Blog of Intellectual Capital

We are pleased to announce that 

NICK LEIBHAM

has joined as a partner in our Orange County and Washington, D.C. offices.

Mr. Leibham is a member of the firm’s Public Policy & Regulation Group. He has 20 years of policy/political experience and principally advises clients that have a substantial interest in government as a marketplace, advising true angel round startups to global Fortune 500 companies.

Mr. Leibham’s counsel includes aspects of policy development as well as lobbying the legislative and executive branches of government, federal funding and business development initiatives, procurement, public-private partnerships, multi-jurisdictional site selection campaigns, regulatory matters and rulemakings, tax policy issues and company wind-downs where government is a creditor/stakeholder.

In addition, Mr. Leibham also acts as outside general counsel and has substantial experience managing litigation and M&A teams, counseling in the area of boardroom governance and facilitating internal investigations, as well as government enforcement actions.

Mr. Leibham has significant legislative and political experience, having been the Western regional director for the Democratic National Committee as well as a senior aide to Rep. Gary Ackerman
(D-N.Y.) and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii).

“Nick has an extensive background in tech-focused policy and business, especially as it relates to emergent trends, and will be a great asset to our team,” said Rich Gold, the leader of Holland & Knight’s Public Policy & Regulation Practice Group. “He will be particularly valuable to our clients in the energy, micro-electronics and next-generation mobility industries.”

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Leibham worked for an international law firm, where he served as a partner in the firm’s public policy and law group as well as co-head of the emerging technologies and innovation law and policy practice for the federal marketplace. He also served as a prosecutor on behalf of the state of California in his early legal career.

Mr. Leibham earned his J.D. and MBA from the University of San Diego School of Law and School of Business Administration, respectively, and his B.A. from Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Also joining Holland & Knight with Mr. Leibham is Kathleen Nicholas, who joins the firm as a senior public affairs advisor. Ms. Nicholas has spent a decade working at the intersection of law, policy and politics with a focus on energy, environment, advanced technology applications and congressional budgeting, among other issues.

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Happy Anniversary to the National War College and I am recognizing one of its graduates – Jason Harris Gerbsman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2021
The National War College Alumni Association Celebrates the National War College on 75th Year
Throughout the 2021-2022 academic year, the National War College Alumni Association in conjunction with The National War College will offer a series of lectures, exercises, interactive exchanges on National strategy, regional challenges, and the instruments of power and changing aspects of war and global competition.
2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of the National War College (NWC) in Washington, DC at Ft McNair. The College offers a unique course on national security strategy, joint operations and the tools of statecraft to prepare senior national security officials for higher levels of responsibility in service to America’s global leadership. This remarkable institution, little known outside of military circles and a few government agencies reflects the vision of post WWII leaders, especially General Dwight Eisenhower, General John DeWitt, General Hap Arnold and General George Marshall.   

The War College occupies Roosevelt Hall, a historic landmark, a majestic imperial style building that had been the home to the Army War College since 1907 when Roosevelt Hall opened. President T. Roosevelt informally dedicated Roosevelt Hall and was the major factor in establishing the Army War College, and after WW II Roosevelt Hall became the home of the National War College. 

The mission of the College was:* Preparing selected personnel of the armed forces and other governmental departments for the exercise of joint high-level policy, command and staff functions, and for the performance of strategic planning duties in their respective departments* Promoting the development of understanding of those agencies of government and those factors of power potential which are an essential part of a national war and peace effort.

The purpose of the College was captured in a letter from Admiral Halsey to Congressman Clifton A Woodman, Chairman of the Committee on Post War Military Policy. ADM Halsey felt the college should produce officers, “wise and trained” to minister the National Policy. He felt the United States needed officers who “understand the causes of war and conflict, who understand the fundamentals of our aims and ideals, who understand the interrelation of international policies, internal politics, trade and finance and the true significance of military power.”
Today NWC is still true to this mission and purpose, the College continues to focus on “grand national strategy and the utilization of the national resources necessary to implement that strategy.” Graduates of the College include an extensive list of accomplished National leaders, including Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs, Ambassadors, Assistant Secretaries, Four Star Flag Geographic Commanders, such as Secretary of State Colin Powell, GEN Martin Dempsey, Air Force Chief of Staff GEN Mark Welsh, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, GEN John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution, White House Chief of Staff, Gen John Kelly.

NWC Alumni we will seek your valuable opinions, participation, and impact of NWC has had in a follow-on letter of interest. Watch for a survey soon. 

For further information about a year long programs and events, the NWC history, and occasions to recognize NWC impact and national security leaders, please contact; Ike Puzon, Executive Director, puzon.ike@nationalwarcollege.org, 301-266-4786.

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