Renowned trial lawyer and legal scholar Gregory P. Joseph, a long-time member of The American Law Institute, passed away on February 27, 2026. Elected to ALI in 1987, Joseph participated in the Institute’s work as a member of the Members Consultative Group for the Principles of the Law, Aggregate Litigation and the Restatement of the Law, The Law Governing Lawyers.
Joseph was widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading litigators and a preeminent authority on litigation sanctions and civil RICO. Over the course of his career, he combined an active trial practice with significant contributions to legal scholarship. His treatises—including Sanctions: The Federal Law of Litigation Abuse, Civil RICO: A Definitive Guide, and Modern Visual Evidence—are widely cited by courts and practitioners and remain authoritative works in their fields.
In addition to his practice and scholarship, Joseph held numerous leadership roles in the legal profession. He served as President of the American College of Trial Lawyers and as Chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation. He was also appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States to serve on the Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Evidence and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Supreme Court Historical Society.
Joseph was the founder of the firm now known as Joseph Hage Aaronson LLC, where he was widely respected as an advocate, mentor, and colleague. The Institute honors Gregory Joseph’s contributions to the law and to the profession.