Joe was born on November 21, 1942 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1964, he served five years as an officer in the United States Navy, including one year as an officer in charge of a Swift boat during the Viet Nam War. Following his naval service, he attended Georgetown Law School and graduated in 1972.

Upon graduation from law school, Joe completed his Vermont clerkship, was admitted to the Vermont bar in December of 1972 and the Federal District Court for the District of Vermont in 1972. In March of 1978 he was appointed as a part-time United States Magistrate for the Federal District of Vermont and served in that position for 6 years.

He served as president of the Franklin-Grand Isle Bar Association and as a member of the Vermont Professional Conduct Board for many years. He also served as one of the initial members of the Early Neutral Evaluation Board for the Federal District Court of Vermont and, while serving, acted as an early neutral evaluator/mediator for a number of different cases, both at the Federal Court as well as state court. He served as president of the Georgia Industrial Development Corporation from 1981 to 2005.

During his long career as an attorney in Vermont Joe tried cases in both criminal and civil sections of the Vermont state court system, argued numerous cases before the Vermont Supreme Court, and for many years had an active criminal defense practice in Federal District Court. He spent the years of his private practice in St. Albans, representing individuals and businesses in all courts.

Joe and his wife, Julie, have been married since 1968 and reside in Georgia, Vermont and have two children, a son, Joseph, who is a captain in the United States Navy, married, and has four children, and a daughter, Maura, who is married and resides with her husband and daughter in Toronto, Canada.

Joe retired from active practice in 2023 and continues to work at Cahill, Gawne, Miller and Manahan, P.C. part time as a legal assistant to Megan Manahan Bliss.

Joe was born on November 21, 1942 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1964, he served five years as an officer in the United States Navy, including one year as an officer in charge of a Swift boat during the Viet Nam War. Following his naval service, he attended Georgetown Law School and graduated in 1972.

Upon graduation from law school, Joe completed his Vermont clerkship, was admitted to the Vermont bar in December of 1972 and the Federal District Court for the District of Vermont in 1972. In March of 1978 he was appointed as a part-time United States Magistrate for the Federal District of Vermont and served in that position for 6 years.

He served as president of the Franklin-Grand Isle Bar Association and as a member of the Vermont Professional Conduct Board for many years. He also served as one of the initial members of the Early Neutral Evaluation Board for the Federal District Court of Vermont and, while serving, acted as an early neutral evaluator/mediator for a number of different cases, both at the Federal Court as well as state court. He served as president of the Georgia Industrial Development Corporation from 1981 to 2005.

During his long career as an attorney in Vermont Joe tried cases in both criminal and civil sections of the Vermont state court system, argued numerous cases before the Vermont Supreme Court, and for many years had an active criminal defense practice in Federal District Court. He spent the years of his private practice in St. Albans, representing individuals and businesses in all courts.

Joe and his wife, Julie, have been married since 1968 and reside in Georgia, Vermont and have two children, a son, Joseph, who is a captain in the United States Navy, married, and has four children, and a daughter, Maura, who is married and resides with her husband and daughter in Toronto, Canada.

Joe retired from active practice in 2023 and continues to work at Cahill, Gawne, Miller and Manahan, P.C. part time as a legal assistant to Megan Manahan Bliss.