UVA Law School’s National Security Law Center allows students to study the most pressing issues in national security law and to explore the wide range of career opportunities available in the field. Our course offerings provide the constitutional and statutory foundations of national security law, but also address contemporary challenges flowing from new technologies, terrorism and geopolitical changes. The center is the hub for national security law activities at the Law School, and cooperates with student groups, faculty members, the Public Service Center and Career Development, and outside organizations to coordinate speakers, events, summer and postgraduate employment, and pro bono opportunities. A leader in national security law since 1981, we take advantage of our proximity to the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School and the wide range of national security practitioners in Washington, D.C., to enrich the Law School’s course offerings with expert speakers from government and policy groups.
In the her fall National Security Law class, Professor Ashley Deeks discusses military targets and the use of drones, along with other national security law issues. Deeks previously served as the assistant legal adviser for political-military affairs in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser, and as the embassy legal adviser at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, during Iraq’s constitutional negotiations.
A resilience agenda is an essential part of protecting national security in a digital age. Digital technologies impact nearly all aspects of everyday...
The President sometimes delegates important constitutional and statutory powers to use force or conduct other national security operations. Although...
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 provoked the imposition of economic sanctions that are unprecedented in their swiftness, severity, and novelty...
States are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence systems to enhance their national security decision-making. The real risks that states will...
A resilience agenda is an essential part of protecting national security in a digital age. Digital technologies impact nearly all aspects of everyday...
The President sometimes delegates important constitutional and statutory powers to use force or conduct other national security operations. Although...
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 provoked the imposition of economic sanctions that are unprecedented in their swiftness, severity, and novelty...
States are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence systems to enhance their national security decision-making. The real risks that states will...
This article analyses those hurdles, which are different for privately owned property such as oligarch yachts and state property such as bank deposits...
When a state suffers an internationally wrongful act at the hands of another state, international law allows the injured state to respond in a variety...
Some who should know argue, and I find plausible, that among these aspects of AI, accumulation and organization of data sets is the most significant...
As presidents make ever more expansive claims of executive power, Congress’s ability and willingness to counter the executive is limited. That makes...
When a state seeks to defend itself against a cyberattack, must it first identify the perpetrator responsible? The US policy of “defend forward” and...
Attribution of cyberattacks requires identifying those responsible for bad acts, prominently including states, and accurate attribution is a crucial...
Reason-giving plays an important role in our system of governance. Agencies provide public reasons when making rules so that individuals affected by...
In recent years, legislative bodies such as the U.S. Congress and the U.K. Parliament have struggled to maintain a role for themselves in government...
Debates about how best to check executive branch abuses of secrecy focus on three sets of actors that have access to classified information and that...
The concept of checks and balances is a core tenet of our democracy; we fear letting any single institution become overly powerful or insufficiently...
Big data technology and machine learning techniques play a growing role across all areas of modern society. Machine learning provides the ability to...
Technology has facilitated both the amount of trade secrets that are now stored electronically, and the rise of cyber intrusions. Together, this has...
The following is a list of courses offered during 2022-25. Numbers in parentheses indicate which academic year(s) the courses were offered, i.e., 2022-23 is coded (23), 2023-24 is coded (24) and 2024-25 is coded (25). (SC) stands for short course and (YR) stands for yearlong.
Admiralty (SC) (24,25) Advanced Crimes and Defenses (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Advanced Topics in Professional Responsibility (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Advanced Topics in the Law of Armed Conflict (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Border Policy and Politics (23,24,25) Challenges in Military Justice (SC) (24) Critical Analysis of the Military Justice System (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Cybersecurity and Privacy Boot Camp (SC) (25) Cybersecurity Law and Policy (23,24) Digital Evidence from Theory to Practice (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Economic Statecraft and Public International Law (SC) (23,25) Foreign Relations Law (23,24,25) Government Secrecy (24) History and Evolution of Victims' Rights (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Immigration Law and Policy (23,24,25) Innovating for Defense (23,24) International Human Rights (JAG) (SC) (23) International Law and the Use of Force (23) Introduction to Legal Aspects of Cyberspace Operations (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Law of Armed Conflict (23,24,25) Law of Sea, Air and Space Operations (JAG) (SC) (23,24) National Security Law (23,24) National Security Law Proseminar I (JAG) (SC) (24) National Security Law Proseminar II (JAG) (SC) (24) Personal Data Protection in Europe (SC) (23) Rights of the Accused (JAG) (SC) (23,24) Special Topics in Client Services (JAG) (SC) (23,24) The Economic Tools of National Security (24,25) Veteran Benefits and Retirement Planning (JAG) (SC) (23,24) War by Other Means: The Law of Economic and Financial Sanctions (SC) (23) War Crimes and Atrocity Law (JAG) (SC) (23,24)
University of Virginia School of Law professor Ashley Deeks has been awarded the 2024 Mike Lewis Prize for her article on delegating the president’s national security powers.
Alexander Wentker, a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, discusses what makes countries party to a conflict when providing wartime support. Wentker was introduced by Professor Ashley Deeks. The event was sponsored by the National Security Law Center and co-sponsored by the Center for International & Comparative Law.
U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School
UVA Law students can take certain courses at the neighboring Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, and JAG officers serving in Charlottesville frequently coach UVA Law students serving on trial advocacy teams and in other kinds of competitions.
Professor Thomas B. Nachbar, senior fellow with the center, is a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he has, among other assignments, edited an Army handbook on the development of legal systems, trained Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and deployed to Iraq.
Related UVA Schools and Centers
Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
The Batten School is committed to solving the world’s toughest policy challenges. Its multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving and emphasis on ethics reinforce the school’s focus on how leadership works, why context matters in decision-making and which actions lead to tangible results. J.D.-M.P.P. Program
School of Data Science
The School of Data Science — the first of its kind in the nation — is guided by common goals: to further discovery, share knowledge, and make a positive impact on society through collaborative, open, and responsible data science research and education. Founded in 2019 through the largest gift in UVA history, the school positions the University and the community to play a national and international leadership role in the global digital future.
The Miller Center
The Miller Center is a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia that specializes in presidential scholarship, public policy and political history, and strives to apply the lessons of history and civil discourse to the nation's most pressing contemporary governance challenges.
Much like the university where it's made its home, the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School can trace its roots back to America's Founding Fathers. At the request of George Washington in 1775, the Continental Congress appointed the Army's first lawyer, known as a judge advocate
Professor Ashley Deeks leads a conversation on national security agencies deploying tools such as artificial intelligence and how they pose challenges to those conducting oversight of U.S. national security activities. The webinar was sponsored by the UVA Law School Foundation.
The J.B. Moore Society is a driving force in international law activities at the Law School. Each year the society hosts a symposium on topics such as the war on terror or corruption in foreign governments, as well as a lunch lecture series in which international law faculty and foreign graduate students present papers. The society also sponsors the Jessup International Law Moot Court team and pro bono human rights projects. Website
Law, Innovation, Security & Technology
LIST focuses on the novel legal, policy and business problems caused by the recent proliferation of emerging technologies. It educates students about issues in the area; prepares them with practical skills and experience to enter the legal workforce; connects them to a network of mentors, experts and resources; and collaborates with the policy, business and technology communities. Recent areas of focus have included cyber crime, net neutrality and autonomous vehicles, among others. Website
National Security Law Forum
National Security Law Forum connects UVA law students with national security law and broader government issues by hosting speakers, educating students about career opportunities and facilitating student work on national security problems during law school. The forum seeks to produce the next generation of national security law leaders by engaging the school’s faculty, alumni network and connections with the national security community.
Virginia Journal of International Law
Now in its fifth decade, the Virginia Journal of International Law is the oldest continuously published, student-edited law review in the United States devoted exclusively to the fields of public and private international law. It is the most frequently cited student-edited journal of international and comparative law, and the third-most-frequently cited student-edited specialty journal of any kind. Website
Virginia Journal of Law & Technology
UVA Law's only e-journal, VJoLT, provides a forum for students, professors and practitioners to discuss emerging issues at the intersection of law and technology. Recent issues of the journal have included articles on biotechnology, telecommunications, e-commerce, internet privacy and encryption. Website
Virginia Law Veterans
Virginia Law Veterans supports student members of the military community and serves as an information resource for anyone conducting research on national security or international law and policy issues. Membership is open to any interested person and does not require any past or present tie to the military. Website
First-year University of Virginia School of Law student Kate Harrell discusses a report she co-authored documenting Russia’s destruction of cultural heritage in Ukraine.
Neil H. MacBride ’92, general counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, delivers the keynote address for the conference “Regulating Conflict and Competition: The Economic Levers of National Security.” Professor Kristen Eichensehr opened the conference, and Dean Risa Goluboff introduced MacBride. The event was sponsored by the Law School’s National Security Law Center.
Students have access to a range of job opportunities relating to national security law, and in the past have worked for the following employers during the summer or immediately after graduation:
CIA
National Security Agency
U.S. Department of Defense Office of General Counsel
U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions
U.S. Department of Justice, National Security Law Division
U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division (various sections)
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
ACLU National Security Project
U.S. Transportation Security Administration
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Homeland Security Investigations, Human Rights Violator and War Crimes Center)
Students and graduates also benefit from an extensive alumni network.
Fellowships
Monroe Leigh Fellowship in International Law
The fellowship provides a total of $10,000 for one or more students to pursue a public international law project of their own choosing during the summer following the first or second year, during the fall and/or spring of the third academic year, or for a postgraduate internship. Application Information
Summer Public Service Opportunities
The Law School, in conjunction with the student-run Public Interest Law Association, offers $3,750 to $6,500 grants to help fund a broad array of summer public interest opportunities, including with federal agencies. Where Recent Fellows Worked
Panelists discuss how the roles and responsibilities related to U.S. cybersecurity are shared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Defense and the private sector, and how each woman has become involved in this aspect of national security law. The speakers include M
University of Virginia School of Law professor Ashley Deeks has been awarded the 2024 Mike Lewis Prize for her article on delegating the president’s national security powers.
First-year University of Virginia School of Law student Kate Harrell discusses a report she co-authored documenting Russia’s destruction of cultural heritage in Ukraine.
A paper by University of Virginia School of Law professors Kristen Eichensehr and Cathy Hwang, in which they analyze national security’s reach into corporate transactions, has been recognized as a top 10 corporate law article for 2023.
University of Virginia School of Law professor Saikrishna Prakash has been awarded the 2023 Mike Lewis Prize for his Yale Law Journal article on the commander-in-chief clause.
With Veterans Day approaching, Lt. Cmdr. Eli Sinai, a first-year law student at the University of Virginia School of Law, reflected on the path that led him from naval aviation to his new dream of serving the United States through the legal system — with a connection to “Top Gun: Maverick” in between.
Paul B. Stephan, a University of Virginia School of Law professor who has written extensively about the crumbling post-World War II international legal order, weighs in on the legal questions surrounding the war between Israel and Hamas.
Already equipped with their J.D.s, five military lawyers are furthering their legal education by earning master’s degrees at the University of Virginia School of Law this academic year.
A new paper by University of Virginia School of Law professors Ashley S. Deeks and Andrew Hayashi explains how U.S. tax sanctions could hinder Russia’s ability to keep fighting in Ukraine.
Paul B. Stephan, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law and a former adviser to multiple presidents and foreign governments, offers insights about the history and shaky future of the international order in his latest book, “The World Crisis and International Law: The Knowledge Economy and the Battle for the Future,” published by Cambridge University Press.
One year into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, three international law and national security experts at the University of Virginia School of Law assess the impact and legacy of the war.
A symposium at the University of Virginia School of Law will examine how current international strife can predict a future conflict between China and Taiwan.
Neil H. MacBride ’92, general counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, will deliver the keynote address at a conference on U.S. use of economic measures in service of national security at the University of Virginia School of Law.
New courses offered this winter and spring at the University of Virginia School of Law include International and Comparative Family Law, Dignity Law, and Trade Secret Law.
University of Virginia School of Law professor Ashley Deeks, former deputy legal adviser to Biden’s National Security Council, returns to UVA Law and reflects on her job.
University of Virginia School of Law professor Paul B. Stephan’s legal career was taking shape as the Soviet Union was collapsing — and as Mikhail Gorbachev’s influence reached its peak. Stephan reflected on the former Soviet leader’s role in ending the Cold War and why he couldn’t hold on to power or the esteem of his fellow Russians.
Experts will discuss the world’s immigration laws at the 33rd Sokol Colloquium on International Law at the University of Virginia School of Law on Aug. 11-12.
Already equipped with their J.D.s, five military lawyers are furthering their legal education by earning master’s degrees at the University of Virginia School of Law this academic year.
Kashmir Hill discusses her 2023 book, “Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup’s Quest to End Privacy as We Know It," with UVA Law professor Danielle Citron during a LawTech Center talk, following an introduction by Professor Elizabeth Rowe. The book explores how facial recognition technology threatens privacy.
Lessons of the Economic War on Russia, With Peter Harrell
Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023
Peter Harrell, former senior director for international economics and competitiveness on the National Security Council, will discuss lessons learned from the economic sanctions levied on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Regulating Conflict and Competition: The Economic Levers of National Security
Friday, Feb. 24, 2023
This conference convenes legal and policy experts to discuss the latest developments in and future trajectories of the economic levers of national security. Neil H. MacBride ’92, general counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, will deliver the keynote address.
‘The Absolutely Indispensable Man: Ralph Bunche, the United Nations and the Fight to End Empire’: A Conversation With Kal Raustiala
Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022
UCLA law professor Kal Raustiala will discuss his forthcoming book, “The Absolutely Indispensable Man: Ralph Bunche, the United Nations, and the Fight to End Empire.” Professor Kristen Eichensehr, director of the National Security Law Center, will introduce Raustiala and moderate the discussion.
This roundtable will explore the general tradeoffs between the need for Congress to delegate authority in the foreign relations sphere and the difficulty that Congress and the courts face in ensuring that the Executive remains faithful to those delegations. More
2021 Cybersecurity Speaker Series
Sponsored by the National Security Law Center; Law, Innovation, Security & Technology; and the National Security Law Forum
A cybersecurity speaker series will explores the challenges cybersecurity poses for governments, private actors, and civil society and how U.S., foreign and international law tackle cybersecurity problems. The series will discuss what to expect on cybersecurity law and policy in the new Biden administration, and will feature current and former U.S. government officials, in-house and outside counsel, and academic and civil society experts. This series is open to the UVA community as well as invited national security law faculty and professionals.
Experts will discuss the tools the U.S. federal government has deployed to address cybersecurity threats, including indictments, sanctions and the U.S. Department of Defense “defend forward” strategy and consider how government policy may change in the near term.
Panelists:
Gary Corn, Director, Tech, Law & Security Program, American University Washington College of Law; former Staff Judge Advocate to U.S. Cyber Command
Andrew Grotto, William J. Perry International Security Fellow at Stanford University and Director of the Program on Geopolitics, Technology and Governance at the Stanford Cyber Policy Center; former Senior Director for Cyber Policy, National Security Council
Kimberley Raleigh, Deputy Chief of the Office of Law and Policy, National Security Division, U.S. Department of Justice
The Private Sector’s Role in Cybersecurity Challenges
This panel will highlight the role that in-house and outside counsel play in addressing cybersecurity threats to the private sector, as well as considering applicable U.S. and foreign (especially EU) regulatory regimes and the relationship between the private sector and governments more broadly.
Panelists:
Cristin Goodwin, Assistant General Counsel of the Digital Security Unit, Microsoft Corp.
Sean Joyce, Principal, U.S. and Global Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice Leader, PwC; former Deputy Director, FBI
Ronald Lee, Partner, Arnold & Porter; former General Counsel, U.S. National Security Agency
Kimberly Peretti, Partner; Co-Chair of Privacy, Cyber and Data Stratagy Team and National Security and Digital Crimes Team, Alston & Bird; former litigator in U.S. DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section
This panel will explore the cybersecurity challenges posed by emerging technologies and how new technologies might improve cybersecurity, while also examining related issues like disinformation and artificial intelligence.
Panelists:
Nathaniel Gleicher, Head of Cybersecurity Policy, Facebook; former Director of Cybersecurity Policy, National Security Council
Brenda Leong, Senior Counsel and Director of Artificial Intelligence and Ethics, Future of Privacy Forum
Riana Pfefferkorn, Research Scholar, Stanford Internet Observatory; former Associate Director of Surveillance and Cybersecurity, Stanford Center for Internet and Society
Moderator: Kristen Eichensehr, Martha Lubin Karsh and Bruce A. Karsh Bicentennial Professor of Law; Director, National Security Law Center; University of Virginia School of Law
At this year’s “Live From L,” U.S. State Department officials discuss the advisory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Panelists include Legal Adviser Margaret Taylor, Attorney Adviser Niels Von Deuten, and Assistant Legal Advisers Maegan Conklin ’03 and Mary Mitchell, with Professor Ashley Deeks moderating. The event was sponsored by the UVA Law National Security Law Center, American Bar Association International Law Section, American Society of International Law and the U.S. State Department Office of the Legal Adviser.
