Joshua W. Brownlie

Joshua is a member of the Professional Liability Department and specializes in appellate advocacy, post-trial motions, and appeals. His practice extends to civil rights and public entity litigation, employment law, school leaders’ liability, and healthcare matters. Before joining Marshall Dennehey, Joshua clerked for Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Daniel D. McCaffery during his tenure on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. There, Joshua engaged in the resolution of complex civil and criminal matters at the appellate level. Prior to serving in chambers, Joshua participated in Marshall Dennehey’s Summer Associate Program and interned for Rodney A. Smolla, former Dean of Widener University School of Law. As an intern, Joshua was responsible for revising and analyzing common law jurisdictional developments in First Amendment jurisprudence for the legal treatise, 'Smolla & Nimmer on Freedom of Speech.'

In 2021, Joshua earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Widener University School of Law. During law school, Joshua was regularly recognized on the Dean’s List and held senior positions on various honor societies, such as the Widener Law Review, the Transactional Law Honor Society, and the Moot Court Honor Society. During his tenure on the executive committee of the Moot Court Honor Society, Joshua earned top marks in many interscholastic, appellate moot court competitions, including top oralist in the 2021 Touro Law Center’s National Moot Court Competition on Law and Religion. Joshua’s interscholastic achievements led to his induction into the Order of the Barristers, an honorary organization for law students and practicing lawyers who demonstrate exceptional skill in trial advocacy, oral advocacy, and brief writing.

Joshua is deeply committed to fostering legal skills and advancing the professional development of future attorneys. He is an adjunct professor of Legal Methods at Widener University School of Law and volunteers his time as a coach for Widener’s Moot Court Honor Society.

Honors & awards

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star
2024-2025

Year joined

2021

Results

Summary Judgment Secured in a Section 1983 Substantive Due Process Case

Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
December 23, 2024

We obtained summary judgment in a Section 1983 substantive due process claim involving a Philadelphia police officer. The officer had taken a photo of the plaintiff’s son after he attempted suicide by jumping off a bridge, and the photo was later circulated on social media. The plaintiff alleged that circulation of the photo violated her substantive due process privacy rights, and she also asserted a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. One week before trial began, the Honorable Mark Kearney, U.S.

Defense Verdict Secured in Section 1983 Malicious Prosecution Trial

Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
September 15, 2023

We secured a defense verdict in a Section 1983 malicious prosecution trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The plaintiff alleged that our client’s law enforcement officers falsified evidence and testimony in order to maliciously prosecute him for conspiracy for engaging in the illegal sale of narcotics. We successfully contended that the former narcotics detective, who corroborated the plaintiff’s complaint, was lying, and called various members of our client’s narcotics unit to testify about the facts of the investigation.

Appellate court affirms district court order dismissing a federal civil rights lawsuit.

Appellate Advocacy & Post-Trial Practice
Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
February 10, 2023

A unanimous panel of the the Third Circuit affirmed an order of the U.S.E.D. Pa., which had granted a Rule 12 motion to dismiss in favor of a former Assistant District Attorney. The plaintiff had plead guilty to murder and other offenses in 1990 after shooting a man in the back four times. In 1993, the plaintiff filed a petition under Pennsylvania’s Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA), claiming ineffective assistance of counsel. The crux of his argument being his counsel failed to object when the court incorrectly stated the meaning of life imprisonment.

District court order dismissing a federal civil rights lawsuit affirmed.

Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
December 29, 2022

A panel of the the Third Circuit unanimously affirmed an order of the U.S.D.C. for the District of Delaware which granted a Rule 12 motion to dismiss in favor of law enforcement officials. The plaintiff filed suit under Section 1983, seeking damages for the alleged violation of his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights following a traffic stop, for driving under the influence of alcohol, and the lawful seizure of blood alcohol evidence.

Township immune from liability pursuant to Pennsylvania’s Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act.

Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
December 12, 2022

We obtained summary judgment in favor of a township client. The Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County entered judgment as a matter of law in favor of the township, dismissing with prejudice the plaintiff’s negligence and negligent supervision claims. Counsel argued, and the court agreed, the township was immune from liability pursuant to Pennsylvania’s Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act, 42 Pa. C.S. 8541 et. seq.

Thought Leadership

Marshall Dennehey Announces 2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

May 22, 2025
Thirty-three attorneys across Marshall Dennehey's five Pennsylvania offices have been selected to the 2025 edition of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine.

Marshall Dennehey Announces 2024 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

May 17, 2024
Twenty-eight attorneys across Marshall Dennehey's six Pennsylvania offices have been selected to the 2024 edition of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine.

Marshall Dennehey Named 2024 Litigation Department of the Year for Appellate Law By ALM’s Pennsylvania Legal Awards

Appellate Advocacy & Post-Trial Practice
March 15, 2024
Marshall Dennehey was awarded with the 2024 Litigation Department of the Year for Appellate Law by ALM’s prestigious Pennsylvania Legal Awards.

The en banc Third Circuit concludes citizens with prior felony convictions for welfare fraud are among ‘the people’ protected by the Second Amendment.

Philadelphia - Headquarters
Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
July 1, 2023
In 1995, Bryan David Range pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to obtain food stamps in violation of Pennsylvania law and faced up to five years’ imprisonment. Following the conviction, Mr. Case Law Alerts, 3rd Quarter, July 2023 is prepared by Marshall Dennehey to provide information on recent developments of interest to our readers.

Following Commonwealth v. Alexander, Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution continues to permit warrantless “inventory searches” of impounded automobiles.

Philadelphia - Headquarters
Public Entity & Civil Rights Litigation
April 1, 2023
In Commonwealth v. Alexander, 243 A.3d 177 (Pa. 2020), the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held that Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution affords greater privacy interests than the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Case Law Alerts, 2nd Quarter, April 2023 is prepared by Marshall Dennehey to provide information on recent developments of interest to our readers.

Classes/Seminars Taught

Competencies for LGBTQ Clinical Practices: LGBTQ Rights and Their Progeny, Chestnut Hill College Master's Program, 2020; 2021.