Joseph C. Sweeney has been involved with admiralty law and international maritime law for his entire career. He is a professor of law at the Fordham University School of Law in New York City. He holds an AB from Harvard, JD from the Boston University School of Law, and LLM from the Columbia University School of Law.

Sweeney began military service as a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps, investigating maritime disaster—collisions, groundings, explosions, and fires. He continued his naval career in the United States Naval Reserve until 1993, with the promotion to rank of captain in 1975.

He has written many law review articles and served as the editor of a maritime law newsletter published by Lloyd’s of London Press. Sweeney has also served as visiting professor at the United States Naval War College and the Merchant Marine Academy. He is the coauthor of The Law of Marine Collision.