Cyber Operations and International Law
Conversations on Law and War:
Cyber Operations and International Law
Left-right: Steven Hill, NATO; Anna McLeod, FCO; and Philippa Webb, King's
In February 2017, The Dickson Poon School of Law hosted the penultimate session of its Conversations on Law & War seminar series, which are held in collaboration with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).
The seminar ‘Cyber Operations and International Law: Discerning Practice and Principles’, was timed to precede the meeting of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (UNGGE) in Geneva. In attendance were Legal Advisers from 10 foreign ministries, as well as leading academics from universities in London and eminent members of the Bar.
The seminar featured three panellists: Ms Anna McLeod (Acting Team Leader, Europe and Human Rights Team, FCO), Dr Gleider Hernandez (Reader, University of Durham), and Mr Steven Hill (Legal Adviser and Director of the Office of Legal Affairs at NATO). Dr Philippa Webb of the Dickson Poon School of Law chaired the event.
There was a frank and wide-ranging discussion on the respective roles of States and academics in developing and codifying the law in this area, the status and content of the recently published Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Relating to Cyber Operations, and the extent to which (if any) existing international law has to be expanded or amended to reflect changes in technology.
Established in 2014, Conversations on War & Law is a six-seminar series featuring panels of expert speakers and guests who have been invited to attend from across a range of backgrounds, including government, practice, NGO's and academia. The seminars engage attendees in frank and insightful debate on pressing issues in international law and have so far covered:
- Modern trends in self-defence under international law
- The role of the United Nations in conflict prevention and resolution
- Human Rights during Armed Conflict
- Is the International Criminal Justice System Delivering its Goals?
- Cyber Operations and International Law: Discerning Practice and Principles
The final seminar in the series will be on ‘Humanitarian Intervention’ (invitation only).
The Conversations on Law and War seminar Cyber Operations and International Law was also part of the School’s Thought Salon series of events funded by the Dickson Poon gift.
Details on the series can also be found on the Conversations on Law & War webpages.
For any questions, please contact the series convener, Dr Philippa Webb.