Joan S. Wise
General Counsel
As General Counsel, Joan Wise represents AARP's interests in legal matters in order to protect AARP's image, name, programs, and services. She is Counsel to the AARP Board of Directors. She also addresses legal issues to prevent legal problems arising by working closely with staff and volunteers as new programs and projects are developed.
Joan joined AARP's Office of the General Counsel as an Attorney in 1987. She has held a series of increasingly responsible positions, serving as Associate General Counsel before assuming the position of General Counsel in April 1999. Joan led many projects and activities at AARP, handling regulatory, non-profit, and intellectual property issues, and advising and educating staff on compliance and other legal matters.
Joan graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center with a J.D., where she was a founding member of Women in Law as a Second Career. She also holds a B.S. in Education from the George Washington University and an M.A. in Remedial Reading from the University of California.
Prior to coming to AARP, she was a Staff Attorney to the Attorney General of Maryland, as well as an Assistant Attorney General for Consumer Protection in the Attorney General's Office. She is a member of the Bar in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States.
