Mike Lebowitz
Encyclopedia
Michael J. Lebowitz is a Washington, D.C.
, attorney
and expert in the field of military law and Military Expression
. Along with being an advocate for veterans' issues, he is known to be at the forefront of First Amendment
issues pertaining to the military. In 2009, he was appointed to serve as a terror trial prosecutor in the Military Commissions system with the task of prosecuting high value terrorism and war crimes suspects that are currently being detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
in 1999 and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law
in 2003. From there, he was a legal and media consultant in East Africa and a wrote a weekly newspaper column for the Jerusalem Post called "Wednesday's Call."
In 2005-2006, he served in Iraq with the elite Pathfinder Company of the 101st Airborne Division
. After returning home from Iraq, he began publicly advocating on behalf of military families and veterans. Lebowitz continues to serve as a JAG officer in the National Guard. In addition, he lectures at top universities and serves as an attorney at the Washington, DC law firm of Greenberg & Lieberman
where he practices military law, along with media law and intellectual property.
, a mainstream organization that was originally created in 2008 as an advocacy forum for military families and veterans. This centrist
organization professes to offer common-sense approaches to government, rather than ideology
. In just a few months of its existence, this grassroots movement built 26 state chapters and attracted 25,000 to 30,000 members. In March 2010, the organization that he founded was named by TIME Magazine as among the "top 10 most popular political movements worldwide."
An editorial in one newspaper referred to the Modern Whig Party as the "fastest-growing mainstream political movement in the nation." A Sunday op-ed piece written by a prominent North Carolina political columnist quoted Lebowitz as stating that "We saw how ideology on both sides was getting in the way of common sense." Through his law firm, Lebowitz also works with John B. Anderson
, who was a 10-term Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives while also garnering 6.6 percent of the general election vote during a 1980 run for President of the United States
as an independent.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and expert in the field of military law and Military Expression
Military expression
Military expression is an area of military law pertaining to the United States military that relates to the free speech rights of its service members.- Limitations on military expression :...
. Along with being an advocate for veterans' issues, he is known to be at the forefront of First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
issues pertaining to the military. In 2009, he was appointed to serve as a terror trial prosecutor in the Military Commissions system with the task of prosecuting high value terrorism and war crimes suspects that are currently being detained in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Relevant history
Mike Lebowitz earned his journalism degree from Kent State UniversityKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
in 1999 and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Case Western Reserve University Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law is the law school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. It opened in 1892, making it one of the oldest law schools in the country. It was one of the first schools accredited by the American Bar Association and was...
in 2003. From there, he was a legal and media consultant in East Africa and a wrote a weekly newspaper column for the Jerusalem Post called "Wednesday's Call."
In 2005-2006, he served in Iraq with the elite Pathfinder Company of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
. After returning home from Iraq, he began publicly advocating on behalf of military families and veterans. Lebowitz continues to serve as a JAG officer in the National Guard. In addition, he lectures at top universities and serves as an attorney at the Washington, DC law firm of Greenberg & Lieberman
Greenberg & Lieberman
Greenberg & Lieberman is a national and international law firm based in Washington, D.C. Established in 1996 by Michael Greenberg and Stevan Lieberman, the firm is known for its expertise in the technology-law areas of intellectual property, trademark infringements, domain names, virtual worlds, ...
where he practices military law, along with media law and intellectual property.
Military law
Mike Lebowitz is regarded as a top attorney in the field of military law and specializes in military free speech. He regularly lectures on the subject and frequently is asked to serve as a media resource on the burgeoning impact technology continues to play in the field of military free speech. He receives numerous emails per week from soldiers or their families seeking legal advice. Lebowitz also has testified as a legal expert on Capitol Hill relating to military law issues. Moreover, he has handled numerous military expression issues that have captured international attention While his work often includes the representation of prominent anti-war protesters, Lebowitz has acknowledged that he is not a member of any of these groups and does not necessarily agree with his clients, but nonetheless, he has publicly stated that he will always support the veteran. Besides military law and First Amendment/media law, Lebowitz also engages in intellectual property litigation at the Washington, DC law firm of Greenberg & Lieberman. This intellectual property expertise has contributed to his reputation as being on the forefront of the issue of how technological advancements are reconciled with the First Amendment and free speech.Political activities
Mike Lebowitz is a founder of the Modern Whig PartyModern Whig Party
The Modern Whig Party is a United States political party whose stated intention is to be a "party for the rest of us." The Modern Whig Party describes itself as a mainstream, middle-of-the-road grassroots movement that caters to those voters who believe in various Republican issues but also believe...
, a mainstream organization that was originally created in 2008 as an advocacy forum for military families and veterans. This centrist
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
organization professes to offer common-sense approaches to government, rather than ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
. In just a few months of its existence, this grassroots movement built 26 state chapters and attracted 25,000 to 30,000 members. In March 2010, the organization that he founded was named by TIME Magazine as among the "top 10 most popular political movements worldwide."
An editorial in one newspaper referred to the Modern Whig Party as the "fastest-growing mainstream political movement in the nation." A Sunday op-ed piece written by a prominent North Carolina political columnist quoted Lebowitz as stating that "We saw how ideology on both sides was getting in the way of common sense." Through his law firm, Lebowitz also works with John B. Anderson
John B. Anderson
John Bayard Anderson is a former United States Congressman and Presidential candidate from Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative from the 16th Congressional District of Illinois for ten terms from 1961 through 1981 and an Independent candidate in the 1980 presidential election. He was previously...
, who was a 10-term Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives while also garnering 6.6 percent of the general election vote during a 1980 run for President of the United States
United States presidential election, 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
as an independent.