John Yoo

Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at UC Berkeley

John Yoo is a prominent legal scholar and former government official who currently holds several academic positions:

Academic Positions

Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law1 2
Distinguished Visiting Professor at the School of Civic Leadership at The University of Texas at Austin5
Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute1 4
Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University1 4

Background and Education

Born on July 10, 1967 in South Korea3
Received his B.A. summa cum laude in American history from Harvard University1 2
Earned his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was an articles editor of the Yale Law Journal1

Government Experience

John Yoo has served in all three branches of the U.S. government:

Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice (2001-2003)1 3
General Counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (1995-1996)1 2
Law Clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (1994-1995)1 2
Law Clerk for Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (1992-1993)1 2

Notable Work and Controversy

Yoo is known for his work on executive power, particularly during the George W. Bush administration. He authored the controversial "Torture Memos" that provided legal justification for enhanced interrogation techniques in the War on Terror.3 His views on executive power and national security have been both influential and controversial.

Publications

John Yoo is a prolific author, having written:

Ten books, including "Defender-in-Chief: Trump's Fight for Presidential Power" (2020)4
Over 100 articles in academic journals on subjects including national security, constitutional law, and international law4
Regular contributions to major newspapers and media outlets4

John Yoo's expertise spans constitutional law, international law, national security, and executive power. His academic career and government service have made him a significant figure in legal and political circles, though his views and work have also been the subject of considerable debate and criticism.