Howard Law Professor Appointed to U.S. State Department Advisory Committee

Howard University School of Law congratulates Professor Darin Johnson who has been appointed to the U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on International Law.  The Advisory Committee serves an important role in providing the Secretary of State and the Office of the Legal Adviser with timely and relevant advice on significant issues of international law. 

The appointment reflects Professor Johnson’s recognized expertise in the field of international law.  Professor Johnson teaches several international law courses at Howard and his scholarly research focuses on issues of reconciliation and peace in post conflict and transitioning states, and the balance between national security and human rights in the United States and abroad.  The appointment is a full circle moment for Professor Johnson who spent a significant portion of his career as an attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. State Department, where he advised senior State Department officials on political-military affairs and United Nations affairs, and served as the Embassy Legal Adviser in Baghdad at the height of the civil conflict.  He also served in a senior policy position as the Chief of Staff in the State Department’s Office of Middle East Transitions which was responsible for coordinating U.S. support to the Arab spring political transitions in the Middle East and North Africa.  Professor Johnson continues to advise on international law matters as a Senior Legal Adviser with the Public International Law and Policy Group, where he has supported the Sudan peace process, and through his work as an international legal consultant, including to international organizations such as the International Organization of Migration.