Attorney Brian D. Joslyn

Attorney Brian Joslyn

Life Story Resulting in a Criminal Defense Career

Brian Joslyn’s decision to become a criminal defense attorney was shaped by unique personal hardship. His life has been and remains a testament to the pursuit of justice for those subjected to overzealous law enforcement. He firmly believes in the dignified, respectful treatment of every person before the law.

In his late teens, Brian was a victim of police brutality. This experience was the catalyst in his goal to defend the rights of others. While attending a campus block party at Ohio State University, Brian stood on a private lawn holding a milk carton. As the crowds grew, police arrived to maintain order. Instead, utter chaos ensued. The assembly of students was thrown into disarray as the police sprayed tear gas everywhere. Brian was hit in the forehead with a tear gas canister, a blow which threw him to the ground and nearly rendered him unconscious. Frightened and disoriented, he remained in a defenseless posture, while inhaling fumes from the canister at his side. People stampeded by him in fear. Those who didn’t flee were arrested.

As he lay injured on the ground, a police officer approached Brian and hit him on the top and back of his head with a Mag flashlight, splitting his skull open. The officer then proceeded to stomp on Brian’s back and entire body. Notwithstanding Brian’s screams for mercy, the abuse persisted. Four zip ties were then fastened to Brian’s hands behind his back. The officer then picked him up from behind, walked him into an alley about twenty feet away, and slammed his body into the ground, which fractured his right thumb. Repetition of the body slam caused shards of glass to pierce Brian’s forearm. He was then taken to a police paddy wagon, which the police sprayed the back of with mace and shut the doors.

At the hospital, police interrogated Brian despite his request for counsel and refusal to sign any documents. After Brian tested negative for drugs and alcohol, his doctor wanted to administer an anesthetic for the purpose of stapling his head wounds. The police declined the medication for Brian. As a result, the procedure took place without any numbing agent. During intake at the jail, officers ridiculed Brian and called him “Zipper Head.” Unbeknownst to Brian, his blood-soaked clothes had been washed, in an effort to destroy evidence. Ultimately, Brian’s blood-stained wallet and paper money testified to the police officers’ conduct. Nevertheless, Brian’s problems were far from over. He was formally charged on five false counts of assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, failing to leave the scene of an emergency, rioting, and disorderly conduct.

Ultimately, Brian was acquitted of all charges at trial. Following the trial, Brian began working for a law office, where he remained for five years, assisting with his cases and developing a deep understanding of the criminal law. In light of Brian’s ordeal, his compassion for those faced with criminal charges was evident to everyone he encountered.

Brian has developed a profound affinity for criminal law, received his law degree, and has devoted his life to principles of fairness and justice in the treatment of his clients and the outcomes he seeks on their behalf.

Awards and Recognitions

Top American Lawyers is committed to only having the best attorneys in the United States as members.
The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys only has one goal as an organization, recognizing excellence in the field of criminal defense.
The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 is an invitation-only organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region.
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Avvo.com is an online marketplace for legal services, that provides lawyer referrals and access to a database of legal information consisting primarily of previously answered questions.
Columbus CEO magazine has yearly selections for the best attorneys in Columbus Ohio. Brian Joslyn has been identified as one of the most highly skilled attorneys across central Ohio.
The National Academy of Jurisprudence, NAJ is an invitation-only, national organization of premier attorneys actively practicing law.
Three Best Rated® was created with a simple goal to find you the top 3 local businesses, professionals, restaurants and health care providers in any city.
It is the mission of America's Top 100 LLC to recognize annually and on a lifetime bases the most qualified and accomplished professionals in various fields of practice.
The American Jurist Institute (AJI), is a third party consumer driven organization that identify and promote the nation’s best attorneys.
The National Trial Lawyers is a professional organization composed of the premier trial lawyers from across the country who exemplify superior qualifications
The Lead Counsel Rating promotes attorneys with professional experience, peer recommendations and spotless records.
Best DWI Attorneys searches for lawyers who are experienced at handling DWI and DUI cases.
The objective of Super Lawyers’ patented multiphase selection process is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys.
Our goal is to connect people with the best local experts. We scored bankruptcy lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories
The Better Business Bureau (BBB), founded in 1912, is a private, nonprofit organization whose self-described mission is to focus on advancing marketplace trust.

Nationally Recognized. Locally Respected.

Our criminal law expertise goes beyond the courtroom. When journalists need someone who knows about criminal law, whether on a Columbus issue or a national one, they turn to Brian Joslyn. Members of the media have even referred us many of our clients.

Fox 28, NBC 4, ABC 6, WBNS 10 - CBS, The Columbus Dispatch, The Plain Dealer

Professional Associations and Memberships

More than 200 trial lawyers in Central Ohio have a united voice through membership in the Central Ohio Association for Justice. Member committees include Plaintiffs’ Personal Injury Law, Claimants’ Workers’ Compensation Law, Domestic Relations Law, Criminal Law and Probate Law.
The Columbus Bar Association strives to be the leader in providing excellent, innovative and cost effective services to members of the legal profession and the general public in central Ohio. Through the active involvement of a broad and diverse membership, we will focus on professionalism, education, advocacy and community service in order to advance the justice system for all.
The Ohio State Bar Association is a voluntary professional association open to any person who has been admitted to the practice of law. The OSBA represents more than 21,000 Ohio lawyers and judges, nearly 64 percent of Ohio law practitioners.
The ABA mission is to serve equally their members, their profession and the public by defending liberty and delivering justice as the national representative of the legal profession.
OAJ’s core mission is to advance your client’s rights at the Statehouse, at the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and before the Ohio Supreme Court. OAJ is constantly vigilant and responds aggressively to any threat that would negatively impact your practice or the rights of Ohioans to have their disputes resolved by a jury.
he mission of the American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective justice system—and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.
NORML's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to legalize the responsible use of marijuana by adults, and to serve as an advocate for consumers.
The OACDL mission is to educate and promote research in the field of criminal defense law and the related areas.
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is an American criminal defense organization.
The National College for DUI Defense is a professional, non-profit corporation dedicated to the improvement of the criminal defense bar.
The National Police Accountability Project is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to ending law enforcement and detention officer abuse of authority.
The National Lawyers Guild is a progressive public interest association of lawyers, law students, paralegals, jailhouse lawyers, law collective members, and other activist legal workers, in the United States.
We are a grassroots alliance of motorists joined together to protect our rights in the courts, on the streets, and in our vehicles. National Motorists Association members number in the thousands and are active in all 50 states as well as in several provinces of Canada.