President Obama’s top choice for Pentagon Lawyer is one of my best Morehouse College friends Jeh Charles Johnson. President Obama announced that he intended to nominate the following individuals for key posts at the United States Department of Defense: William J. Lynn III, Deputy Secretary of Defense; Robert F. Hale, Under Secretary of Defense; Michele Flournoy, Under Secretary of Defense; and Jeh Charles Johnson, General Counsel. 

President-elect Obama said, “I am confident that these distinguished individuals have the expertise and commitment needed to help me implement a sustainable national security strategy that combats 21^st century threats and keeps the American people safe. They share with me the utmost respect for our brave men and women in uniform, and will work day and night to support our troops, strengthen our military, and advance our capacity to carry out 21^st century missions. Together with Secretary Gates and our military, we will work to responsibly end the war in Iraq, defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban, and renew America’s strength and standing in the world. I am honored that they have joined me in this mission, and I trust that they will serve the American people well.” 

Jeh Johnson is a senior partner in America’s best law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, based in New York City. Jeh at the age of 47 was elected a Fellow in the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1989-1991. In 1998 he left Paul, Weiss for 27 months when President Bill Clinton appointed him General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force, following nomination and confirmation by the United States Senate. He received the award of Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service while in that position. In 2007-08, he served as a foreign policy advisor to President-elect Obama’s campaign. Jeh is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a distinguished graduate of Morehouse College and Columbia Law School.