Robert M. Chesney
Dean and James A. Baker III Chair in the Rule of Law and World Affairs
Robert M. Chesney is the Dean of the University of Texas School of Law and holds the James A. Baker III Chair in the Rule of Law and World Affairs. He is a nationally recognized expert on national security law and cybersecurity who has testified before Congress on numerous occasions. He co-founded Lawfare, the leading online source for national security law news and analysis, and co-hosts the National Security Law Podcast. Before entering academia, he clerked for Judge Lewis A. Kaplan and Judge Robert D. Sack and practiced litigation at Davis Polk & Wardwell.
Teaching Style
Dean Chesney brings real-world national security experience and policy expertise into the classroom, blending Socratic questioning with current events analysis. He is known for posing complex hypotheticals drawn from actual counterterrorism and cybersecurity scenarios, expecting students to grapple with ambiguity. His classes move quickly and reward students who can connect constitutional doctrine to practical policy considerations.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Stay current on national security news and Supreme Court decisions related to executive power and civil liberties
- 2Be prepared to argue both sides of policy debates involving security and liberty tradeoffs
- 3Read Lawfare blog posts for additional context on topics covered in class
- 4Practice applying constitutional frameworks to novel fact patterns involving technology and surveillance
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School
- B.A., magna cum laude, Texas Christian University
Notable Publications
- Co-founder of Lawfare
- Co-host of the National Security Law Podcast
- Forthcoming book on the judicial role in national security affairs (Oxford University Press)
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Texas School of Law
Torts, Contracts, Restitution, Civil Procedure
Federal Civil Procedure, Remedies, Bankruptcy
Federal Courts, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Statutory Interpretation
Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence
Patent Law, Administrative Law, Contracts, Intellectual Property