Joel D. Joseph co-founded the Made in the USA Foundation in Washington, DC in 1989 acting as chairman and general counsel.

Joel earned his law degree at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., in 1973 and earned his BA in economics at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He also studied economics at Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, Scotland.

He is the author of Black Mondays: Worst Decisions of the Supreme Court (1987), with a foreword by Justice Thurgood Marshall; Employees’ Rights in Plain English (1985); How to Fight City Hall (1983); and Legal Agreements in Plain English (1982). He also wrote a syndicated newspaper column for Knight Ridder Tribune on international trade. Joel has edited six editions of the book Made in the USA: The Complete Guide to America’s Best Products. He is currently finalizing his newest book, 50+ Ways You Can Help Create U.S. Jobs.

In 1999 Joel Joseph organized The American Crafts Project, which now protects the copyrights of American craft designers. Under this project more than 25 federal lawsuits have been filed resulting in three injunctions against the sale of imported products in violation of copyright laws. An additional 20 cases settled on favorable terms. Included in these cases were actions against Target stores, Wal-Mart, Kohl’s department stores, and K-Mart. Joel prepared and filed all of these cases and personally argued all of the injunction motions.  As a part of this project, Joel teaches classes on copyright law to designers at trade shows across the United States.

Joel Joseph drafted and lobbied in Washington, D.C., for two major pieces of legislation: the American Automobile Labeling Act, which requires country of origin labels on cars and trucks, and the Country of Origin Labeling Act (COLA), which requires country of origin labeling on fresh produce, fish, meat and other food products.

Joel devotes much of his time to consumer awareness, pushing public understanding of the importance of buying American goods for the overall health of the economy.

In his free time he enjoys his family life, tennis, and writing books for children.