Call 412-367-9300 to reach the Information Desk at La Roche University. To browse the directory, please select a letter from the menu above.

Lawrence Likar, J.D.

Professor, Justice, Law and Security
412-536-1619
lawrence.likar@laroche.edu

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:

• Professor at La Roche University’s Department of Justice, Law, and Security 
• Subject matter expert and consultant to private industry and the media in the fields of security, violent crime, terrorism and enterprise crime
• Attorney-at-law with a specialized interest in the areas of national security and constitutional law
• Supervisory special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (retired)
• Board certified in security management
• Published author: "Eco-Warriors, Nihilistic Terrorists, and the Environment"

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION:

• J.D. with distinction, St. Mary’s University School of Law, 1977
• M.A., University of Oklahoma, 1974
• B.A., Waynesburg College, 1969
• CPP – ASIS International Attorney-at-Law, Member of the Pennsylvania Bar, 1993 – Present
• Member of the Texas Bar, 1977, resigned 1999
• Graduate,  FBI Academy Instructor/Specialization Courses, Quantico, Virginia, 1980-2001
• Police Training
• Legal Advisor
• Crisis Management
• Expert Firearms, Possible Club Member
• Defensive Tactics
• Crisis (Hostage) Negotiation
• Narcotics Raid Planning
• Special Weapons and Tactics
• National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime
• Graduate, FBI Academy, New Agent Training, Quantico, Virginia, 1978
• Graduate, Defense Language Institute (Spanish Language), Monterrey, California, 1970
• Graduate, U.S. Army Special Forces Officer Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1971

ACADEMIC HONORS AND AWARDS:

• Editor-in-Chief of the Law Journal, St. Mary’s University School of Law, 1976-1977
• St. Mary’s University School of Law’s National Moot Court Team, 1976
• Texas Association of Defense Counsel Legal Writing Award, 1976
• Who’s Who in America’s Colleges and Universities, 1977
• Winner, Orville Walker Moot Court Competition, 1975

COLLEGE SERVICE:

• Advisor to La Roche Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma (National Criminal Justice Honor Society)
• Ethics Team coach for La Roche University’s first Ethics Bowl, 2003
• Member of La Roche University Core Curriculum Committee, 2004-2009
• Member of La Roche University Strategic Planning/Planning Committee, 2006-2011

COURSES TAUGHT:

• Applied Criminology
• Criminal Behavior: Law and Psychology
• Crime and Terror: A Global Perspective
• Constitutional Law
• Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management
• National Security and Intelligence Senior Seminar
• Professional Responsibility: Legal and Ethical Concepts
• Senior Capstone for Criminal Justice
• Theories of Criminal Deviance
• Terrorism

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS:

• Likar, Lawrence E. “Grasping for Answers.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette 13 January 2013, Forum Section, The Next Page.
• Likar, Lawrence E. “Radicalization is Not Terrorism.” Pittsburgh Post Gazette 29 May 2011, Forum Section, The Next Page.
• Likar, Lawrence E. Eco-Warriors, Nihilistic Terrorists and the Environment. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2011.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (March 2008). “Legal Issues Concerning Torture and Terrorism.” Presentation made at Kearns Spirituality Center Conference – Blowing the Whistle on Torture.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (October 2007). “Balancing Liberty and Security in The War on Terror.” Presentation made at La Roche University Conference – Global Problems Global Solutions.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (August 2007). “Assessment of the Terrorist Risk to Our Domestic Society.” Presentation made as special faculty member at the Chautauqua Institution.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (July 2007). “Emergency Preparedness.” Presentations made at La Roche University Seminar titled Crisis on Campus: Preparing for the Unthinkable.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (October 2006). “Crime and Terrorism: Catastrophic Loss or Preventable Risk for Today’s Hospitals.” Presentation made to the American Society for Health Care Management– Annual Conference.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (May 2006). “Human Threats.” Presentation made at Villanova University Seminar titled Crisis on Campus: Preparing for the Unthinkable.
• Likar, Lawrence E. “Nation-Building, Insurgency, and Noncombatant Deaths: A Question of Justice or Jurisdiction?” Sensibilities 7 (2004): 9-11.
• Likar, Lawrence E. (September 2003). “Behavioral and Organizational Issues in an Insecure Environment: The Human Side of Computer Security.”
• Paper presented at the Tenth Ward Computing Security Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

CONSULTING:

• Scenario Author and Exercise Director, “Berry Street Tunnel Terrorist Training Exercise,” October 2003, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Exercise conducted for the Port Authority of Allegheny County and U.S. Department of Transportation, involving over 300 public safety personnel and numerous state and federal agencies.
• Senior Risk Advisor to Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co., the world’s 10th largest insurance and risk management intermediary. 2005 – 2008

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

• Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (member)
• Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, Inc. (member)
• ASIS International (member)
• Association of Former Intelligence Officers (member)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND NATIONAL SECURITY FIELDS:

• Supervisory Special Agent and Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1978-2001
• Investigation of Violent Crime/Major Offenders
• Supervised Pittsburgh FBI’s Violent Crimes/Major Offenders Squad.
• Coordinated Greater Pittsburgh Fugitive Task Force. Effected the arrests of over 1,000 fugitives.
• Supervised Western Pennsylvania’s Crimes Against Children Task Force.
• Team leader during the successful investigation of the fire at the DuPont Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the worst arson/mass murder in United States history. 
• Investigation of Terrorism
• Planned and organized OPERATION CLAW, the FBI raid on the infrastructure of the violent Puerto Rican-terrorist organization called “Los Macheteros”.
• Responsible for FBI legal analysis, review, and oversight concerning the investigation of terrorism in Puerto Rico, from 1983 to 1988.
• Tactical Operations
• Senior team leader of the FBI’s San Juan Division Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, a twenty man unit specializing in high-risk arrests, barricaded subjects and dignitary protection operations.
• Developed crisis management operational plans for the San Juan Division of the FBI.
• Specialized Skills and Security Responsibilities
• Crisis Negotiator responsible for intervening in hostage and barricaded subject situations.
• Coordinator for the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime. Assisted local, state and federal agencies in investigations involving unusual, bizarre and/or repetitive violent crime.
• Protective security specialist with expertise in personal and workplace security and crisis management procedures. Graduate of the Diplomatic Security Service’s course in Protective Security Operations.
• Teaching Law Enforcement Personnel
• Certified as a police instructor by the FBI for 19 years and instructed hundreds of police officers in subjects ranging from Constitutional Law to SWAT tactics.
• Instructed cadets and in-service personnel in various criminal justice subjects at the New York Police Academy, Iowa State Law Enforcement Academy, Police of Puerto Rico Training Facility and the Allegheny County Law Enforcement Academy.
• As the San Juan FBI SWAT Senior Team Leader from 1983-1988, conducted extensive training of the Police of Puerto Rico SWAT team and the Fort Buchanan United States Military Police Special Reaction team in counter-terrorist tactics.
• Commander and Executive Officer, Operational Detachment A, U.S. Army Special Forces. Instructed foreign military personnel in a variety of military subjects, to include Intelligence Operations and Internal Defense and Development. 1970-1974

JOINED LA ROCHE:  

Aug. 15, 2001