Defense Institute of International Legal Studies

What Defense Institute of International Legal Studies does

The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) is a U.S. Department of Defense organization that plans and executes professional legal education and international engagement focused on human rights, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflict. DIILS is a component of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) and supports the Defense Security Cooperation Agency's (DSCA) mission of advancing U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign security forces. The organization is led by COL Elizabeth "Liz" Allen as Director and is staffed by military lawyers (Judge Advocates/JAGs) who execute the program.

DIILS delivers its services through two primary channels: nine resident courses at Naval Station Newport for international military officers and defense-sector civilians, and mobile training teams that deploy to partner nations. Annually, DIILS conducts more than 100 educational events including courses, seminars, and workshops across every region. Named offerings include the Legal Aspects of Defense Support of Civil Authorities (LADSCA), Cyber Law and Hybrid Warfare, executive seminars on Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict, and tailored operational law programs such as the proof-of-concept course developed for Ukrainian legal advisors supporting battlefield commanders. Notable 2024 cohorts include 38 LADSCA graduates from 23 countries and 38 Cyber Law graduates from 28 countries.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercial: DIILS operates as a component of the U.S. security cooperation apparatus, delivering services free of charge to partner nations as part of U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives. Funding flows through DSCA/DSCU security cooperation budgets. There is no private equity, revenue disclosure, or pricing structure in the conventional commercial sense. DIILS holds a U.S. Department of Defense email presence at the 2800 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC, and operates a public-facing presence via the DSCU website at dscu.edu/diils.

Name

Defense Institute of International Legal Studies

Legal name

Defense Institute of International Legal Studies

Website

https://diils.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DIILS is a U.S. Department of Defense organization that delivers professional legal education and international engagement on human rights, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflict to foreign military officers, legal advisors, and defense-sector civilians via nine resident courses at Naval Station Newport and over 100 mobile training events annually worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Legal Education and Security Cooperation Training

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (928), National Security (928110), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Defense Universities & Joint Professional Military Education (PME) (EDAHAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Security Sector Reform (SSR) & Defense Institution Building (BPADAFAE), Peace, Security & Arms Control Organizations (BPADAAAF)

Keywords

• International legal education
• Military legal training
• Law of armed conflict
• Human rights training
• Security cooperation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. U.S. Government Security Cooperation Funding: As a component of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) and Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), DIILS is funded through U.S. government security cooperation budgets. Services are provided free of charge to partner nations as part of U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DIILS is a U.S. Department of Defense organization that plans and executes professional legal education and international engagement focused on human rights, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflict. It offers nine resident courses at Naval Station Newport for international military officers and civilians, and deploys military lawyers (JAGs/Judge Advocates) as mobile training teams to conduct over 100 educational events annually worldwide for partner nation military and government personnel. Programs are delivered free of charge to partner nations as part of U.S. security cooperation and foreign policy objectives.

Product overview

The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) is a Defense Department organization that operates as a component of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU). DIILS offers a portfolio of legal education programs including nine resident courses at Naval Station Newport and conducts over 100 educational events annually worldwide. The core offerings include executive seminars on Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict, specialized courses such as LADSCA (Legal Aspects of Defense Support of Civil Authorities), Cyber Law and Hybrid Warfare, and tailored operational law training for partner nations. These programs are delivered by military lawyers (JAGs/Judge Advocates) who travel to partner nations or host participants at Naval Station Newport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Resident Courses at Naval Station Newport A portfolio of nine resident courses delivered at Naval Station Newport for international military officers, legal advisors, and defense-sector civilians, covering legal education in international law, human rights, and the law of armed conflict. Delivered by military lawyers (JAGs/Judge Advocates) on-site at the Newport campus.
• International Executive Seminars on Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict Executive seminars conducted on-site in partner nations by DIILS mobile training teams on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict, targeting foreign military officers, legal advisors, and government officials.
• Legal Aspects of Defense Support of Civil Authorities (LADSCA) Course A specialized resident course covering legal aspects of defense support of civil authorities, delivered to international military officers and civilians at Naval Station Newport. The September 2024 cohort graduated 38 international participants from 23 countries.
• Cyber Law and Hybrid Warfare Course A specialized course covering cyber law and hybrid warfare topics for international military officers and legal advisors. The 2024 cohort graduated 38 students from 28 countries including Austria, Belize, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Fiji, Ghana, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Slovak Republic, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Slovenia, Tanzania, Trinidad-Tobago, Thailand, Taiwan, and Zambia.
• Operational Law Course (Proof of Concept for Ukraine) A two-week proof-of-concept training course on operational law delivered in partnership with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, specifically tailored to train Ukrainian legal advisors providing operational law guidance to battlefield commanders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 educational events conducted annually worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered active partner and core partner.

• El Salvador Militaryactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to El Salvador to meet with military members as part of an ongoing Security Cooperation effort in December 2024.
• Thailand Maritime Enforcement Coordination Center (Thai MECC)active partnerOthersDIILS team met with maritime security professionals from Thailand Maritime Enforcement Coordination Center (Thai MECC) as part of ongoing maritime security cooperation effort in December 2024.
• Latvia Militaryactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to Latvia to conduct an executive seminar on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict with military members in November 2024.
• Nigerian Navyactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to Nigeria to meet with members of the Nigerian Navy as part of an ongoing Security Cooperation effort in November 2024.
• Federated States of Micronesia Governmentactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to the Federated States of Micronesia to conduct an executive seminar on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict with government officials in October 2024.
• Philippines National Maritime Centeractive partnerOthersDIILS engagement continued ongoing security cooperation work with supporting maritime agencies of the Philippines National Maritime Center, including seminars on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict in September and July 2024.
• Ghanaian Militaryactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to Ghana to conduct a three-day human rights and law of armed conflict executive seminar with military and other government agencies in August 2024.
• Ukrainian Ministry of Defensecore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIILS and legal colleagues from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense partnered to conduct a two-week proof of concept training course on operational law, specifically tailored to train Ukrainian legal advisors providing operational law guidance to battlefield commanders in August 2024.
• Vietnamese Militaryactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to Vietnam to conduct a two-day human rights and law of armed conflict executive seminar with military and other government ministries in August 2024.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina Militaryactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina to conduct a seminar on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict with military members in July 2024.
• Dominican Republic Militaryactive partnerOthersDIILS team traveled to the Dominican Republic to meet with military and government officials as part of an ongoing Security Cooperation program in June 2024.
• Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIILS is a component of DSCU and directly supports DSCA's mission of advancing US national security and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign security forces.
• Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIILS is a component of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU), which plans, develops, and delivers Security Cooperation education, training, and advising in support of the National Defense Strategy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies: U.S. DoD regional center providing strategic security education and outreach to international military and civilian leaders. Comparable in mission, funding model, and delivery mechanism to DIILS.
• Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS): U.S. DoD regional center for Africa that delivers security education and outreach to African military and civilian leaders. Comparable mission and delivery model to DIILS, particularly relevant given DIILS' African Military Law Forum engagement.
• George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies: U.S. DoD-funded international security education institution based in Germany. Directly comparable as a U.S. government institution that delivers resident and mobile professional education to foreign military officers and government officials on security-related topics.
• International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL): Independent institute in Sanremo, Italy that delivers courses on international humanitarian law and human rights to military officers worldwide. The closest non-U.S. peer to DIILS' LOAC and IHL curriculum.
• Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS): U.S. DoD-funded institution in Honolulu that delivers executive security education to Asia-Pacific military and civilian officials. Comparable as a peer DoD security cooperation education provider with similar resident course and mobile engagement model.
• Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU): DIILS' parent organization and the central U.S. institution for security cooperation education, training, and advising. Directly comparable as both deliver professional education to foreign military and defense personnel under the same statutory framework.

Broad incumbents

• Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA): U.S. DoD agency that oversees all security cooperation programs, including DIILS. Comparable as the broader institutional framework that funds and coordinates DIILS' activities and serves as the policy and resourcing authority.
• Naval War College: U.S. Navy senior professional military education institution co-located with DIILS at Naval Station Newport. Comparable as a DoD resident-course institution that educates international military officers and shares some faculty and infrastructure overlap.
• National Defense University (NDU): U.S. DoD senior professional military education institution. Comparable as the higher-tier U.S. defense education establishment that, while broader in scope, shares the JAG- and military-staffed model for international engagement.

Emerging players

• NATO Defense College: NATO's primary senior professional military education institution in Rome. Comparable as a multinational institution that delivers strategic-level education to allied and partner-nation military officers, including on legal frameworks and rules of engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/defense-institute-of-international-legal-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Defense Institute of International Legal Studies