Since 1962, the Standing Committee on Law and National Security, has sustained an unwavering commitment to educating the Bar and the public on the importance of the rule of law in preserving the freedoms of democracy and our national security. The Committee focuses on legal aspects of national security with particular attention in recent years to issues raised by legal responses to terrorist events.
Meet the - CommitteeSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s decision to dismiss The Judge Advocates General of the Army and Air Force has prompted concern over the future role of independent, nonpartisan military legal advice and adherence to the law of armed conflict. Please join us for a conversation with Rear Admiral James E. McPherson (Ret.), 39th Judge Advocate General of the Navy and former General Counsel and Under Secretary of the Army, and John Bellinger III, former Department of State Legal Adviser and Legal Adviser to the National Security Council. They will discuss the function of the “TJAGs” and the JAG Corps in providing legal advice and issues raised by the recent firings.
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This video series aims to improve the civic knowledge of active service members of the military. The videos and resources were developed by the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security in collaboration with the ABA Division for Public Education. It was funded by the Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative, which is sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics (LAIC). LAIC is project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
Listen - HereThe recent dismissal of the Judge Advocates General of the Army and Air Force has raised new questions about the role of independent legal advice in the U.S. military. This week, we’re airing a special rebroadcast of our May 28th live program on the role of Judge Advocates General in advising military leadership and upholding the law of armed conflict. The discussion features Rear Admiral James E. McPherson, retired 39th Judge Advocate General of the Navy and former General Counsel and Under Secretary of the Army, and John B. Bellinger III, former Legal Adviser to both the State Department and the National Security Council. Together, they explore the function of the JAG Corps, the implications of recent firings, and the importance of preserving nonpartisan legal guidance in military decision-making.
Listen to - Latest EpisodeThe Standing Committee on Law and National Security (SCOLANS), working with the Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, the Governmental Affairs Office and the Center for Innovation recently held a webinar on AI and Deepfakes, featuring Harvey Rishikof, Senior Counsel, SCOLANS and Visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon; Gary Corn, SCOLANS member and Director, Technology, Law & Security Program at American University; Lakshmi Gopal, Staff Attorney, Amara Legal Center and the Honorable Paul W. Grimm (Ret.), Former U.S. District Judge and Professor of Law at Duke Law School. The webinar examined the growing impact of deepfakes at the intersection of technology and the legal system, and how lawmakers and the legal community can respond.
Thank you for attending the Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law CLE Conference. Be sure to check your emails for a link to your personalized CLE affidavit from [email protected]. We would also like to express our sincere thanks once again to our cosponsors, charter law firm members and corporate sponsors.
Follow developments on Section 702 useful to policymakers, the press, and the public. Read selected articles and legal materials and learn about upcoming events on FISA and 702. Visit regularly as the site will be updated as new materials become available.
Explore virtual and in – person programs, CLE Conferences, meetings and events held & sponsored by the Standing Committee on Law and National Security
Discover a wealth of insights by watching our webinar panels and exploring the Standing Committee's programs dedicated to supporting, promoting, and developing women in the practice of national security law. At the heart of our mission, Women in National Security strives to empower and uplift women in this field, fostering their growth and success.
The 60th Anniversary Anthology will review the past ten years and forecast the next ten years in the development of national security law. These articles capture the history, growth, and development of the Committee, the nation, and the world's evolution in national security law. The articles will be released serially through our website. We will later compile the articles in an e-book that can be downloaded or printed as a reader chooses. New essays are added regularly.
The resolution opposes the use of spyware for human rights abuses and calls for a moratorium on such practices, alongside urging governments to enact laws restricting the sale, purchase, and use of abusive commercial spyware. Additionally, it recommends the U.S. Department of Commerce to continue listing companies providing such spyware. The resolution also encourages platform providers to implement safeguards, detection protocols, and victim notification policies against abusive commercial spyware attacks.
(March 2024) The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released the 2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community. The Threat Assessment details threat actors, ongoing conflicts, and transnational issues that pose a threat to the United States.
The ABA took a strong stand on artificial intelligence and related issues during the 2023 ABA Midyear Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Resolution 604 sets out standards for the development and utilization of artificial intelligence products, services, and systems, and encourages transparency and accountability.
(June 6, 2024) Judge Royce C. Lamberth was presented with the Morris I. Leibman Award in Law and National Security at a dinner held at the University Club in Washington, D.C.
Learn - MorePublications | Book
The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook: A Resource for Attorneys, Law Firms, and Business Professionals, Third Edition
The ABA Cybersecurity Legal Task Force's mission is to identify and compile resources within the ABA that pertain to cybersecurity, and to focus and coordinate the ABA’s legal and policy analyses and assessments of proposals relating to cybersecurity.
The Cybersecurity Checklist, Second Edition (2021) is directed to solo and small firm attorneys who interact with vendors, often involving access to a client's sensitive data or internal systems. As we face increased cybersecurity risks, the mantra "know your supplier" cannot be overstated. This Checklist highlights how practitioners who are not steeped in the nuances of data privacy and data security can minimize cybersecurity risks in their contractual transactions with third party vendors. Available for free to ABA Members.
For more articles, books and information on the law, visit our resources page.
