Tuesday, February 8, 2005

Writer: Julie Camp, 706/542-5172, lawcomm@uga.edu
Contact: Chas Crawford, 706/372-1361, crawc@uga.edu

Department of Homeland Security general counsel to speak at the UGA School of Law

Athens, Ga. – Joe D. Whitley, general counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will speak at the University of Georgia School of Law on Monday, Feb. 21. His lecture will focus on the structure and function of the DHS as well as the U.S. Patriot Act. The program will begin at 12:30 p.m. in classroom A and will be followed by a reception. The event is open to the public.

Whitley became chief legal adviser of DHS in August 2003. In this position, he advises the department’s secretary and ensures that all actions of the DHS meet legal requirements. As such, he oversees approximately 1,500 lawyers from 22 different agencies, including the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, Border and Transportation Security, the Transportation Security Administration, Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, and Emergency Preparedness and Response.

Previously Whitley was U.S. associate attorney general, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Georgia and U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. He was also a partner at the law firm Alston & Bird, where he led the government enforcement and investigations group. Whitley received his undergraduate and law degrees from UGA.

The event will be hosted by the law school’s Federalist Society, an organization that seeks to encourage discussion about public policy and the law by sponsoring debates and prominent speakers.

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