Daniel Koffsky and Judge James E. Baker receive the ABA Morris I. Leibman Award in Law and National Security

May 20, 2026

Daniel Koffsky and Judge James E. Baker receive the ABA Morris I. Leibman Award in Law and National Security

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2026 - The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security honored Daniel Koffsky and Judge James E. Baker with its Morris I. Leibman Award in Law and National Security at a dinner in their honor on May 8 at The University Club in Washington.

The award, established by the standing committee in 1997, recognizes lawyers who have demonstrated sustained commitment and made exceptional contributions to the field of law and national security.

"For more than 30 years in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, Dan Koffsky was instrumental in resolving the most sensitive and consequential legal issues affecting the nation's security," said Stephen Preston, standing committee chair. "He was the personification of the career government lawyer and selfless civil servant on whom the lawful and effective functioning of our government depends."

Preston added, "A Marine infantry officer turned presidential advisor, appellate judge and scholar, Jamie Baker is a relentless champion of the rule of law. Whether it is guidance on civil-military relations in Ukraine or the importance of objective, apolitical legal advice to U.S. military commanders, Judge Baker brings courage, clarity and conviction to his teaching and advocacy."

During his tenure with the Justice Department, Koffsky advised on some of the government's most significant national security issues, including war powers, the law of war, covert action, appropriations, ethics and presidential appointments. Although most of his work remains classified, his 1993 analysis of the War Powers Resolution and his counsel across administrations has had a lasting impact on national security law. He was also recognized for his integrity, humility, commitment to the rule of law and mentorship of a generation of national security lawyers.

Baker was recognized for his career as a Marine officer, presidential legal adviser, federal appellate judge and scholar whose four-decade career has been devoted to advancing the rule of law in the service of national security. He also has shaped the field through influential writing, including "In the Common Defense," an explanation of national security law in the post-9/11 era, and "The Centaur's Dilemma," a visionary exploration of how artificial intelligence would reshape national security. In addition, he has helped mentor a generation of national security lawyers through the standing committee's annual ethics seminar.