Defense Counsel for the Notable "Hamdan v. Rumsfeld" U.S. Supreme Court Case to Speak at Pitt Law School Feb. 21

PITTSBURGH-The University of Pittsburgh School of Law's Center for International Legal Education and the Global Solutions Education Fund will present the 16th Annual McLean Lecture on World Law featuring Charles Swift, the acting director of Emory University's International Humanitarian Law Clinic, at 6 p.m. in the Barco Law Building's Teplitz Moot Courtroom, 3900 Forbes Ave., Oakland. This event is free and open to the public.

Swift's lecture is titled "U.S. Sovereignty and the War on Terror After "Hamdan v. Rumsfeld."" Swift acquired extensive experience in the practice of military and international law during his service with the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions. His well-publicized representation of Salim Hamdan, the driver for Osama bin Laden, brought Swift to the U.S. Supreme Court in the precedent-setting case of "Hamdan v. Rumsfeld." In its decision, the court ruled that the military commission being used to try Hamdan was illegal and therefore lacked the protections provided under the Geneva Conventions and U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Known for his dedication to preserving the rule of law during wartime, Swift has been honored by the American Civil Liberties Union with a Medal of Liberty and named by the "National Law Journal" as one of the most influential lawyers in America. With more than 12 years of litigation experience with the U.S. military, Swift is also a visiting associate professor at Emory.

The McLean Lecture on World Law honors the memory and contributions of M.W. McLean, a founder, executive director, and executive vice president of the Pittsburgh World Federalist Association chapter, now Global Solutions Education Fund, Pittsburgh.

This lecture has been approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for one hour of substantive Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits. There is a $25 fee for credit. For CLE details, call 412-648-7023 or e-mail cile@law.pitt.edu. For more information about Pitt's School of Law, visit www.law.pitt.edu.

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