 25, 2023

The Littler Annual Employer Survey 2023

Littler Report

May 10, 2023

Los Angeles Adopts Fair Workweek Measures

SHRM Online

February 14, 2023

Remote Work Means Pay Transparency May Be Borderless

Law360 Employment Authority

February 3, 2023

4 Calif. Discrimination Laws That Will Take Effect In 2023

Law360 Employment Authority

January 6, 2023

New Calif. Laws Employers Should Have On Their Radar

Law360 Employment Authority

October 14, 2022

Computing Litigation

Comstock Magazine

May 1, 2011

Speaking Engagements

Navigating AI Laws

501c3 Association

October 3, 2024

2024 Littler AI Summit

Washington, DC

September 23, 2024

2024 California Legislative Updates

36th Annual Educational Conference, California Alliance of Paralegal Association

June 29, 2024

Violence Prevention Plans, Hybrid Work Woes, Valuing Veterans, and Other Employment Challenges for 2024

Breakfast Briefing

May 14, 2024

2023 Littler AI Summit

Washington, DC

September 21, 2023

WPI: The New Era of Divided Government: What are the Implications for Employers?

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 11, 2023

Show and Tell: Pay Transparency and Disclosure Requirements Go Primetime

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 11, 2023

Pay Transparency

California State HR Advocacy & Legislative Conference

April 13, 2023

It’s Shocktober in California Again! Our Annual California Legislative Employment Law Update

October 19, 2022

Navigating California Compliance

September 15, 2022

July is the New January

July 19, 2022

Update on New 2022 Laws

California Delivery Association

June 15, 2022

Sexual Harassment and Anti-Discrimination

Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy

Education

  • J.D., University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, 2001with honors
  • B.A., University of California, Davis, 1998with honors

Bar Admission

California

Courts

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California