Dawn Johnsen

Dawn Johnsen is a professor of law at Indiana University, whose faculty she joined the faculty in 1998. er research interests include issues of separation of powers (especially presidential power) and civil liberties (especially reproductive rights). She was nominated, by President Barack Obama, to serve as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel. As of February 2010, however, the U.S. Senate had not confirmed the nomination; the question has been asked if the President will fight for this and a number of other nominations.

Part of the controversy surrounding her nomination, in the present political client, is that she has been involved in reproductive rights from a "pro-choice" perspective. She served in the U.S. Department of Justice under President Bill Clinton (1993-1998), including as Acting Assistant Attorney General heading the Office of Legal Counsel where she provided constitutional and other legal advice to the Attorney General, the Counsel to the President, and the general counsels of the various executive branch agencies. From 1988-1993, she was the Legal Director of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (now NARAL Pro-Choice America). She also worked at the American Civil Liberties Union Reproductive Freedom Project and clerked for Judge Richard D. Cudahy of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Johnsen serves on the national board of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (ACS) and as co-chair of the ACS Issue Group on Separation of Powers and Federalism.