A career with the federal government may not be as lucrative or fashionable as working for a private law firm, said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn, J.D. '80, but the Department of Defense and other federal agencies need good lawyers more than ever; and the work can be among the most interesting and rewarding there is.

Lynn, who was nominated to his current post by President Barack Obama in January 2009, spoke to law students and others in Myron Taylor Hall Nov. 18.

He urged soon-to-be lawyers to consider public service, where he said legal issues like the debate surrounding the treatment of detainees and the increasing threat from cyber warfare make the law "central to our ability to project force and to protect our interests abroad."

On the topic of detainees, Lynn cited Obama's ban of harsh interrogation techniques and his directive to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility as two steps forward in the effort to defeat terrorists using "tools consistent with our values and our laws … respected by our allies and that we ourselves can use in good conscience."

Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay will be separated into five categories, he said; and for those who fall into the most dangerous category -- who pose a clear threat to the American people and effectively remain at war with the United States -- Lynn said, "Defining a fair, legitimate and constitutionally valid framework for the continued detention of these detainees is not easy, but President Obama views this as one of the most consequential issues of his presidency -- one that will set a precedent for years to come."

The Department of Defense is also working to defend itself and the country against cyber warfare -- another front in which the legal framework is evolving rapidly, he said. The Internet is "a domain similar to the land, sea, air and space we depend upon and need to protect … but the laws of war simply did not anticipate the Internet," he said.

Touching on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he noted the sacrifices that young men and women in uniform are undertaking. "Not all of them will come home," he said. Because of their sacrifices, he said, plans for a drawdown in Iraq are on track; and the United States continues to carry out aggressive counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan.

And other variables around the world, including population growth, resource scarcity and weapons proliferation among states and individuals, will create an even greater need for legal acumen in government, he said.

"The thing about government is, there is always more to do than there is staff available," he said. "In this environment young energetic policy aids gain responsibilities quickly. So I urge you to think broadly how you might contribute to this world and be open to the widest range of professional responsibilities and possibilities."

For those who choose public service, he said, "I can assure you it will be fascinating work, and immensely satisfying."

The address was co-sponsored by the National Security and Law Society and the Berger International Speaker Series.