Michael Bahar is the Democratic Staff Director and General Counsel for the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also in the U.S. Navy Reserves supporting U.S. Special Operations Command. Between March 2010 and February 2012, Michael served in the White House as Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Security Council Staff. As an Active Duty Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG), he deployed to Afghanistan as Deputy Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) to a Special Operations Task Force between March and July 2012. Six years earlier, he deployed to the Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, as well as in support of counter-piracy operations. Additionally, Michael served in the Pentagon as the Aide to the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy and as Deputy SJA to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He also served as Assistant SJA to Naval Special Warfare Development Group and as a prosecutor for Military Courts Martial in Jacksonville, Florida. Prior to going on Active Duty, Michael was a litigation associate in the New York City offices of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and worked in the New York State Senate. Michael grew up in New Rochelle, NY, graduated from New Rochelle High School in 1993, Yale University in 1997, Cambridge University in 1998 and Harvard Law School in 2002. He also has an LLM in international/national security law from Columbia University (2008). Michael has been an adjunct professor at NYU and at the University of North Florida. He is married with a 22-month old girl and a 7-year old dog.