Professor Brown is a specialist in the fields of national security, government ethics, and political corruption. He has extensive experience in state government, having served as Legislative Assistant to the Governor of Massachusetts, Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts, and Chair of the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission. His current research has focused on the role of the courts in the war on terror with recent publications such as: “Notes on a Terrorism Trial – Preventive Prosecution, Material Support,” “The Role of The Judge after United States v. Mehanna” (Harvard National Security Journal) and “Accountability, Liability, and the War on Terror -- Constitutional Tort Suits as Truth and Reconciliation Vehicles” (Florida Law Review).

Brown’s articles have been cited by federal courts and by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in an influential dissent. His article "Applying Citizens United to Ordinary Corruption: With a note on Blagejovich, McDonnell, and the Criminalization of Politics" was published in the Notre Dame Law Review. Professor Brown has also served as Chair of the Section on Federal Courts of the Association of American Law Schools.