During the 2023 Spring semester, the GW Law National Security, Cybersecurity, & Foreign Relations Law Program, with the National Security Law Association (NLSA), hosted a fireside chat in which Professor of Practice Jonathan G. Cedarbaum discussed "Varieties of National Security Lawyering" with Senior Associate Dean Michael Abramowicz.
This event offered GW Law's students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to acquaint themselves with Professor Cedarbaum and learn more about a number of practice areas in national security law. Professor Cedarbaum spoke about his experiences practicing national security law in the government and a law firm. Before joining GW Law in February 2023, Professor Cedarbaum served as Deputy Counsel to the President and National Security Council (NSC) Legal Advisor, and, immediately prior, he spent eight months as the Senior Counsel for Litigation on the Biden 2020 presidential campaign.
Professor Cedarbaum's illustrious national security law career also has included posts at the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, as an amicus for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, and as a legal advisor and deputy chief of staff to the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
Drawing on his breadth of experience, Professor Cedarbaum offered insights into the inner workings of the NSC, emphasizing the importance of interagency analysis and debate to ensure the President receives the best possible advice concerning challenges to the country's security. Professor Cedarbaum also discussed the range of issues the NSC legal staff analyzes, which include military use of force, intelligence collection and sharing, covert action activities, export controls and sanctions, international environmental issues, cybersecurity, and disputes over islands and maritime boundaries.
Additionally, Professor Cedarbaum addressed some legal and ethical dilemmas that may confront government national security lawyers. Finally, Professor Cedarbaum answered questions from students and faculty about Guantanamo Bay, classification and declassification issues, and reconciling international law and norms with US domestic law.
