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 - CommitteeJoin us at the ABA Midyear Meeting to hear from Will A. Gunn, a distinguished leader in the legal and military community. The event will take place on Friday, January 31, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM at the Hyatt Regency in the Cowboy Artists room.
Register - HereThank 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.
As 2025 unfolds, the new administration faces its first major national security challenges: preserving a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East and addressing the contentious TikTok legal battle. In this week’s double episode, Elisa first speaks with Brian Egan, former Legal Adviser at the Department of State, to unpack the Gaza ceasefire, the role of international negotiations, and its potential for fostering regional stability. Next, Glenn Gerstell, former General Counsel of the NSA, returns to examine the Supreme Court opinion against TikTok, exploring how ByteDance’s refusal to divest has heightened national security concerns and why the Court’s decision could reshape data privacy laws in the U.S. Please note, both discussions were recorded just prior to President Trump’s inauguration and may contain information that has since evolved.
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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.
