Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. Villanova prepares students to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them.


The strength of the Villanova experience comes in part from the University’s welcoming community. All members are bonded together by a shared responsibility to uphold the ideals of Saint Augustine and let the principles of truth, unity and love guide their lives. The Villanova community helps students grow intellectually, professionally and spiritually, and challenges them to reach their full potential.


The University’s rigorous academic experience, rooted in the liberal arts, forms an environment in which students and professors are partners in learning. The Villanova community is dedicated to providing a personalized experience that fosters every student’s intellectual and spiritual well-being. As part of their education, students are encouraged to enrich their own lives by working for those in need. Through academic and service programs, students use their knowledge, skills and compassion to better the world around them.


There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. These colleges are the setting for an experience that develops both the heart and the mind, and creates the atmosphere where students are called to ignite change.


Villanova University is located in a suburban community 12 miles west of Philadelphia, Pa.

Villanova University

New Row

Contact expert @[Full Name](fullname), @[Job Title](job_title) at @[Organization](organization) for media, speaking, professional opportunities and more.

@[Full Name](fullname) at @[Organization](organization) | Contact Form

Expert Inquiry

Open Sans

National Institute for Military Justice

The Ethics of Military Influence on Politics

The Military's Constitutional Role

Equal Supreme Court Access for Military Personnel: An Overdue Reform

Military Justice: Cases and Materials

Brenner M. Fissell is a Professor of Law at Villanova University. Professor Fissell's primary practice experience is in military justice. He first entered the legal academy in 2018 from the U.S. Dept. of Defense, where he was appellate defense counsel at the Guantanamo Bay Military Commissions. In this capacity, he served as a consultant on legal strategy and appellate issues to the defense teams representing detainees charged with war crimes. Prior to that he served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Scott Stucky of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces—the nation's highest military court. Professor Fissell remains active in reform efforts and pro bono consultation relating to the military justice system. He is Vice President of the National Institute for Military Justice, a learned society dedicated to the fair administration of justice in the armed forces and improved public understanding of military justice. Professor Fissell continues to actively represent military service members in military and federal courts.

Military Law

Military Misconduct

Criminal Law

National Security Law

Death Penalty

Local Government Law

Military Commissions

Guantánamo Bay

Terrorism

Homicide

Villanova Faculty Profile 

SSRN Author Page 

Military Lawyer Swiftly Fired From Immigration Bench After Defying Trump Deportation Push

Troops Involved in Boat Strikes Face a ‘Moral Injury’ Risk, Experts Say

Is It ‘Seditious’ or ‘Illegal’ to Urge the Military to Refuse Unlawful Orders? Legal Experts Weigh In

Pentagon threatens to prosecute Senator Mark Kelly by recalling him to Navy service

Trump wants to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago and Portland. Can he do that?

The law is clear: Trump can’t use the military to police America’s streets

Judge says Trump administration’s use of US military in Los Angeles violated federal law

US judge blocks Trump from using troops to fight crime in California

Can troops be deployed to the polls should the worst occur on Election Day?

Legal experts dissect Philly DA Krasner’s impeachment trial challenge

Professor of Law

Select Inquiry Type