Lecturer, Master of Environmental Studies
Joseph Lisa has more than 33 years of experience as a practicing environmental attorney in the public and private sectors. In November 2025, he was appointed as a judge with the Central Municipal Court for Atlantic County, New Jersey. Prior to this appointment, he worked as an attorney for the US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3, and after a career of 29 years, retired in 2025. His work at EPA involved complex civil and criminal enforcement cases, Superfund matters and, for his last 10 years, serving as the Region 3 Regional Judicial and Presiding Officer. Additionally, while working on environmental crime prosecutions he was designated as a Special Assistant US Attorney with the US Attorney’s Offices for the District of Delaware and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Joseph received his Master of Law in environmental law and Juris Doctor degrees from the George Washington University School of Law, and a BA from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Joseph currently teaches as a faculty member and works as a part-time adviser with the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Environmental Studies program, and a lecturer with the Penn Carey Law School.
