Congressman Ted Lieu, representing California’s 36th Congressional District, participated in a virtual discussion with Professor Todd Berger, director of advocacy programs, as the guest speaker in the Annual Syracuse Law Advocacy Lecture Series.
Lieu spoke at length about his time in the Air Force JAG Corp. and how that experience shaped his future public service career. Many questions from the students centered on the JAG, including keys to success, the role of the JAG beyond being a legal advisor and as an ethical and moral sounding board, and the current challenges faced by JAG officers.
The discussion also touched on Lieu’s long tenure in public service, starting on his city council, and why students should explore becoming involved in public service, and what it takes to run for office.
Lieu also spoke on legal and regulatory issues surrounding Artificial Intelligence, and well as Congress’s role as a regulator, and how AI is affecting the practice of law.
He also spoke about a different kind of advocacy he recently performed – that of the House Impeachment Manager in the second impeachment of President Donald Trump – and how his experience as a JAG prepared him for the trial.
“The field of advocacy and litigation is vast and encompasses many career options. The Advocacy Lecture Series’ goal is to bring successful litigators and advocates from different backgrounds and areas of the law to our students, so they are exposed to the wide-ranging careers in advocacy and litigation,” says Berger.
The Advocacy Lecture Series is an annual presentation given by a distinguished member of the legal profession. The lecture series aims to deepen our understanding of how advocacy is best practiced and taught by connecting prominent lawyers with the broader law school advocacy community.
