top of page

Expert Legal Advice

Your Trusted Law Firm in Alaska

We specialize in family law, domestic relations, business law, estate planning, child custody and support, DUI and traffic citations, VA claims and appeals, and immigration services tailored to your needs. Our expertise combines cultural understanding with legal precision.

Phil-Am Legal Services

Tuloy po kayo.

Mabuhay!

Choosing the right attorney to represent your legal interests is a very important decision. We are committed to providing our fellow kababayans, Alaskan neighbors and business clients with competent and highly effective legal representation throughout the state. We ensure that all of our clients are given personalized attention, so you can be confident that your interests are being effectively represented every step of the way. Contact us today for your consultation.

Meet the Attorney

Atty. Joy Ruth S. Matanguihan leads the team of legal professionals at Phil-Am Legal Services, LLC who are all dedicated to providing expert legal representation. With a diverse background and a passion for justice, we strive to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.

joy ruth matanguihan headshot atlanta.png

Joy Matanguihan, LLB, JD, LLM

Attorney at Law

Joy's humble journey from the Philippines to the United States has shaped her into a God-fearing, well-rounded legal professional.  She is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and Alaska. Before moving to the US, she ran a profitable grassroots business. She also served as a Legislative Staff Officer and Economist for the Senate of the Philippines Economic Planning Office, all while attending law school.  She has co-authored and written many socio-economic studies and policy proposals -- some of her recommendations became adopted into economic legislations. After her graduation from law school, she moved to the US and worked as an insurance professional. She started back from scratch as a law student in America due to licensing restrictions.  She was a member of the Honor Council in her law class while serving as the President of the Filipino American Association of Tennessee, Inc. Before passing the bar, Joy worked as a paralegal in Tennessee and assisted many attorneys in highly complex civil litigation cases.  She also worked as a volunteer at the Tennessee Legal Aid Society helping indigent litigants and pro bono attorneys in their cases, as well as with Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) in providing immigration and naturalization (visa and citizenship) services. Joy received many awards, scholarships and distinctions throughout her time as a student, servant-leader and insurance professional.

​​

Joy also understands the complexities of military lifestyle as an active-duty military chaplain-spouse. Before coming to Alaska, Joy was stationed in Europe with her husband, who is a combat-veteran and prior enlisted member of the US Marine Corps. Having relocated and lived in many duty stations, Joy has helped many service members and their families handle stressful situations over PCS orders, divorce and child custody battles in between duty stations, communicating with JAGs on certain policies and issues, appealing VA ratings and benefits for veterans and retiring service members, and providing moral support to fellow spouses, especially to foreign-born spouses like herself. She also volunteers a lot in various Filipino communities in Alaska, which she now considers as her home. On top of being a native-Filipino speaker, she can also speak conversational Chinese Mandarin, Spanish and German.

​​

Her global experience as an immigrant, foreign-born military spouse, and dedication to the practice of and understanding the law sets her apart from other attorneys. Her life story is a hard testament of God's grace, glory and power working in her life. Joy is currently serving as the President and Founder of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Alaska, 

 

Joy recently started playing the piano for a local church on Sundays as her homage to Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior.

EDUCATION:

 

Certificate of Accounting 

Master of Science in Accounting (in progress)

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia, USA

​

Doctor of Laws (JD)

Nashville School of Law (YMCA Night Law)

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

​

Master of Laws, with Cert. in Business Law

University of Southern California 

Los Angeles, California, USA

​

Master of Laws in International Law (credits)

University of Miami (U of M)

Coral Gables, Florida, USA

​​

Bachelor of Laws,  Ranked #

Batangas State University College of Law  Batangas City, Philippines

 

AB Economics Minor in Chinese Studies, Dean's List, with honorable mention

Ateneo de Manila University

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

​CURRENT PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

 

- Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC), Executive Board Member

 

- The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Alaska (FACC), Founder and President

 

- Association of Immigration Lawyers of America 

 

- National Filipino Lawyers Association (NAFALA)

 

- Anchorage Bar Association, Social Secretary

 

- Alaska Bar Association, Member

 

- Tennessee Bar Association, Member

 

- Military Spouse JD Network, Member

 

- Foreign Born Military Spouse Network, Member

​

- National Organization of Veterans' Advocates (NOVA)

Services

Client Reviews

Satisfied Clients

"Atty. Joy has been a guiding light in our legal matters. Her dedication and expertise helped us navigate complex issues with ease."

Sa wakas, nakahanap din ako ng kakampi! (At long last, I finally found someone to advocate for me!)

"She's an answered prayer."

Ang inyong Kakampi.

Phone: 907-416-7788

Fax:      907-416-7789

911 W 8th Ave Ste 101 Anchorage, AK, USA

In person meetings, by appointment only!

No attorney-client relationship is formed by visiting this website, subscribing, receiving an e-mail or any transmission of a response from this law firm.  The information on this website is not intended as a legal advice. The formation of an attorney-client relationship with Phil-Am Legal Services requires a fully executed, written and signed, Contract for Legal Services which clearly designates Phil-Am Legal Services as the attorney for a stated type of service for  a specified fee.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Link
  • Link

 

© 2025 by Phil-Am Legal Services, LLC. Powered and secured by Wix 

 

bottom of page