Michael N. Schmitt is an American international law scholar specializing in international humanitarian law, use of force issues, and the international law applicable to cyberspace. He is Professor of Public International Law at the University of Reading, the G. Norman Lieber Distinguished Scholar at th
Lieber Institute
of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the Charles H. Stockto
Distinguished Scholar in Residence
at the US Naval War College.

Education

He has a D.Litt. from

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

;

LL.M. A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

from Yale Law School; JD from the University of Texas Law School; MA from the Naval War College; and an MA and BA from Texas State University.

Career

From 1979–99, Schmitt served in the United States Air Force as a judge advocate. He graduated first in class from the Naval War College in 1996, and his operational law experience includes service in both Operation Provide Comfort and Operation Northern Watch. In 1999, he was appointed Professor of International Law at the

George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies is a bi-national United States Department of Defense and Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany) security and defense studies institute. When the Marshall Center was founded in 1993, its mi ...

in Garmisch, Germany, eventually becoming Dean. He was subsequently Chair of Public International Law at

and at the University of Exeter. He returned to the Naval War College as Chairman of the Stockton Center and

Charles H. Stockton Professor of International Law The Charles H. Stockton Chair of International Law at the United States Naval War College has its origins in the Naval War College's oldest civilian academic post. The first civilian academic at the College, James R. Soley was appointed in 1885 to ...

in 2011. Schmitt retired from the Naval War College in 2019 and is now Professor Emeritus at the institution. In 2020, he joined the faculty of th
University of Reading School of Law
In addition to his position at the University of Reading, he is G. Norman Lieberman Distinguished Scholar at West Point, Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar and Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Texas, Charles H. Stockton Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the United States Naval War College'
Stockton Center for International Law
and Senior Fellow at the

NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence NATO CCD COE, officially the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence ( et, italic=yes, K5 or ''NATO küberkaitsekoostöö keskus''), is one of NATO Centres of Excellence, located in Tallinn, Estonia. The centre was established on ...

. Schmitt serves as General Editor of Oxford University Press
Lieber Studies
series, and he is Editor Emeritus o

a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a Member of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...

. He sits on the State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Law. In addition to his academic pursuits, Schmitt serves as Director of Legal Affairs fo
Cyber Law International
which offers international cyber law capacity-building seminars for government officials around the world. Its programs are sponsored by numerous nations and international organizations and certified as Executive Education by the University of Reading. The firm also engages in cyber law and conflict law consultancy.

International recognition

Schmitt is internationally known for his work in directing the 7+ year project leading to publication of the two Tallinn Manuals dealing with the international law applicable to cyberspace. In 2017 he was awarded the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana by the President of Estonia for his contributions to cyber security. Schmitt is also well known for his work on use of force issues and international humanitarian law. He serves on many boards of publications and professional organizations in these fields.

Key research activities

Drafting Committee
Harvard University's Manual on the International Law Applicable to Air and Missile Warfare (2003–09)
Member, Group of International Experts
ICRC Interpretive Guidance on the Notion of Direct Participation in Hostilities (2003–09) * Director, Tallinn Manual Project(2009-2013) * Director, Tallinn Manual 2.0 Project (2013-2016) * Director
Tallinn Manual 3.0
Project (ongoing)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmitt, Michael N. Academics of Durham University Academics of the University of Exeter Academics of the University of Reading American non-fiction writers International law scholars Living people Place of birth missing (living people) War writers Year of birth missing (living people) Texas State University alumni Alumni of Durham University Charles H. Stockton Professors of International Law