Professor Christopher Schroeder was nominated by President Barack Obama last week to become the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy.
Provided that he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Schroeder, the Charles S. Murphy professor of law and public policy studies, will be making a return engagement to the U.S. Department of Justice. He previously served as assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Council during the administration of former president Bill Clinton.
"I'm grateful that such experienced and dedicated individuals have joined my administration at a time when our nation faces great challenges," Obama said in a May 21 White House news release. "Their deep commitment to their individual areas of work gives me confidence that they will help us put America back on a path to prosperity and security."
Officials at the Office of Legal Policy in the Department of Justice declined to comment further.
Schroeder joins a growing list of public officials with Duke ties whom Obama has asked to serve in Washington. Others include Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki, Grad '76, a retired U.S. Army general who earned his master of arts degree in English literature from Duke, and Nicholas School of the Environment professor Richard Newell, who was nominated to be administrator of the Environmental Information Administration in the Department of Energy May 18.
Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said he was not surprised by the large number of people with Duke affiliations who have been asked to join the Obama administration.
"Universities are places where administrations go head hunting for people to fill positions," Schoenfeld said. "There are a number of very talented people at Duke who have and will be asked to serve and make a difference."
Schoenfeld said Schroeder has been a respected member of the Duke community for many years, adding that he is known across the country as a brilliant legal scholar.
"It should give all of us great comfort that someone of such talent will be in a position that is of great importance within the Department of Justice," he added.
Curtis Bradley, Richard A. Horvitz professor of law and public policy studies, said he had a favorable opinion of his colleague Schroeder.
"He's a very thoughtful scholar and a very careful lawyer," Bradley said. "He's an expert in constitutional law and in other areas of law and has a wide range of experiences as both a professor and in government."
Schroeder and Bradley have worked with each other in multiple capacities at Duke. Together, they currently serve as co-directors of the Program in Public Law at the School of Law. In addition to their work for the program, the two men co-authored the book "Presidential Power Stories," in 2008.
Bradley said as a leader, Schroeder is easy to work with. In addition, Schroeder serves as a mentor to those who work alongside him and to the students who participate in the Program in Public Law, Bradley said.
"He's good at managing projects, managing the details and organizing events," he said, adding that Schroeder's strong legal background and reasonable views will lead to a smooth confirmation process.
Previously, Schroeder was the chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He has also been a member of National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine committees that assessed the U.S. drug safety system.
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