James Kraska
James Kraska
Visiting Professor of Law
Spring 2020
Biography
James Kraska is Chairman and Charles H. Stockton Professor of International Maritime Law in the Stockton Center for International Law at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Law of the Sea Institute, University of California Berkeley School of Law and Senior Fellow at the Center for Oceans Law and Policy at the University of Virginia School of Law. He also served as Visiting Professor of Law and John Harvey Gregory Lecturer on World Organization at Harvard Law School, Mary Derrickson McCurdy Visiting Scholar at Duke University and Office of the Chief of Naval Research Fellow at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He has published nine books and numerous scholarly articles and is Editor-in-Chief of the multi-volume treatise, Benedict on Admiralty: International Maritime Law. He is a Permanent Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Professor Kraska served as a U.S. Navy officer and international law attorney in a variety of positions in East Asia and the Pentagon, including Director of International Negotiations on the Joint Staff.
Areas of Interest
- International Law
- National Security Law
Academic Appointment and Employment History
- Howard S. Levie Chair, Professor, Stockton Center for the Study of International Law, U.S. Naval War College (2014 - Present)
- Professor of Law, Stockton Center for the Study of International Law, U.S. Naval War College (2008 - 2013)
- Mary Derrickson McCurdy Visiting Scholar, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University (2013 - 2014)
- Oceans Law and Policy Adviser, Joint Staff, Pentagon (2005 - 2007)
- Deputy Chief of Naval Ops for Plans, Policy & Ops, Pentagon (2002 - 2005)
- Deputy Legal Adviser, Pentagon (2002 - 2005)
- International Law Adviser, Office of the Navy Judge Advocate General, Pentagon (2001 - 2002)
- Legal Adviser, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven/Task Force 76, Japan (1999 - 2001)
- Criminal Trial Litigator, U.S. Naval Legal Service Office, Japan (1993 - 1996)
- Legal Adviser, Dep’t of Defense Joint Interagency Task Force West (1996 - 1999)
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1992 - 1993)
Education History
- B.A. Mississippi State University,
- M.A. International Studies Claremont Graduate University,
- J.D. Indiana University Bloomington Maurer School of Law,
- LL.M. University of Virginia School of Law,
- S.J.D. University of Virginia School of Law,