[2] He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Yale University in 1978, graduating magna cum laude.

After law school, Browning served as a law clerk for Judge Collins J. Seitz on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1981 to 1982 and then clerked for Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1982 to 1983.

After finishing his judicial clerkships, Browning returned to New Mexico and began working at the law firm Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin, & Robb.

Afterward, he returned to private practice at Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin, & Robb.

He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 31, 2003, and received commission on August 1, 2003.