Joseph K. Dowley, born April 23, 1946 the son of Michael F. and Charlotte M. Dowley in Los Angeles, California. Early on he attended grammar schools in Ohio, Massachusetts and Connecticut. He graduated from Hamden High School in Hamden, Connecticut in 1964. He attended Georgetown University, College of Arts and Sciences, graduating with Bachelor of Arts (Government) in 1968. Mr. Dowley was hired as Director of Off-Campus Housing at Georgetown University, from June of 1968 until February of 1969. In February of 1969 he entered the U.S. Army as an enlisted man and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant (Infantry) at Ft. Benning, Georgia in February 1970. He served as a ceremonial platoon leader, 1st Battalion, 3rd U.S. Infantry Brigade (The Old Guard) at Ft. Myer, Virginia until January 1971. He also served as an infantry platoon leader in the Republic of Vietnam and later as Brigade Tactical Center officer until October 1971 where he achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. Upon release from active duty he was employed by the Georgetown University’s Alumni Association as the Director Law Alumni Affairs. He later became the Director of Alumni Programs. In 1974 Mr. Dowley attended Georgetown University Law Center and received his Juris Doctor in June of 1976. After he graduated from Georgetown Law Center, he worked for the Honorable Dan Rostenkowski (8th District, Ill.) as an Administrative Assistant from January 1977 until December 1980. He became the Assistant Chief Counsel of the Committee on Ways and Means in 1980 and held that position until 1987. Later he was a Lobbyist for Dewey Ballantine LLP from 1998 to 2002. He was also a partner at Mckenna, Long and Aldridge from 2004 to 2015. Mr. Dowley was a member of the Bar Association of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. He was also a member, alumni senate of the Georgetown University Alumni Association and President of the Georgetown Alumni Club of Metropolitan Washington. He married Carol Walsh on January 22, 1972 and they had three children.