Focused on IP
Intellectual property is the practice, not a sideline. That focus means faster, more precise answers.
About the attorney
Joanna M. Justus
Founding attorney of Lady Justus Law Firm. A California-licensed intellectual property lawyer in Santa Clara who helps businesses and creatives protect their brands and their work.
Joanna spends her days at the intersection of law and technology. She is the Managing Director of the Datta Center for High Tech Law at Santa Clara University School of Law, one of the country's leading programs in technology and intellectual property law, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.
That vantage point shows her how quickly AI, online platforms, and the creator economy are changing what it means to own a name, an image, or an idea. Today every business creates intellectual property, from its brand and content to its software and product designs, and many are making decisions about it with nothing more than a search engine or an AI chatbot.
She started Lady Justus to give businesses and creators of every size thoughtful, strategic IP counsel at flat and predictable prices, without a trip to a downtown office. Many clients come to her after asking an AI tool first. She reviews what it got right, fixes what it got wrong, and fills in what it never knew about their business.
Professional background
Credentials
Bar admission
- State Bar of CaliforniaLicensed attorney, State Bar No. 337511 · Verify license
Education
- Santa Clara University School of LawJuris Doctor (J.D.)High Tech Law Certificate, Intellectual Property Law Specialization, with HonorsSanta Clara Law Review, Technical Editor, Volume 61Honors Moot Court
- University of California, BerkeleyBachelor of Arts (B.A.), Legal StudiesMinor in Ethnic Studies
Academic positions
- Santa Clara University School of LawAdjunct Law LecturerManaging Director, Datta Center for High Tech Law
Bar exam preparation
- Themis Bar ReviewCalifornia Bar Essay Grader, 2026–presentAttorney Advisor, 2023–2025
Professional memberships
- California Lawyers AssociationMember, Intellectual Property Law Section
Fluent in AI
Joanna works where technology law is taught and debated, so she knows how AI tools work, where they go wrong, and what that means for AI-assisted creative work.
Flat fees, fully online
Clear prices or a monthly plan, and meetings by video. Legal help that fits how modern businesses and creators work.
Clarity first
Joanna makes complex law clear. As an adjunct law lecturer and bar exam grader, she gives you direct answers and the reasoning behind them.
The name
Why "Lady Justus"?
Justus is Joanna's family name, and it echoes Lady Justice, who has stood for fairness and balance for centuries. The firm's mission is to keep the scales level for businesses and independent creators, who deserve the same IP protection as large companies.