International Networks: Challenge and Opportunity
American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security, the National Strategy Forum; Underwritten by the McCormick Foundation

On May 10-11, 2007, US homeland security and national security experts from the government, legal, business, law enforcement, public health, public works, academic, and non-profit sectors met at the Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland for a conference titled “International Networks and Homeland Security: Challenge and Opportunity,” which examined how to protect the complex system of international networks. The conference was sponsored by The McCormick Foundation and was organized by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security and the National Strategy Forum. Read the full report (PDF).


Hurricane Katrina Task Force Subcommittee Report
American Bar Association
February 2006

Members of the Task Force included:
ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security
ABA Section of State and Local Government Law
ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice
Excerpt from the Introduction:

“Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Reported evidence and visual television coverage showed that the hurricane devastated the area with widespread loss of lives and property. The news media reported stories of difficulties experienced by officials at all levels to manage the fall-out. There were numerous horror stories of miscommunications, lack of coordination, inability to evacuate those threatened or distribute needed supplies, and failure of communications capacity. The continuous confusion led to a loss of public confidence in government and demonstrated significant vulnerabilities in all facets of national, state, and local emergency preparedness.

In response to these events, the American Bar Association formed the Task Force on Hurricane Katrina in early September of 2005. It called upon the Standing Committee on Law and National Security as well as the Section on State & Local Government Law and the Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice to form a working group responsible for evaluating current legal authorities available to meet this and other national disasters and emergencies.”

To access this report, click here (.PDF file, opens in new window)

Law Amid the Ruins: Doing Business After Disaster
McCormick Tribune Conference Series Conference Report
Conducted by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security and the National Strategy Forum
Sponsored by the McCormick Foundation

On May 11-13, 2005, experts from the government, business, legal, law enforcement, emergency responder, public health, public works and non-profit sectors met at the McCormick Foundation Cantigny Conference Center in Wheaton, Illinois to discuss continuity of operations (COOP) for the public and private sectors in the event of a catastrophic incident – an event that would have a widespread, potentially disastrous impact on the US critical infrastructure including medical, communication, transportation, financial, commercial, utility, and trade services.

Conference participants identified issues, raised questions and offered suggestions regarding US emergency preparedness, response and recovery planning for a catastrophic incident.

To access the post-conference report, click here (.PDF file, opens in new window)