Obama taps Maurer School of Law professor

  • Print

President-elect Barack Obama announced today an Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington professor will be among those he appoints to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A press release from Obama's office stated, and the law school confirmed, that he will name Dawn Johnsen as assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel. In late 2008 she was named to Obama's transition team.

Johnsen previously worked as the acting assistant attorney general heading the Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, in 1997-98, and as a deputy assistant attorney general in 1993-96 during the Clinton administration. Since 1998, she has been with the law school where she teaches and writes about issues of constitutional law. She received her law degree from Yale Law School.

Obama also said he would name David Ogden as deputy attorney general, Elena Kagan as solicitor general, and Tom Perrelli as associate attorney general. These attorneys also worked in some capacity in the Clinton administration.

Ogden is currently a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr in Washington, D.C., and serves as the Department of Justice Agency Review lead for the Obama-Biden Transition Project. Kagan is currently the 11th Dean of Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass. Perrelli is currently managing partner of Jenner & Block's Washington, D.C., office.

"These individuals bring the integrity, depth of experience and tenacity that the Department of Justice demands in these uncertain times," Obama said in a press release. "… I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead."

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

{{ articles_remaining }}
Free {{ article_text }} Remaining
{{ articles_remaining }}
Free {{ article_text }} Remaining Article limit resets on
{{ count_down }}