Jack Goldsmith

About

Jack Goldsmith is the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and co-founder of Lawfare.  He teaches and writes about presidential power, national security law, federal courts, conflict of laws, international law, and internet law.

Professional

Before coming to Harvard, Professor Goldsmith served as Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel from 2003-2004, and Special Counsel to the Department of Defense from 2002-2003.  He was a Professor at the University of Chicago Law School from 1997-2002, and at the University of Virginia School of Law from 1994-1997.  Before entering the academy, Professor Goldsmith was an associate at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., from 1992-1994.  He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy from 1990-1991, for Court of Appeals Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson from 1989-1990, and for Judge George Aldrich on the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal from 1991-1992.

 

Before entering the academy, Professor Goldsmith was an associate at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., from 1992-1994.  He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy from 1990-1991, for Court of Appeals Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson from 1989-1990, and for Judge George Aldrich on the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal from 1991-1992. Professor Goldsmith received a B.A. from Washington and Lee University, a B.A. and M.A. from Oxford University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. 

Education

  • J.D. from Yale Law School (1989)
  • B.A. and M.A. from Oxford University (1986) 
  • B.A. from Washington & Lee University (1984)

Personal

Professor Goldsmith was born in Memphis, Tennessee.  Growing up he lived in Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida.  He attended Pine Crest School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, for high school, and graduated in 1980.  He married Leslie Anne Williams in 1996.  They have two sons.