Announcing the 10th National Security Law Workshop

We are excited to announce the Tenth National Security Law Workshop! We will be holding the workshop October 10-11, 2019 at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, VA. This unique event brings civilian law faculty, Judge Advocates, ICRC representatives, and other government legal advisers together for two days of dialogue on national security law topics.

1. Location

This year the workshop will be held at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School located next to the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia.

2. Format

The goal of the workshop is to bring together national security law practitioners and academics to foster a deeper understanding of current and emerging complex national security issues. Towards that end, the format of the workshop will be a series of four roundtable discussions focused on various national security law related topics. As you will see in the draft agenda below, we have identified four topics that we currently intend to be the focal points of discussion (it is possible that one or more of them will change in light of the interests expressed by applicants, as explained below).

Currently, we anticipate accepting 25-30 total attendees.

3. Applications

Please submit your attendance requests (and, if applicable, proposals as explained below) to CAPT Todd Huntley (todd.c.huntley.mil@mail.mil) by close of business on July 29th.

You are welcome to apply as an attendee, meaning that you will be expected to participate actively in the roundtable discussions but will have no separate obligations. If you would like to not just participate in the discussions but also help frame those discussions by generating a two-page point paper for attendees to read in advance in relation to one of the workshop targets, please make that clear in your application as well. Note that such read-ahead papers will be due no later than September 13^th.

If you have a proposal for a discussion topic that is not listed, please pitch that idea to us as well; as noted above, we will consider adding, or changing, the topics based on interest.

At any rate, please ensure that your request to participate includes your name, contact information, and organizational affiliation. We will notify those accepted by the end of this month.

4. Expenses and logistics

The good news is that there is no registration fee or paperwork for those who are selected to attend (nor is there any CLE credit, alas). The bad news is that all attendees will be responsible for their own travel, lodging, and related expenses.

Once selections are made, we will provide further details on recommended accommodations and other logistical details.

5. Draft agenda:

Below is a current draft agenda. Based on proposals submitted by applicants, the topics may adjust to meet the needs and interest of the workshop.

Thursday October 10^th

0830-0930 Participants Arrive/Opening Remarks

Bobby Chesney (UT) & Geoff Corn (STCL)

0930-1130 Roundtable #1

The War Powers Resolution in an Age of Unmanned, Autonomous Systems

1130-1200 Break/Lunch (on site)

1200-1245 Lunch Speaker

1245-1300 Break

1300-1500 Roundtable #2

National Security Implications of Data and Artificial Intelligence

1500-1630 Wrap-up discussion

1700 No Host Happy Hour

Friday October 11^th

0830 Arrival

0900-1100 Roundtable #3

Naval Warfare and the Revised Commentary on the Second Geneva Convention

1100-1130 Break/Lunch (on site)

1130-1330 Working Lunch/Roundtable #4

Direct Participation in Hostilities Ten Years On: Any Closer to Consensus?

1330-1345 Break

1345-1530 Wrap-up Discussion and Closing Remarks