In memoriam: Joel R. Junker, Esquire (1951–2019)
JOEL R. JUNKER
Education
LL.B. (Honors) – University of Cambridge, Trinity Hall (1978)
J.D., California Western School of Law (1977)
Editor in Chief, California Western International Law Journal
B.A., Valparaiso University
Student Senate President
International Studies – Cambridge, England (1970) – Reutlingen, Germany (1972)
Bar Affiliations
Washington State Bar Association
California State Bar Association
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of International Trade
Selected Publications
“U.S. Court of International Trade Cases in 2011 in Penalty and Liquidated Damages Collection Actions Under 28 U.S.C. § 1582 and Its First Government Procurement Country of Origin Case Under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(e),” 44 Georgetown Journal of International Law 173 (2012)
“Protective Orders in Exclusion of Corporate Counsel from Access to Confidential Information,” 8 Maryland Journal of International Law and Trade 191 (1984).
“U.S. Regulations of Imports: An Overview of Principal Statutes and Procedures,” 12 Korean Journal of Comparative Law 109 (1984).
“The Public Policy Defense to Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards,” 7 California Western International Law Journal 228 (1977).
“Customs and International Trade Law,” Doing Business in Washington State, Chapter 16 (1996).
”U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement: An Overview,” 43 Washington State Bar News No. 3, 27 (1989).
Our colleague and friend, Joel R. Junker, passed away on August 31, 2019.
Joel’s contributions to the landscape of international trade law spanned a 48-year career, during which time worked tirelessly in the representation of his client which included, the U.S. government, private businesses of all sizes, trade associations, and countless individuals.
Mr. Junker began his career at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. His final position at the ITC was as Assistant General Counsel for Litigation and Special Projects under which title he supervised all of the agency’s trial and appellate litigation before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of International Trade, and the Federal District Courts.
Beginning in 1983, he practiced international trade law at two well-established Seattle firms. In 1991, Joel formed his own international trade law firm, the Law Office of Joel R. Junker. In 2014, Junker & Nakachi opened as the embodiment of shared principles and dedication to trade law within a boutique, client-first setting.
With a Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rating, Mr. Junker was short-listed for and interviewed twice at the White House for the position of Commissioner of Customs and/or a nomination to the U.S. Court of International Trade and was recognized as one of the leading experts in the decades-long Softwood Lumber disputes between the United States and Canada.
In addition to being an attorney, Joel was a man of letters and creativity, whose life centered on core principles, including his integrity and his belief in the essential goodness of the people around him. These values shaped his practice, marked his life, and impacted everyone around him. When a problem arose in life, Joel would literally roll-up his sleeves and take to the solution.
We carry his Joel’s values forward as a part of our DNA. Like Joel, we believe that the first order of business is to “forge ahead.” It is our privilege to continue bringing these principles forward into the future.