Cynthia Ryan, the former general counsel of the NGA - the intelligence community's space surveillance and imaging agency - talks about her career path and what the biggest growth areas are in national security law.

This episode references:
National Space Council
https://www.space.commerce.gov/category/national-space-council/

Law and Military Ops in Space with Jack Beard and Dale Stephens
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_national_security/nslt/20200430-woomera-manual-space-law/

NASA Publishes Artemis Plan to Land First Woman, Next Man on Moon in 2024
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-publishes-artemis-plan-to-land-first-woman-next-man-on-moon-in-2024/

The Confidence Code
https://theconfidencecode.com/

Lean In
https://leanin.org/book

Cynthia Ryan is the former General Counsel of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the immediate past chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security
https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/law_national_security/crryan-bio-20.pdf

Career Insights from a Senior Space Lawyer with Cynthia Ryan

National Security Law Today brings legal experts discussing the hot topics and current issues in the world of national security law right to your phone. Get information and advice for lawyers, law students or interested parties who want to dig deeper into the law that protects the country.

News

As today's national security threats evolve, they must be met with agile and effective intelligence capabilities. On April 9th, FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke before the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security on the bureau’s priorities, including foreign threats to American elections, cyber-attacks on the US infrastructure and threats posed by foreign adversaries.  He also discussed the importance of FISA Section 702 – a tool used to combat threats posed by foreign adversaries. This week, we bring you his remarks to the Committee, which came just three days prior to the House vote reauthorizing 702.  Christopher Wray is Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Introductions by Jason Klitenic, Member, ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security  References: Transcript: Director Wray's Remarks to the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 Resource Page "Warrant Requirement for FBI’s Section 702 Queries Would Impede Investigations, Endanger National Security, Director Says." FBI.gov. Apr. 9, 2024 Barr, Luke. “Foreign Terrorists Targeting US ‘Increasingly Concerning’: FBI Director.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 9 Apr. 2024

FBI Director Christopher Wray Discusses the Bureau’s Priorities for 2024

As law students across the country prepare to graduate this spring, what might a career in national security law have in store for them? This week, we're recasting an episode from last September, featuring arms control expert and Professor of Law at Georgetown University, David Koplow. Together with Elisa, David guides us through the history of WMDs, the laws and treaties that govern them, and how AI innovation will shape our future understanding (and careers) in national security. David Koplow is a Professor of Law at Georgetown University  References: UN Security Council Resolution of 1977 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, ICRC 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 2023 Cluster Munition Monitor Report Koplow, David A. Non-Lethal Weapons the Law and Policy of Revolutionary Technologies for the Military and Law Enforcement. Cambridge University Press, 2006 Koplow, David A. Death by Moderation: The U.S. Military’s Quest for Useable Weapons. Cambridge University Press, 2010 Koplow, David A. Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge. University of California Press, 2003  

AI Revolution: Weapons of Mass Destruction with David Koplow (Recast)

This week, host Elisa dives into the latest national security headlines, from happiness surveys and foreign influence on social media, to AI guidance across the U.S. financial services sector. References: Israel Has Killed a Top Hamas Commander in Gaza. It Took Five Months. WSJ. March 20, 2024 Managing Artificial Intelligence-Specific Cybersecurity Risks in the Financial Services Sector. The U.S. Department of the Treasury. March 2024

News Roundup: Hamas Leader Killed, Treasury Report on Managing AI, and Spies in Brussels

In honor of Civic Learning Week 2024, this week host Elisa is joined by Dr. Michael Feuer, Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University. Together, they dive into the importance of reinforcing early civic education, how technology has changed the way we listen to others, as well as other overarching themes from Michael's new book, Can Schools Save Democracy? Civic Education and the Common Good.  Dr. Michael Feuer is Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, and Professor of Education Policy at George Washington University  References: Feuer, Michael J. Can Schools Save Democracy?: Civic Education and the Common Good. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2023 The Digital Inquiry Group Facing History & Ourselves NSLT Ep. 314, "NATO, the Warsaw Pact, and Understanding Today's Geopolitical Climate with Simon Miles"

Civic Education and the Common Good with Dr. Michael Feuer

On February 28th, President Biden signed Executive Order 14117 on "Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern." This week, host Elisa is joined by friend-of-the-cast Alex Joel to breakdown the key actions within this EO, what types of data the DOJ may restrict, what "countries of concern" encompasses, and any potential blind spots this EO could be missing.  Alex Joel is a Scholar-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor at the Washington College of Law at American University  References:  E.O. 14117 E.O. 13873 H.R. 7738, International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 1977 H.R. 5841, Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, 2018 Provide commentary to the U.S. Department of Justice on E.O. 14117

Career Insights from a Senior Space Lawyer with Cynthia Ryan

Download our free app to listen on your phone