Joelle Rocha
Publications
Admissions
Joelle focuses her practice on real estate development, land use and real estate litigation. She represents private developers in residential, commercial, mixed use and solar projects and before municipal and state boards and agencies. Her representations also include property owners and developers in litigation related to site control, breach of contract and litigation against municipalities, including numerous cases of first impression.
She has successfully litigated several class actions against municipalities regarding illegal and excessive impact fees and building permit fees and has recovered litigation costs for her clients. She has argued before the Rhode Island Supreme Court in matters involving challenges to local ordinances and recovery of attorneys’ fees.
In 2023, Joelle was hired by the Speaker of the House of Rhode Island to work with him and his policy team to draft housing packages resulting in the first major changes to land use law in three decades. She was retained by the Speaker for this same role in 2024 and 2025.
Joelle is a former Assistant to the Solicitor for the towns of Warren, RI, and Lincoln, RI.
- ONE Neighborhood Builders, Board Member
- Roger Williams University School of Law, Board of Directors
- Downtown Providence Park Network, Board of Directors
- Listed in Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial, Rhode Island, 2025
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, Litigation – Real Estate, Providence, 2022-Present
- Rhode Island Bar Association, Fellow
- Garnered the Rhode Island Bar Association Lauren E. Jones, Esq. Writing Award for co-authoring the Rhode Island Bar Journal article “Seismic Changes to RI’s Land Use Laws: What You Need to Know,” 2024
- Named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, General Litigation, Providence, 2011
- Named among “Forty Under 40” by Providence Business News
- Garnered “Excellence in the Law” distinction and the “Outstanding Women in Business” award from Rhode Island Monthly
Publications
Joelle received the Rhode Island Bar Association/Bar Journal Writing Award in 2024 with her co-author Amy Goins for the article entitled: “Seismic Changes to RI’s Land Use Laws: What You Need to Know.”
In 2024, Joelle Rocha moderated the session entitled “Affordable housing risk and reward: Balancing the need for affordable/multifamily housing development with the uncertainty of investment and an acceptable rate of return” at the second annual real estate symposium of the Roger Williams University Cummings Institute for Real Estate.
In 2024, Joelle Rocha was part of a speaking panel on “Recent Amendments to Land Use Laws: How it Started, How it’s Going.” The panelists reviewed the 2023 amendments to Rhode Island’s enabling statutes for land use and discuss how the new laws affect clients’ development applications. The speakers focused on how municipalities have incorporated the recent statutory changes into new ordinances and regulations, pending legislation affecting land use matters, and the Rhode Island Superior Court’s new Land Use Calendar.
In 2023, Joelle was part of a speaker panel on “Recent Developments in Land Use Law.” They covered recent amendments to the enabling statutes and other laws governing the review and approval of development applications by municipal land use boards; lessons learned from recent judicial opinions involving land use; and issues related to legislative commissions involving land use and affordable housing.
My Blog & News Posts
- Lawyers of Year & Best Lawyers & Ones to Watch for 2025Congratulations to Stacey Nakasian and Josh Celeste who were named Lawyer-of-the-Year in the practice area of Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Closely Held Companies …
- Joelle Rocha Added to Board for ONE Neighborhood BuildersONE Neighborhood Builders (ONE|NB), one of the state’s leading nonprofit affordable housing developers and community development corporations, announced the appointment of four new members to the …
- Two D&S Attorneys Lead RI Bar Association ProgramsTwo D&S attorneys will again be part of the Rhode Island Bar Association’s upcoming Annual Meeting in June of 2024. Patrick Guida will moderate the “Commercial …
- Joelle Rocha Receives RI Bar Journal Writing AwardCongratulations to all the RI Bar Association 2024 award winners including D&S partner Joelle Rocha, who received the Lauren E. Jones, Esq Writing Award with …
- Five D&S Attorneys Noted for Excellence in Law by RI Monthly for 2024Rhode Island Monthly’s Professional Excellence in the Law has recognized the following D&S attorneys for 2024. Joshua Celeste Business Law Michael Sweeney Business Law Stacey Nakasian …
- Joelle Rocha Moderator for Real Estate Symposium PanelAt the second annual real estate symposium of the Roger Williams University Cummings Institute for Real Estate, speakers and panel experts will recall past industry …
- Joelle Rocha Successful in Representing Homeowner Against MunicipalityD&S Partner Joelle Rocha pursued multiple legal avenues including: an appeal to the Rhode Island Supreme Court, a lawsuit in federal court, and an appeal …
- Joelle Rocha Co-Authors Bar Journal article: Seismic Changes to RI’s Land Use LawsD&S Partner Joelle Rocha recently co-authored an article with attorney Amy Goins for the Rhode Island Bar Journal entitled: “Seismic Changes to RI’s Land Use …
- D&S Recognized as Lawyers of Year & Best Lawyers for 2024 in 17 Practice AreasCongratulations to Jean Harrington who was named Lawyer-of-the-Year in the practice area of Mergers & Acquisitions Law. Additional shout-outs to all of the D&S partners — …
- Joelle Rocha, Special Counsel to House Speaker on Groundbreaking Housing/Development LegislationD&S Partner Joelle Rocha recently collaborated with House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, the House Policy office, and other legislators and stakeholders to draft and revise 13 …
Admissions
Education
- Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D.
- University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, B.A., summa cum laude
Bar Admissions
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island
- U.S. Supreme Court
