Joel Dowling serves as a senior policy advisor in the SMART Office in the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Mr. Dowling evaluates and assesses sex offender registration and notification systems in states and tribal jurisdictions to determine substantial implementation of Title I of the Adam Walsh Act, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). In addition, Mr. Dowling is the team lead for international matters and serves as the SMART Office’s military liaison.
Prior to joining the SMART Office, Mr. Dowling served as an information systems analyst for the U.S. Department of State working in the U.S. Embassy to Morocco. While working for the Department of State, Mr. Dowling developed, tested and deployed mobile communication applications facilitating emergency communication between the embassy, the consulate and visiting American citizens.
Prior to the Department of State, Mr. Dowling served as an assistant district attorney for the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York. While assigned to a general trial bureau, Mr. Dowling prosecuted offenses ranging from robbery and burglary to child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence. Mr. Dowling was later assigned to the Money Laundering and Revenue Crimes Department, where he conducted long-term investigations into tax fraud, counterfeiting and illicit substances.
During law school, Mr. Dowling was a student law clerk to the late Justice John T. Buckley, Presiding Justice of New York State’s Appellate Division, First Department. Here, Mr. Dowling reviewed appellate briefs and drafted opinions on topics including the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and various commercial disputes. Mr. Dowling also served as a student law clerk in the New York County Supreme Court Matrimonial Term, Onondaga County Family Court and the Onondaga County Supreme Court.
Mr. Dowling received his B.S., magna cum laude, in information management and technology from Syracuse University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Mr. Dowling is a member of the New York Bar.