Register now for LENS’ 30th Annual National Security Law Conference!

Hi Everyone!

I’m writing let you know that registration is now open for the 30th Annual National Security Law Conference presented by Duke Law’s Center on Law, Ethics and National Security (LENS) here at the Law School on Friday, February 28^th and Saturday morning, March 1st.  Because seating is limited, early registration is highly recommended.

The conference agenda and registration link is found HERE.  If you think national security law is not in your interest area, look at some of the topics that fall into the discipline these days and that will be addressed at the conference:

“The International Law of Outer Space”; “National Security Law and Business”; “Climate Change, Environmental Law, and National Security”; “Biosecurity”; “Perspectives on the Military Uses of Artificial Intelligence”; “Law Enforcement Responses to Emerging Cyber Threats”; “Critiquing the Pentagon’s Civilian Harm Mitigation Plan”; and “A Lawyer’s Duty to Uphold the Rule of Law – Revisiting Rule of Law Foundations Ethics and 21^st Century Security Challenges”

A couple of special treats: 

• The Conference Keynote will be delivered by Prof. Harold Hongju Koh, Sterling Professor of International Law, Yale University; 22^nd Legal Advisor to the State Department, and author, The National Security Constitution in the 21^st Century (2024).

• The annual Leadership Speech will be presented by Gen. Frank McKenzie, USMC (Ret.); Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute; former Commander, US Central Command and author, The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21^st Century (2024).

• Our Luncheon Speaker on Friday will be Mr. Dean Cheng, Senior Advisor to the China program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, who will talk about “The Challenge of China: Lawfare, Technology, and More.”

• Prof Curt Bradley, Allen M. Singer Distinguished Service Professor of Law, the University of Chicago Law School; and author, Historical Gloss and Foreign Affairs: Constitutional Authority in Practice (2024) will speak about “Glossing the Foreign Affairs Constitution.”

• We’ll have a “fireside chat” with Lt Gen John N.T. “Jack” Shanahan, USAF (Ret.); former Director of the Department of Defense’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center who will discuss “The Military Uses of Artificial Intelligence.”

• We’ll have another “fireside chat” with Col Eveylon “Corrie” Mack, USAF, Principal Deputy Legal Counsel, Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chief Staff and CAPT Trevor Grant, USN, Fleet Judge Advocate, U.S. Pacific Fleet on “Hot Topics from the Pentagon to the Pacific.”

In addition, we expect selected LENS Scholars (law students interested in national security issues) from about 20 schools from across the country will be attending.  You’ll get to meet them not only at the Conference, but also at the Networking Reception on Friday evening at the beautiful Washington Duke Inn where you’ll also have a chance to talk with some of the speakers.  

Bonus: Thursday, February 27^th from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Room 3037, we will have an “Early Arrival” luncheon session on “Careers in National Security Law” (Conference registration for this event not required, and lunch will be served)

You must register to attend the conference itself, and you can do so HERE. Active-duty military and full-time students received a reduced registration fee of just $75. Registration includes admission to the conference, continental breakfasts on Friday and Saturday, a box lunch on Friday, and admission to the Reception on Friday evening.

Continuing Legal Education (CLE): We have received approval from North Carolina and Pennsylvania for 11 hours of CLE (including an hour of ethics).  An additional hour of general CLE credit in PA is available for those who attend the “Early Arrival” luncheon event (see the conference website for more information).  Though we can’t guarantee anything, some past attendees have been able to use PA and NC approvals to get credit in their jurisdiction.

Will you help support the Conference and LENS activities?  As you might imagine, the registration fee hardly covers the full cost of the conference or, as explained here other LENS efforts to try to help build the next generation of national security leaders.  I hope you will want to be part of the process – and please know that any amount will help!

The easiest way to donate is online through Duke’s secure giving website: https://www.gifts.duke.edu/law?designation=3991358. 

You can also mail a check to the Duke Law Alumni & Development Office, 210 Science Drive, Box 90389, Durham, NC 27701. Please write LENS on the memo line. If you would like to learn about additional ways you can make an impact on our students and support the LENS Center, please contact Halley House at halley.house@law.duke.edu.

Anyway, we hope to see you at the conference! Again, you can register for the conference HERE.