Jennifer Granick to Direct New Civil Liberties Initiative at Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society

STANFORD, Calif., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Stanford Law School today announced the appointment of Jennifer Stisa Granick as Director of Civil Liberties at the Center for Internet and Society (CIS). Granick will lead the Center's work at the intersection of online technologies and civil liberties, with a particular focus on cybersecurity, national security, government surveillance and free speech.

Granick is a renowned expert in computer crime and security, electronic surveillance, privacy, data protection, copyright and technology regulation under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. From 2007 to 2010, she was the Civil Liberties Director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. From 2001 to 2007, Granick served as founding executive director of the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School where she taught Cyberlaw and Computer Crime Law as lecturer in law. She also directed the Cyberlaw Clinic, which represented clients challenged for exercising free expression online, for modifying their mobile phones and game consoles, and for demonstrating computer and airport security flaws, among other rights. Before teaching at Stanford, Granick spent nearly a decade practicing criminal defense law in California. She represented several high profile computer hackers and cybersecurity researchers. In 2003, she was selected by Information Security magazine as one of 20 "Women of Vision" in the computer security field. She will return to Stanford Law School in June 2012, after having served as an attorney with the internet boutique firm of ZwillGen PLLC.

"We are thrilled to have Jennifer Granick back at Stanford and the Center for Internet and Society," said Stanford Law School Dean Larry Kramer. "The Center is a pioneer in exploring issues at the intersection of law and new technology, examining how their interaction can either promote or harm public goods like free speech, innovation, privacy, public commons, diversity, and scientific inquiry. Jennifer is a talented scholar and lawyer, who anticipated many of today's vexing challenges and helped chart the Center's course during its genesis. We are thrilled to have her back as the Center enters a new stage of growth in this constantly evolving arena."

Led by faculty director Barbara van Schewick, the Center for Internet and Society is a public interest technology law and policy program that studies the interaction of new technologies and the law and is a part of the Law, Science and Technology Program at Stanford Law School. CIS strives to improve both technology and law, encouraging decision makers to design both as a means to further democratic values. Along with conducting research and policy analysis, the Center sponsors legal fellowships, organizes events to foster discussion of critical policy issues, and provides educational opportunities for law students to conduct applicable research and policy analysis in this field.

"Civil liberties online are increasingly coming under pressure," said Barbara van Schewick, associate professor of law, Helen L. Crocker Faculty Scholar, and associate professor of Electrical Engineering (by courtesy). "Whether it's copyright enforcement, cybersecurity or government surveillance – governments' efforts to tackle these issues often threaten privacy, security or free speech. We believe these problems can be solved in ways that preserve civil liberties. I'm excited that Jennifer Granick has agreed to lead our efforts in this area. There is no better person to help us figure out what the role of technology in an open and free society should be."

During her time as founding executive director of the Center for Internet and Society, Granick launched a number of programs that have made Stanford Law School a national center for activities and programs related to digital innovation, free speech online, and computer security. She maintained strong ties to CIS throughout her tenure at other organizations, returning periodically to Stanford Law School to teach Internet Business Law and Policy, Internet Intermediary Liability, and Cybercrime.

"It's an exciting opportunity to return to Stanford Law School in this new capacity as Director of Civil Liberties at this time of Big Data, cloud computing, and increasing government surveillance of individuals' activities on- and off-line," said Jennifer Granick. "I can think of no better way to utilize my experience and skills to help answer these important challenges than by working at Stanford with our amazing students and faculty."

Granick earned her law degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law and her undergraduate degree from the New College of Florida. She has been a contributor for numerous publications, including as a columnist for Wired Magazine, and has published several law review articles.

About Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School (www.law.stanford.edu) is one of the nation's leading institutions for legal scholarship and education. Its alumni are among the most influential decision makers in law, politics, business, and high technology. Faculty members argue before the Supreme Court, testify before Congress, produce outstanding legal scholarship and empirical analysis, and contribute regularly to the nation's press as legal and policy experts. Stanford Law School has established a new model for legal education that provides rigorous interdisciplinary training, hands-on experience, global perspective and focus on public service, spearheading a movement for change.

Judith Romero
Public Information Officer
Stanford Law School
DESK: 650.723.2232
EMAIL: [email protected]
www.law.stanford.edu/news
www.twitter.com/stanfordlaw

SOURCE Stanford Law School