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Charlene Barshefsky | |
|---|---|
 Barshefsky,c. 1997 | |
| 12thUnited States Trade Representative | |
| In office March 18, 1997 – January 20, 2001 Acting: April 12, 1996 – March 18, 1997 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Mickey Kantor |
| Succeeded by | Robert Zoellick |
| Deputy United States Trade Representative[1] | |
| In office May 1993 – April 1996 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Julius L. Katz[2] |
| Succeeded by | Richard W. Fisher[3] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-08-11)August 11, 1950 (age 75) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Edward B. Cohen[1] |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–Madison (BA) Catholic University (JD) |
Charlene Barshefsky (born August 11, 1950) is an American lawyer. She served asUnited States Trade Representative from 1997 to 2001. She was the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative from 1993 to 1997. She is a partner at thelaw firm ofWilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.[4] She is also an advisor atMoelis & Company and a participant of the Task Force on U.S.-China Policy convened by theAsia Society's Center on US-China Relations.[5]
Barshefsky was raised in aJewish family on the North Side ofChicago, the daughter ofPolish immigrant parents: Getzel "Gustave" Barshefsky, a chemical engineer fromRajgród (1912–1995), and Miriam Rosen (1912–2011), a substitute teacher fromŁomża.[6][7] Her father's family surname had been Barszczewski (feminine Barszczewska) in Polish.[8] She has an elder brother, Alvin Barshefsky, and an elder sister, Annette Weinshank.[7] In 1968, Barshefsky graduated fromVon Steuben High School.[7] In 1972, Barshefsky graduated from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison with a bachelor's degree, double majoring in English and political science. In 1975, she earned herJ.D. from theColumbus School of Law ofThe Catholic University of America.
Barshefsky was nominated by former PresidentBill Clinton to serve as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative along withRufus Yerxa andRichard W. Fisher. In 1999 she was the primary negotiator withChina'sZhu Rongji, laying out the terms forChina's eventual entry into theWorld Trade Organization in December 2001. Her negotiations have been analyzed inHarvard Business School case studies.[4]
As of June 2012, Barshefsky is a senior international partner at WilmerHale. Her legal practice focuses on international business transactions, commercial agreements, and regulatory impediments to exporting and investment. Specifically, her expertise lies in "crafting market penetration strategies for goods, services, and investment and devising practical solutions to market access barriers". Her clients includeFortune 100 and othermultinational companies that services like trade litigation, dispute resolution, and government relations strategies. She also advises foreign corporations on commercial and regulatory issues in the United States.[4]
Barshefsky has written and lectured extensively on both U.S. and foreign trade laws andpublic procurement regimes. She was a partner at the law firm ofSteptoe & Johnson. She previously served as vice chair of the International Law Section of theAmerican Bar Association as well as a member of its governing council and chair of its Publications Committee.
Outside of her legal practice, Barshefsky participates in several professional organizations. She is the chair of theNational Committee on US-China Relations' board of directors,[9] a board member of the America-China Society, a fellow of theForeign Policy Association, and a member of theAmerican Academy of Diplomacy and theTrilateral Commission. She also serves on the boards ofIntel,American Express,Estée Lauder Companies, and theHoward Hughes Medical Institute. She is a member of theCouncil on Foreign Relations.[4] She also sits on the advisory board forAmerica Abroad Media.[10]
Barshefsky lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | United States Trade Representative 1996–2001 | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
