On February 13th, SWAC had the pleasure of welcoming the Honorable Jon Newman, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to commence this season’s lecture series. Newman’s lecture, entitled “The Federal Courts Confront the War on Terror,” offered guests an invaluable perspective into the proceedings of Federal terrorism litigation, through a lens ranging from the first World Trade Center attack to the trials of current Guantanamo detainees. Newman also addressed the use of secret evidence in various countries, controversy surrounding the FISA court, and the Obama administration’s use of targeted drone strikes. A lively audience discussion followed and segued into a bay front reception at the former Ringling mansion, New College’s College Hall. SWAC’s inaugural event set a high standard for our high-profile foreign affairs lecture series, which we’re excited to uphold throughout the season.