Joseph A. Race was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 10, 1950. He completed an Associate of Arts degree from American College in Paris, France, in 1974. Joseph then completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts in 1982. Finally, Joseph earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985. He also studied at the Notre Dame Law School, London Program of International Law, in London, England. Joseph is licensed to practice in Louisiana and Wisconsin. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and practices primarily in the areas of asbestos litigation, admiralty law, environmental law, products liability law, and premises liability law.