About Joanne
Joanne Fishman pursued a steady course through higher education before entering the bar. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University in 1975 and a Master of Science from Columbia University in 1977. She later attended Temple University School of Law, receiving her Juris Doctor in 1985. Those academic stops reflect a measured progression from science to law and set the stage for a long career in courtrooms and bar rooms.
Her legal practice is grounded in Pennsylvania. Over the years she has secured the credentials to appear in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Those admissions have allowed her to handle matters at both the trial and appellate levels. She brings courtroom experience to cases that require federal practice as well as state-court litigation.
Fishman has remained active in professional associations throughout her career. She holds memberships in the Pennsylvania State Bar, the Montgomery County Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association. She is also a member of the American Bar Association and belongs to organizations focused specifically on trial advocacy, including the American Association for Justice, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. Her participation in the Brandeis Law Society further reflects engagement with the local legal community.
Colleagues describe her approach as straightforward. She tends to present issues clearly and relies on procedural knowledge when cases call for it. She has handled matters that required appearance in federal court and has navigated the distinct procedures of appellate practice before the Third Circuit. The combination of state and federal admissions has shaped a practice style oriented around litigation mechanics and courtroom procedure.
Outside of court filings and hearings, Fishman’s resume points to steady professional involvement rather than public-facing scholarship or widely publicized cases. Her memberships indicate an interest in trial practice and in maintaining ties to the law communities of Philadelphia and Montgomery County. She has kept ties to state and national bar groups that provide resources, continuing education and networking opportunities for trial lawyers.
As of 2026 she continues to practice law in Pennsylvania and appears in federal forums where her admissions permit. She focuses on litigation in state and federal courts, applying courtroom experience and bar association involvement to ongoing practice.
