Michael Hurley to Speak at Dean Wippman’s Installation

AUGUST 4, 2008—Retired CIA officer Michael Hurley ('80) will present the keynote address at Dean David Wippman’s installation as the University of Minnesota Law School’s 10th dean on Friday, September 5, 2008.

Hurley is now a consultant to the U.S. State Department on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and a special advisor to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonprofit organization working on strategies to reduce the risk of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.

A graduate of Edina High School, along with Dean Wippman, Hurley earned a B.A. in European history and political science from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the Law School, then began his career in Minneapolis as a trial attorney in private practice.

In his 25-year career with the CIA, Hurley was a leader in U.S. interventions to end conflicts in Haiti and Bosnia and advised President Clinton on the Kosovo crisis as National Security Council Staff Director for the Balkans. Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, he deployed to Afghanistan and served three tours of duty. He was a senior counsel on the 9/11 Commission, directed its counterterrorism policy investigation, and is a co-author of its best-selling final report.

Dean Wippman, William S. Pattee Professor of Law, returns to Minnesota from Cornell University, where he was Vice Provost for International Relations and Professor of Law. He has taught public international law, international human rights, international criminal law, and the law of war. He took a year away from Cornell to serve as a director in the National Security Council's Office of Multilateral and Humanitarian Affairs, working on the International Criminal Court, economic sanctions, war crimes, and U.N. political issues. Before joining Cornell, he worked on international arbitration and represented developing countries in litigation with a law firm in Washington, D.C. He received his B.A. from Princeton and his M.A. and J.D. from Yale.

The installation program, ceremony, and reception will take place at Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. S.E., from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Parking is available at the adjacent University Avenue Parking Ramp. Opening remarks by University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks will begin promptly at 4 p.m.

Invitations will be sent the week of August 4. RSVPs are required and should be directed to Cheryl Casey at 612-625-4544 or lawevent@umn.edu.