Reading School of Law Reaching out to Government Lawyers

On 13 June, Professor Schmitt conducted a virtual seminar on international cyber law for judge advocates (legal advisers) of the US Army Reserve Legal Command’s 10th Legal Operations Detachment, which is composed of lawyers across the United States who deal with operational law issues.  The seminar focused on the development of the international law of cyberspace, the prospects for development of that body of law through treaty, and contentious issues, especially with regard to identifying those cyber operations that violate international law and the appropriate legal responses to them.

The seminar was part of an on-going University of Reading School of Law effort to work with legal and policy practitioners throughout the world who deal with international law issues, including, but not limited to, cyber operations.  As part of that effort, four US and British military officers are now enrolled as Reading Law postgraduates and the Law School conducts cyber law capacity-building Executive Courses for international officials. Next on the agenda for the latter program is a 3-day virtual workshop for “Women in International Security and Cyberspace” in early July. Over twenty countries will be represented in this workshop that is sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The same month, a six-day virtual course will be held for Indonesian officials with a cyber portfolio, again sponsored by DFAT.

Dr Peter Coe appointed as an Advisor to the University of East London’s Online Harms and Cyber Crime Unit

Dr Peter Coe has been appointed as an Advisor to the University of East London’s Online Harms and Cyber Crime Unit. This Unit, which was established in 2019, is a centre of research excellence for the study of online harms, cybercrime, cyber law, cyber-criminology, cyber bullying/hate, and cyber security/terrorism.

Professor Mike Schmitt delivers final webinar on international cyber law matters

On 11 June, Professor Mike Schmitt delivered the third and final international cyber law webinar for attorneys and other policy personnel from throughout the Australian government who deal with cyber matters. The half-day virtual session dealt with the prohibition on cyber uses of force, self-defence in cyberspace and cyber operations during an armed conflict. Earlier sessions dealt with such topics as sovereignty and intervention in cyberspace, as well as the legal responsibility of states for cyber operations conducted by non-state actors. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) sponsored the professional development webinars. DFAT is a major sponsor of cyber capacity-building throughout the Asia-Pacific region and the University of Reading School of Law certifies its legal workshops, which Professor Schmitt directs, as Executive Education Courses.