Joe Clark married Avery Summers while she was in law school, and they lived in Chicago. Joe was a workaholic and neglected Avery, which sent her into the arms of Dylan McAvoy, who was doing construction work at their house. Dylan found Avery crying, and told her not to let her happiness depend on someone else, and they began an ongoing affair. Avery got pregnant by Dylan, but she miscarried. When Dylan's reserve unit got called up, he bought her a ring and asked her to leave her husband for him. Instead, Avery broke it off, determined to work on her marriage. But then Joe found out about the affair, and he divorced her.

Avery became a famous New York City lawyer, but ended up in Genoa City, Wisconsin, doing pro bono work for the Innocence Foundation, where her estranged sister, Phyllis Summers, just happened to live. Avery eventually went into partnership with attorney Leslie Michaelsen and then Michael Baldwin. Dylan arrived in Genoa City two years after he had erroneously been declared dead in battle, and they resumed their relationship.

A year later, Avery was surprised to receive a voicemail from Joe whom she had not heard from since their divorce. Joe said he called because he was upset to discover that Dylan had named him as a possible suspect for Avery's stalker, and he congratulated her on partnership with Michael.

Then Joe suddenly showed up in Genoa City, his job in commercial real estate bringing him to buy some businesses there. Viewers saw Dylan's Crimson Lights coffee house at the top of the buyout list on Joe's laptop. Joe admitted to Avery that his being a workaholic had caused her to have the affair, that he was still single, and he wanted to meet Dylan. Avery put him off.

A week later, Avery ran into Joe in Michael's office getting legal documents drawn up. Dylan was there and was introduced to Joe. Joe apologized for the awkward circumstances, saying that his old friend Cane Ashby had recommended Michael for legal help. He shook hands with Dylan, saying that the past was water under the bridge. Later, Dylan was miffed that Avery had not even mentioned Joe being in town. But Avery was able to convince him that she and Dylan were all that mattered, no matter where Joe was.

Dylan was shocked when given two months notice to evacuate Crimson Lights due to the building being sold. When he found out that Joe was the agent who was buying up the block for redevelopment, Dylan confronted him that it was all done over Avery, and socked him in the jaw. Avery began looking into how to fight the building demolition with the possibility of it becoming a city landmark. Joe visited Avery, claiming the deal was a coincidence and strictly business, offering to help relocate Dylan's coffee house. Then he grabbed and kissed her, but Avery slapped him and kicked him out.

Just prior to Christmas 2014, Dylan proposed. Avery told him that he was the only man who had ever loved her completely, just the way she was, and she accepted.

Meanwhile, Landmark status was denied for Crimson Lights, Joe planned a cocktail party at the Genoa City Athletic Club for potential investors in the warehouse district project, and Avery and Dylan were involved in a save the neighborhood rally. On Christmas evening, a snow storm caused a power outage everywhere in town but Crimson Lights, people converged there, and word went out that it was the place where miracles happen. Afterward, the Genoa City Chronical editorialized, urging the saving of the warehouse district. Avery and Dylan pleaded with Joe to allow them to meet with the buyer, and he gave them hope. After Dylan left for an interview with The Chronical, Avery was notified by Joe to meet the owner in Joe's suite. On her way up, she ran into Michael who tried to caution her about Joe and accompany her, but she refused. After Avery entered his suite, Joe locked the door, and told her the meeting was just between the two of them. Joe apologized and begged Avery for a second chance. Avery refused and left, and told Dylan that she wanted to marry him right away. Dylan said he would not do it to stop Joe, but he would for her.

After the City put the sale on hold awaiting a community impact study, the owner, Victor Newman, offered Dylan big bucks to relocate. When Dylan turned it down, Victor threatened that he would not want to see Dylan or Avery get hurt over this. That same day, two masked men entered Crimson Lights and robbed Dylan who fought back, and he ended up in the hospital with a concussion. Dylan bought a gun, and threatened Joe with it, but luckily Avery was there to stop him from doing anything but threaten Joe to stay away from Avery or he would kill him.

Joe propositioned Avery to spend one night with him, then to choose him or Dylan, and if Avery chose Dylan, Joe would walk away. Avery met Joe in his hotel room wearing a wire she had gotten from Kevin, hoping to get Joe to confess to the attack on Dylan. But when Joe touched Avery to give her the necklace she had admired but could not afford on their honeymoon, she could not go through with it and left. Dylan was livid after Joe told him that he had once again enticed Avery to his room, and he inferred that she was there to make love to him. Avery explained that it was a setup, but Dylan left mad and did not come home that night. They later reconciled.

Dylan and Avery attended the Valentines party at The Underground. Joe was there too, and told Avery that he had decided to leave town. Then he provoked Dylan. Dylan slugged Joe, but he ducked and the blow hit Avery instead, causing her nose to bleed. Dylan was so ashamed, he left, driving in a snowstorm. Suddenly the power went out at The Underground, and the ceiling collapsed, trapping Avery and Joe, and injuring Joe's leg. Joe told Avery that their being trapped together and having to depend on each other for survival was a sign. Joe asked if she still wanted him to walk away forever, but they were interrupted by Dylan digging them out. After Avery assured Dylan that she was all right, he and Nick went back to rescue others.

Joe told Avery he was moving into a loft, that he had another project, an endowment to Better Days Foundation, reminding Avery that he had been an abused child. He had drafted a restructuring program to keep the foundation afloat, and would be staying in town. Joe presented Avery with a box containing her wedding gown which had been her grandmother Harriett's. Avery told him he should stop trying to please her, and gave the dress to Phyllis for her upcoming nuptials with Jack. But Phyllis burned the dress, calling it bad luck for both Avery and their grandmother who had married three times.

Joe was planning a charity event to raise money for Better Days, and surprised Avery when he suggested it be in Avery's honor for her work at the Innocence Foundation. When approached, Phyllis and Jack decided to help by asking their wedding guests to donate in lieu of gifts.

Dylan and Avery began arguing a lot, mostly about the amount of time that Avery spent with Joe, and Dylan spent with Sharon who was accused of a crime she did not commit.

The fundraiser was held, but Dylan was busy rescuing Sharon so did not show up. Joe took the opportunity to make another move on Avery, congratulating her, and telling her how she had made him a better man. Joe kissed her, she pushed him away, and Joe fell over the athletic club balcony, landing on a dumpster, and suffering spinal injuries. Avery admitted to police chief, Paul, that she had pushed Joe, but Joe let Paul know that it had been an accident. After Avery realized that Joe was paralyzed, she would not leave his side at the hospital.

Joe went to a Chicago clinic for spinal injury patients, and Avery offered to go along for a few weeks. Using tough love she became his physical therapy partner. Dylan still did not trust Joe and warned Avery that he was manipulating her. She replied, "Yes the same as Sharon is manipulating you." Later, Avery texted saying that she was sorry they had quarreled, and was coming home. But the texted reply said, "Finish what you started, and so will I." Joe could see that Avery was upset and asked her to stay. Instead, Avery returned and accused Dylan of sleeping with Sharon. But even after Sharon admitted that she had sent the text, Avery reluctantly returned her engagement ring to Dylan and went back to Chicago. Joe heard her out and kissed her. Avery was affronted to think that Joe thought he could just step into Dylan's place in her life.

Avery returned to Genoa City to work on a case, and Dylan admitted that he was now sleeping with Sharon. Back in Chicago, Joe was released from the clinic and having no luck finding a wheelchair accessible place to live in Genoa City. Although her apartment was a small one bedroom, Dylan had moved out, so she offered Joe to come live with her. Joe agreed, and they argued over who would sleep on the couch.

They were getting on fine until Summer caught Joe walking and told Avery. Avery confronted Joe, demanding to know how long he had been able to walk. When he admitted that he could, Avery told him to get out. Joe threatened Avery that he could ruin her by telling the police she had tried to kill him. Avery asked Joe what he wanted, and he asked her to make love to him. Avery freaked out and baited him, ripping off her clothes, crying "Is this what you want?" She kicked Joe out, and he moved into the athletic club. Then Avery disappeared. Meanwhile Joe taunted Sharon that Dylan would go back to Avery now. Phyllis and Summer found Avery's door open, a piece of broken pottery with bloodstains on the floor, her car missing, and her cell which showed Dylan as the last number dialed. The police were called in, and Dylan confronted Joe, suspecting that he had done something to Avery after her car was found at Concord Lake. But Avery showed up at Crimson Lights, claimed she had car trouble trying to leave town. Joe tried to talk Sharon into teaching them a lesson. Joe claimed she had seduced him, and he had stopped it. Police chief Paul refused to arrest her or Dylan because Joe's stories kept changing and he appeared to be delusional thinking Avery led him on. Avery got a restraining order against Joe, and Joe got one against Dylan. After a fight with her husband, Cane, Lily went to the bar and hit on Joe, but when he responded she thanked him for making her feel desirable, and went home to her kids. But the next day, Neil discovered Lily drunk in the bar flirting and commiserating again with Joe about people they loved who let them down.

Avery asked Joe to meet her in the park to settle their war once and for all. Avery told him she knew about him having sex with Lily, that he had no morals or conscience. Joe asked if she was jealous. Calling him a small man with a monstrous ego, and a sick bastard, Avery told him to stop stalking her. Joe grabbed her so she could not fight back, as Avery yelled at him that he twisted everything to make her the bad guy, all part of his manipulating her. Joe let her go, claiming his only crime was loving her, then left. But on her way home, Avery was attacked and raped by a man in black ski mask in the alley behind her apartment. Later in the hospital, her face cut and bruised, Avery told police she had not seen his face but recognized the attacker's cologne as Joe's. Dylan confronted Joe, slugged him, and tied him to chair, interrogating him. Avery joined them telling Joe she knew he had attacked her. Joe still denied it and filed a civil suit against Dylan and the GCPD for not arresting Dylan. Both Avery and Dylan were deposed, at which Dylan asked Joe's attorney David Sherman to question his client about how he used to abuse Avery when they were married.

Afterward, Avery arrived at Joe's room to settle things. Joe offered to drop the lawsuit if Avery would rescind her claim that he had raped her. Avery pointed a gun at Joe, saying, "You are not going to get away with this." Joe agreed that he had done all the underhanded things to get her back, but not the rape. Avery warned Joe to admit he raped her or she would shoot him. Afraid of her, Joe admitted the rape. Dylan arrived and reminded Avery how she had always been there to talk him down from a PTSD episode, and got her to lower the gun. He told Avery how the police had caught a serial rapist who had Avery's cell phone and purse. Joe stood up relieved, and Avery fired two shots into the ceiling. Paul broke in, and Avery dropped the gun. Paul had to arrest Avery. Avery refused to make amends with Joe, saying she was sorry she had shot the ceiling when it should have been his face.

During an interview for the Innocence Foundation, Avery broke down and told how she had been raped and had accused an innocent man, saying she had to step away from the foundation because she had violated everything that it stood for. She thanked Dylan for never giving up on her, and encouraging her to get help. When Joe heard about her breakdown, he decided not to press charges. Avery left town to get herself together, and promised to return to testify against the rapist.

When a ransom was asked for Hilary, the person escaped with the money. After Lily found the ransom money in Cane's duffle bag in their closet, Cane was arrested and Joe was there for Lily. Cane protested claiming he had been framed. Lily bailed Cane out, but Cane was upset with Devon and Lily for not believing that he was innocent. Cane was released. Cane suffered a broken elbow fighting with Joe.

The annual Delia Halloween costume party benefit was held at Top of the Tower, with Lily dressed as Cleopatra and Joe as the devil. A fire broke out on the floors just below them, cutting them off from the floor where her children were having their own party. They were rescued from the roof by helicopter and Lily was reunited with the twins who had been led out the front door. Lily became remorseful when she discovered that Cane was still trapped in the building after everyone else had gotten out. When he suddenly appeared at the hospital, she hugged him and offered forgiveness for everything, but Cane was not interested, and moved into the athletic club.

Lily slept with Joe again, but he was called away for a deal by Colin who claimed to be selling off part of Chancellor Industries. Meanwhile, Cane went up to Joe's room, and caught Lily in Joe's bed. Cane was disgusted with her. Joe came back early realizing that Cane had gone there to search his room. Cane confronted him with the hoodie he found in Joe's room safe, but he denied knowing anything about it. Later Joe witnessed Lily and Cane viciously arguing over the fact that Lily admitted to having feelings for Joe, and he followed Lily to the park. Joe offered to go with her to chop down a Christmas tree. On the way Lily's car stalled, and with no cell service they made their way to the Abbott cabin. When Lily avoided his advances, Joe realized that she was setting him up, and his temper flared. Cane and Devon showed up to rescue Lily with Paul in time to hear Joe confess to framing Cane, and Joe was arrested. Cane, left alone with Lily, admitted he still could not get past her trusting Joe over him. Lily waited alone in tears for the tow truck. Joe accepted a plea bargain to serve no less than six years in an out of state prison.